George W. Bush's position on

Voting Reform: On October 29, 2002 President Bush signed into law the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in response to the debacle of the 2000 presidential election. HAVA authorized $3.86 billion in funding for states to improve election operations and set standards for voting, voting registration, as well as, those that oversee the federal election process.

Description of candidate's position: Bush feels that while election administration is primarily a state and local responsibility, it is left up to the federal government to address issues of election fairness, accuracy of elections, and voter's rights. (link) It was for these reasons that Bush pushed for the enactment of the Help America Vote Act. Not only did the act address issues that arose from the 2000 presidential election in Florida, but it also addressed issues of overseas voting by American citizens, increasing the young American citizens vote, and most importantly mandated federal funds for states to comply with guidelines and standards outline in HAVA. (link)

Quotation from the candidate: "The administration of elections is primarily a state and local responsibility. The fairness of all elections, however, is a national priority. And through these reforms, the federal government will help state and local officials to conduct elections that have the confidence of all Americans. We're counting on these officials to meet their responsibilities, to protect the sanctity of the vote and to encourage Americans to exercise the right to vote". Signing ceremony of HAVA, October 29, 2002 (link)

Assessment of the proposal:

Positive: The League of Women Voters, which advocates citizen participation in government and voting as a protected right, has provided a recommendation guide to states to ensure that the standards outlined in HAVA are implemented. (link) "Over the past two years, news coverage of the voting reform issue has often made it seem as if most voting problems will be solved by the purchase of new voting machines. This is simply not true. States need to overhaul a wide variety of election procedures, as laid out in this briefing, in order to bring about true voting reform". (link)

Negative: Although Common Cause, a non-partisan citizens' organization that seeks to ensure an effective government on all levels, shares many concerns of the voting process that HAVA seeks to rectify, it feels that HAVA shouldn't be treated as a one-time reform. "The time for reform is not over. Our system of voting should be an ongoing national priority. Congress must not treat HAVA as a one-time reform. HAVA should be a precedent for federal funding and assistance to state and local governments that will make our system of voting the best it can be". (link) 

Comparison: Bush hasn't formally addressed voting reform because he feels that he has adequately addressed the election administration concerns that came out of the 2000 presidential election with the signing of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. While Kerry feels that HAVA guidelines for voter registration will in fact further disenfranchise many voters and don't rectify issues of voter fraud, Bush feels that the ability for the states to design a plan to implement HAVA guidelines along with federal funding will adequately address those concerns that arose from the 2000 presidential election.

Link to Kerry's issue page