Susan testifies before the Subcommittee on Elections about her bill to expand “No Excuse” Absentee Voting to all American voters.
Election Reform
A former President of the San Diego League of Women Voters and a member of the U.S. House Administration Committee's Subcommittee on Elections, Susan has a strong interest in ensuring the integrity of federal elections.
In the 110th Congress, Susan has introduced a package of inexpensive common sense election reform measures which would greatly increase security and participation in federal elections.
Amendment restricting the use of Direct Recording Electronic DRE Voting Machines—After California Secretary of State Debra Bowen conducted a thorough review of voting equipment and determined that certain machines needed to be decertified, Susan took the lead in fighting for a similar measure at the federal level.
Press Release: Rep. Susan Davis's Statement to Restrict the Use of DRE Electronic Voting Machines
Article: New York Times Calls for a DRE ban
H.R. 281, The Universal Right To Vote By Mail Act--This bill would allow voters in all states to vote by mail for any reason. Twenty-seven states currently allow no-excuse absentee voting. In the other states, voters must have a specific reason such as age, disability or travel to request an absentee ballot. In these states, work and childcare are often not valid reasons to vote by mail. H.R. 281 would make voting more convenient and would level the playing field by allowing all voters the same opportunity.
The House Administration Subcommittee on Elections held hearings on this bill in October, 2007. For Rep. Davis’s testimony, click here [pdf]
Bill Text and Details
Fact Sheet about HR 281 [pdf]
Press Release:CONGRESSWOMAN SUSAN DAVIS INTRODUCES BILL TO PROMOTE VOTING EQUALITY
H.R. 1646, The Mail-In Ballot Tracking Act--This bill would allow voters and elections officials to track mail-in ballots through a system similar to that currently used for overnight packages. By using the phone or the internet, voters would be able to find out whether and when their ballots were mailed, visited certain postal processing facilities and were received and verified back at the elections office. A handful of jurisdictions are already using such tracking systems and find them to be inexpensive and popular with voters. The United States Postal Service's "intelligent mail" system will soon be able to easily integrate with a variety of tracking software technologies available to elections offices.
Bill Text and Details
Press Release: REP. SUSAN DAVIS INTRODUCES BILL
TO TRACK MAIL-IN BALLOTS
H.R. 1667, The Vote By Mail Act--This bill authorizes $18 million for federal grants to help states offset the cost of holding elections by mail and commissions a study of voting by mail. This bill was created in conjunction with Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) to help states and counties who want to hold elections which are vote by mail only. The bill also instructs the General Accounting Office (GAO) to examine Vote by Mail and the likelihood of fraud and misconduct, voter participation in urban and rural communities and among minorities, the homeless, and people with disabilities.
Bill Text and Details
Fact Sheet about HR 1667 [pdf]
Press Release:REP. SUSAN DAVIS INTRODUCES BILL TO HELP STATES HOLD MAIL-IN ELECTIONS
H.R. 2142, The Free Absentee Act-This bill provides free postage for mail ballots. It would make voting by mail more convenient and affordable at a minimal cost to the federal government.
Bill Text and Details
Press Release: SUSAN DAVIS INTRODUCES FREE ABSENTEE VOTING BILL
View the Election Assistance Commission’s study on free postage for absentee ballots here
H.R. 101, The Federal Election Integrity Act--This bill would prohibit chief state election administration officials from taking active part in political campaigns with respect to any elections for federal office over which the officials have supervisory authority. This bill is in reaction to the inherent conflicts of interests which occurred in recent elections in Florida, Ohio and other states.
Bill Text and Details
Press Release:CONGRESSWOMAN SUSAN DAVIS INTRODUCES ELECTION INTEGRITY LEGISLATION