[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 51 (Friday, March 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E619-E620]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        INTRODUCTION OF THE MAIL-IN-BALLOT TRACKING ACT OF 2007

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 22, 2007

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce 
the Mail-In Ballot Tracking Act of 2007--a bill to implement procedures 
for tracking the growing number of ballots in States throughout the 
country that are transmitted through the mail.
  Although voters across the Nation are increasingly choosing to cast 
their ballots by mail because it is more convenient and they have more 
time to study their choices, many voters have been hesitant to do so 
because, quite frankly, they are worried that they cannot determine for 
certain where their mail ballots are in the system and whether they 
were actually received and counted.
  In most cases, the fears of one's mail-in ballot somehow being lost 
in the system are unfounded--but we all know the fear is still there. 
Our Nation's voters deserve electoral procedures that are transparent 
and which strengthen their faith in democracy.
  Sometimes there is reason for concern. I have heard horror stories 
from people who simply did not receive a ballot they requested.
  Other voters have called their overwhelmed elections offices and 
waited on hold for too long trying to find out whether their ballot has 
been mailed or received. Even when they get to speak with an informed 
elections official, that official often cannot tell the voter where the 
ballot is because it is somewhere in the postal system.
  The good news is that it is possible and practical to track mail 
ballots.
  We have been tracking the process of overnight packages for years by 
using the Internet and the telephone. There is no reason why we cannot 
track ballots using similar technology.
  In fact, some jurisdictions such as San Mateo County, CA are already 
tracking ballots with great success.
  The United States Postal Service is currently introducing an 
``Intelligent Mail'' system which, if applied to election mail, will 
allow voters to find out via the Internet or the telephone which postal 
processing facility last handled their ballots and when they were 
handled there.
  Quite simply, the technology will soon exist to seamlessly track 
ballots from the time they are sent out from the appropriate elections 
office to the time they are received back and include all the key 
postal points along the way.
  Implementing ballot tracking systems will bring voters peace of mind 
and reduce the burden on elections offices which are often barraged 
with phone calls from voters trying to determine the status of their 
ballots.
  This legislation will also allow a voter to know whether his or her 
ballot passed the verification stage and will be counted.
  Not only is mail ballot tracking feasible and helpful, but it is also 
affordable.

[[Page E620]]

  Setting up systems at an elections office can be as simple as 
redesigning a website.
  Adding barcodes to envelopes already going through the postal process 
can cost tiny fractions of a penny per piece.
  Purchasing any additional scanning or telephone equipment is also 
relatively inexpensive for election technology.
  Mail ballot tracking could even help elections offices save money in 
the long run as call volumes will likely go down and the strain on 
staff declines.
  Mail ballot tracking is a win-win for all.
  I believe it will increase voter participation as it increases peace 
of mind.
  We should follow the lead of the trailblazers who are already 
tracking mail ballots and ensure this level of security, transparency, 
and accountability to all voters who either choose to vote by mail or 
who live in one of the growing number of localities holding all-mail 
elections.
  I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in 
supporting this effort to strengthen the democratic process and give 
American voters the electoral certainty they deserve.

                          ____________________