HAVA and the States

Two major events—the 2000 vote counting crisis in Floridaand passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in October 2002—spawneda wave of federal, state, and local policy innovation and policyimplementation. The major effect of the Florida crisis was anationwide effort to analyze information on elections and todebate policy solutions. Subsequently, HAVA, the first majorelection law in U.S. history that includes federal funds forelection equipment and operations, had a more substantial effecton policy innovation and implementation. Both before and afterHAVA, election law changes have been affected by partisan considerations,policy analyses, and entrepreneurial leadership. Thus far, HAVAhas positively affected election administration, though administrativepractices and their effectiveness vary across and within thestates.     

State and Local Government Organizations and the Formation of the Help America Vote Act

Several state and local government organizations lobbied Congressduring the formation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA). Thisarticle distinguishes between "general" government organizations(those that represent the general interests of state and localgovernments) and "functionalist" organizations (those that implementspecific programs or functions). Whereas generalists soughtto advance "spatial" interests, functionalists sought to advance"administrative" interests. We also apply theories of congressionalorganization and committee leadership to explain the accessof state and local governments to Congress and their influenceover policy. The organizations had more access to, and influencein, the House Committee on Administration than in the SenateRules and Administration Committee. The differences were primarilythe result of three factors: informational demands, partisanconsiderations, and the personal qualities of committee leaders.