Help America Vote Act

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) is a United States federal law enacted in 2002 in response to the voting irregularities of the 2000 Presidential Election. HAVA established mandatory minimum standards for states in key areas of election administration, including requirements that voting systems be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Specifically, HAVA mandated that each polling place have at least one voting system accessible to individuals with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired, enabling them to vote with the same privacy and independence as other voters. While HAVA significantly advanced accessible voting in the US, research shows that many voters with disabilities still face substantial barriers at the polls.