Protect Election Integrity – Oppose H.R. 672
Recipient: U.S. House of Representatives
Dear Representative:
On behalf of a coalition of over 200 diverse national organizations, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, we urge you to oppose H.R. 672, which would terminate the Election Assistance Commission (“EAC” or “Commission”). As organizations that are committed to supporting and expanding the civil and voting rights of all Americans, we have devoted substantial resources to the passage of both the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act. Terminating the EAC risks reducing the voting and civil rights of our citizens—rights for which many have given their lives.
The EAC does valuable work to ensure the reliability and trustworthiness of our nation’s election systems. The Commission plays a major role in collecting accurate and comparable election data. With our nation’s complex and diversified election administration system, central data collection is essential if we are going to improve our citizens’ trust and confidence in election results. The Commission develops and fosters the training and organization of our nation’s more than 8,000 election administrators. Through its many working committees and the work it does to foster robust dialogue among advocates, manufacturers, and administrators, the Commission is improving the administration of elections. The EAC’s award-winning web page has become the “go to” site for election administrators, advocates, and academics.
The Commission is charged with developing standards for voting systems, and this precedent-setting work has been recognized by nations around the world. Several countries are so impressed with our system that they have signed agreements with the EAC for technical assistance as they develop their own voting system standards and certification procedures. The EAC’s certification program uses its oversight role to coordinate with manufacturers and local election officials to ensure that existing voting equipment meets durability and longevity standards. This saves state and local governments from the unnecessary expense of new voting equipment.
The EAC has also played a central role in improving the accessibility of voting for the country’s more than 37 million voters with disabilities. We still have a long way to go to achieve the Help America Vote Act’s mandate to make voting accessible. The EAC’s leadership is essential to continuing the effort to offer all Americans the right to vote “privately and independently.”
H.R. 672 would transfer significant responsibilities to the Federal Election Commission (“FEC”), which is a bad idea. The integrity of Americans’ fundamental right to vote out- weighs any monetary savings. The entity overseeing election administration responsibilities must be able to quickly respond to issues as they arise in order not to delay election processes. Based on past performance, the FEC is not an entity that can make decisions on a timely basis due to its partisan divisions. Thus, in handing over the EAC to the FEC, Congress will be turning its back on federal efforts to ensure election integrity, improve voter access to the polls, and improve election systems.
As we approach the 2012 elections, the EAC must continue to do its important work. Rather than abolishing the agency just before the 2012 elections, we believe Congress should strengthen the Commission by broadening its data collection responsibilities and by giving it regulatory authority to ensure that persons with disabilities have full access to the polls.
Thank you for your consideration of our position. If you have any questions about this letter, please contact Leadership Conference Senior Counsel Lisa Bornstein, at (202) 263-2856 or [email protected].
Wade Henderson
President & CEO
Nancy Zirkin
Executive Vice President