The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) was signed into law by President Bush on October 29, 2002. The new requirements under HAVA effect the way you register to vote, cast ballots and exercise your power as a citizen.

It presents changes in the following areas:

• New Voting Equipment
• Provisional Voting Rights
• New Voter Registration Rules
• Help for Military and Overseas Voters
• New Ways to Improve the Voting Process

For more information about HAVA and how it effects you as a voter, please visit the California Secretary of State Website

The Voting Rights Act, adopted initially in 1965 and extended in 1970, 1975, 1982, and 2006 is generally considered the most successful piece of civil rights legislation ever adopted by the United States Congress. The Act codifies and effectuates the 15th Amendment's permanent guarantee that, throughout the nation, no person shall be denied the right to vote on account of race or color. In addition, the Act contains several special provisions that impose even more stringent requirements in certain jurisdictions throughout the country.

For more information about the Voting Rights Act, please visit the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Home Page.