In the wake of the 2000 election, Congress enacted the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) which, among other things, set new standards for voting equipment. As part of the act, the federal government provided more than $3 billion in funding for local jurisdictions to upgrade their voting equipment.
But according to a recent article in Governing, much of that equipment is nearing the end of its useful life and purchasing new equipment, which the article states could cost some jurisdictions millions of dollars, will be a significant challenge. The article also states that there is currently a shortage in available replacement equipment, noting that voting technology standards have not been updated since 2005, which makes vendors hesitant to introduce new products.
