Number: RS22363
Title: Federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines: Issues
Authors: Eric A. Fischer, Resources, Science, and Industry Division 
Abstract: The federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) are a set of technical standards for voting systems that use computers to assist in recording or counting votes. The first version went into effect in December 2007, and a draft second version has been developed. The VVSG replaced the federal voluntary Voting Systems Standards (VSS). The 2005 VVSG are a partial revision of the VSS, with revision focused mainly on accessibility, usability, and security. The 2007 draft is a complete rewrite. Several issues have been raised about the VVSG that may require congressional attention. Among them is the question of timing. Some vendors claim that there needs to be more time for technology development before the new guidelines become effective; some activists argue that problems with voting systems, and federal requirements, demand more rapid implementation of the VVSG. The new guidelines did not have much direct impact on voting systems used in 2006. One exception was provisions relating to paperballot audit trails, which several states now require to be used in conjunction with electronic voting machines such as touchscreen systems. Like the VSS, the VVSG are voluntary, but some observers believe that a regulatory approach would be more appropriate given the importance of elections to the democratic process. However, since many states require that voting systems be certified, vendors are expected to treat the VVSG in the same way they have treated the VSS - as effectively mandatory.
Pages: 6
Date: October 6, 2008