The Help America Vote Act of 2002 requires the Election Assistance Commission to provide payments to States to help them meet the uniform and nondiscriminatory election technology and administration requirements in Title III of that law. Title III requires States to:

• Ensure that voting systems used in federal elections on and after January 1, 2006 meet six voting system standards.
• Employ provisional voting for certain voters whose eligibility to vote is in question in federal elections held on and after January 1, 2004.
• Post certain voting information at the polls on the day of each election for federal office held on and after January 1, 2004.
• Develop and maintain a uniform computerized statewide voter registration database no later than January 1, 2004, unless the State requests a waiver of the requirement for good cause until January 1, 2006.
• Implement requirements for voters who register by mail on and after January 1, 2003.

A State may use these payments for other election administration improvements only if it has met the Title III requirements, or to the extent that the payments exceed what the State needs to meet the requirements.

The Help America Vote Act authorizes funds for these payments in fiscal years 2003, 2004, and 2005, but provides that the funds remain available without regard to fiscal year until disbursed.

Detailed information regarding these requirements payments to states is available at The Help America Vote Act of 2002, Sections 251 through 258. Information on Title III requirements may be found in Sections 301 through 305.