United States Government Accountability Office
GAO
Testimony
Before the Special Committee on Aging,
United States Senate
ELDERLY VOTERS
Some Improvements in
Voting Accessibility from
2000 to 2004 Elections, but
Gaps in Policy and
Implementation Remain
Statement of Barbara D. Bovbjerg, Director, Education,
Workforce, and Income Security, and William O. Jenkins,
Director, Homeland Security and Justice
For Release on Delivery
Expected at 10:30 EST
Thursday, January 31, 2008
GAO-08-442T
What GAO Found
United States Government Accountability Office
Why GAO Did This Study
Highlights
Accountability Integrity Reliability
January 31, 2008
ELDERLY VOTERS
Some Improvements in Voting Accessibility from
2000 to 2004 Elections, but Gaps in Policy and
Implementation Remain
Highlights of GAO-08-442T, a testimony
before the U.S. Senate Special Committee
on Aging
Voting is fundamental to our
democratic system, and federal law
generally requires polling places for
federal elections to be accessible to
older voters and voters with
physical disabilities. Following
reports of problems encountered in
the close 2000 presidential election
with respect to voter registration
lists, absentee ballots, ballot
counting, and antiquated voting
systems, the Help America Vote Act
of 2002 (HAVA) was enacted.
Among other provisions, HAVA
includes requirements for the
accessibility of voting systems,
effective January 1, 2006.
In the past, GAO has published
several reports on issues related to
voting access for older voters. Our
prior work, including on-site
inspections of a national sample of
polling places in election year 2000,
a comprehensive review of the
election system in 2004, and a
review of transportation issues
facing seniors, has identified a
number of potential barriers to
voting for older Americans, as well
as accommodations and progress
in a number of areas. Drawing from
prior work, GAO’s testimony will
focus on (1) a