Electronic Voting System in the House of Representatives: History and Evolution

^Pr^ep^ar^{ed f}^o^r^M^e^m^b^ers^an^d^Com^mⁱ^t^t^ees^of^C^ong^r^e^ss

The Electronic Voting System in the House of Representatives was used for the first time on
January 23, 1973, 87 years after the first proposal to use an automated system to record votes was
introduced. The concept of automated voting dates even farther back to 1869, when Thomas
Edison filed a patent for his vote recorder and demonstrated the system to Congress. Between the
first proposal for automated voting in 1886, and the passage of the Legislative Reorganization Act
of 1970, which contained language authorizing an electronic voting system, 51 bills and
resolutions were introduced to provide for automated, electrical, mechanical or electronic voting.
Following the passage of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, the Committee on House
Administration and House Information Systems worked to develop, install, and implement the
electronic voting system. The electronic voting system was first used on January 23, 1973, to
record a quorum call.
Since its first use, the electronic voting system has undergone numerous updates and upgrades.
These modifications have included efforts to improve the retrieval and organization of voting
data, to improve the manner in which votes are displayed on closed circuit television and C-
SPAN, to create new procedures for Members changing their votes, and to upgrade the system
when new technology becomes available.
For further analysis of record voting in the House of Representatives, see CRS Report RL34570,
Record Voting in the House of Representatives: Issues and Options, by Michael L. Koempel,
Jacob R. Straus, and Judy Schneider.

History of Electronic Voting Before 1970.......................................................................................1
Creation of Electronic Voting, 1970 to 1973...................................................................................5
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970.............................................................................5
Designing the Electronic Voting System...................................................................................6
Initial Use of the Electronic Voting System..............................................................................8
Operation of Voting Equipment................................................................................................9
Opening a Vote..................................................................................................................10
Voti ng ......................................................................................................................... ....... 10
Closing a Vote....................................................................................................................11
Upgrades and Updates to the Electronic Voting System..............................................................13
Retrieval of Voting Information..............................................................................................13
Display of In-Progress Voting on Closed-Circuit Television..................................................14
Changing Votes.......................................................................................................................14
Hardware Upgrades.................................................................................................................15
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Table A-1. Electrical, Mechanical, and Automated Voting Bills and Resolutions in the
House of Representatives Before 1970......................................................................................17
Table B-1. Upgrades to the House Electronic Voting System.......................................................20
Appendix A. Proposals to Establish Automated Voting in the House of Representatives.............17
Appendix B. Chronology of Upgrades to the House Electronic Voting System...........................20
Author Contact Information..........................................................................................................22

he House of Representatives authorized an electronic means for recording floor votes as ¹
part of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. The first proposal for automated
voting was introduced in 1886. Between 1886 and 1970, 51 bills and resolutions were T

introduced to bring automated, electrical, or mechanical voting to the House of Representatives.
The current electronic voting system was first used on January 23, 1973.

The electric vote recorder was invented by Thomas Edison in 1869.² He designed the system after
learning that the Washington, DC, city council and the New York state legislature were
considering systems to record votes automatically. In Edison’s system “each legislator moved a
switch to either a yes or no position, thus transmitting a signal to a central recorder that listed the ³
names of the members in two columns of metal type headed ‘Yes’ and ‘No’.” Edison and his
colleague Dewitt Roberts demonstrated the machine to Congress, where Edison recalled:
^{We g}^o^t^h^o^l^d^of^t^h^{e ri}^gh^t^m^aⁿ^t^o^g^e^t^t^h^e^m^a^c^hⁱⁿ^{e adopt}^{ed, an}^{d I en}^t^h^u^sⁱ^a^s^tⁱ^cal^l^y^s^e^t^f^o^rt^hⁱ^t^s
^m^e^rits^to^hⁱ^m^.^J^u^s^tⁱ^m^agin^e^m^y^f^eeliⁿ^gs^w^h^eⁿ^{, i}ⁿ^a^h^o^rrifⁱ^ed^ton^e^,^h^e^e^x^clai^m^e^d:^“^Y^o^u^ng
^m^aⁿ^,^t^h^at^w^o^n’^{t do at all!}^T^h^at^is^j^u^s^t^w^h^at^w^e^do^not^w^a^nt^.^Y^o^urⁱⁿ^ve^ntⁱ^oⁿ^w^o^u^l^d^des^t^ro^y^t^h^e
^on^l^y^h^{ope t}^h^e^mⁱⁿ^o^ri^t^y^h^a^v^e^ofⁱⁿ^f^l^u^eⁿ^cⁱⁿ^g^l^e^gⁱ^s^l^atⁱ^oⁿ^.^It^w^o^u^l^{d del}ⁱ^v^e^{r t}^h^e^m^ov^{er, boun}^d
^h^aⁿ^d^an^{d f}^{oot, to th}^e^m^a^j^o^rit^y^{. T}^h^{e pres}^en^{t s}^y^s^t^e^m^gⁱ^v^e^s^th^e^m^a^w^eapon^w^h^ic^h^isⁱⁿ^v^a^l^u^a^b^l^e^,
^aⁿ^d^a^s^t^h^e^r^u^lⁱⁿ^g^m^a^j^o^rⁱ^t^y^a^l^w^a^y^s^kⁿ^o^w^t^h^a^tⁱ^t^m^a^y^s^o^m^e^d^a^y^b^e^c^o^m^e^a^mⁱⁿ^o^rⁱ^t^y^,^th^e^y^w^ill^b^e⁴
^as^m^u^ch^a^v^ers^e^t^o^any^ch^aⁿ^g^e^as^t^h^ei^{r oppon}^en^t^s^.”
In 1886, electric and mechanical voting was proposed for the House with the introduction of two
separate resolutions. Representative Lewis Beach of New York introduced a resolution in
February directing the Committee on Rules to “inquire into the feasibility of a plan for registering ⁵
votes.... ” In June, Representative Benjamin Le Fevre of Ohio submitted a resolution on the ⁶
electrical recording of the yeas and nays. The resolutions were referred to the Committee on
Rules. No further action was taken on either resolution.
During the 63^rd Congress (1913-1914), Representative Allan Walsh of New Jersey introduced
H.Res. 513, providing for an electrical and mechanical system of voting for the House of ⁷
Representatives. A special subcommittee of the Committee on Accounts held hearings on an
automated system where each Member would have a voting box with three or four buttons

¹^P^.^L^.^91-⁵¹^0,⁸⁴^Sta^t^.¹¹⁴⁰^{, O}^c^to^be^r²⁶^{, 1}⁹⁷⁰^.
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^http:^//e^dis^o^n.r^u^tg^e^r^s^.^e^du/^pa^te^nts^/⁰⁰⁰⁹⁰⁶⁴⁶^.^P^D^F^,^accessed^No^ve^m^b^{er 2}¹^,²⁰⁰⁸^.
³^“V^o^t^{e Reco}^r^d^{er,” T}^h^{e Ed}^is^oⁿ^P^a^p^e^{rs h}^t^t^p^://edⁱ^s^oⁿ^.^ru^tg^ers.ed^u^/^v^o^te.h^tm^{, access}^e^d^No^v^e^m^b^{er 2}¹^,²⁰⁰⁸^.
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^N^o^v^e^m^b^e^r^21,²⁰^08.
⁵^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^H^ous^e^of^R^e^pr^e^s^enta^tiv^e^s^,^Plaⁿ^to^Re^giste^r^V^o^te^s,^Etc^.^{, 4}⁹^th^Cong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^{., Mis}^.^D^o^c^.^98,^Se^ria^l^Se^t
²⁴¹^{5 (}¹⁸⁸⁶⁾^{, p}^.¹^.
⁶^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^H^ous^e^of^R^e^pr^e^s^enta^tiv^e^s^,^E^l^ect^ri^ca^l^R^eco^rdⁱⁿ^{g o}^f^Y^e^a^s^an^d^N^a^ys^{, 4}⁹^th^Cong^.,¹^st^sess.^,^Mⁱ^s.^Do^c.³¹⁵^,
^Se^rⁱ^a^l^Se^{t 2}⁴¹⁸⁽¹⁸⁸⁶⁾^,^p.^1.
⁷^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^he^a^rⁱⁿ^g^{on H}^.^R^e^s^.⁵¹^3,
⁶³^rd^Co^ng^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., J}^u^ly^31,¹⁹¹⁴⁽^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁴⁾^.

attached to a desk. Each voting box would have a unique key and each Member would be
assigned to a voting box that only his or her key would operate. The votes would then be
transmitted electrically and recorded mechanically by a machine installed on the clerk’s desk, ⁸
with votes displayed on boards throughout the chamber and in the cloak rooms. Following the
subcommittee’s hearing, no further action was taken on H.Res. 513.
A similar proposal, H.Res. 223, was introduced in the 64^th Congress (1915-1916) by
Representative William Howard of Georgia. Hearings were held by the Committee on Accounts
on the proposal in which testimony was heard from outside experts, including representatives of ⁹
the company then installing an electrical voting system in the Wisconsin legislature. H.Res. 223 ¹⁰
was favorably reported by the Committee on Accounts, but was not acted upon by the House.
During the hearings on H.Res. 513 and H.Res. 223, Members’ statements and questions focused
on the length of time needed to vote in the House, the accuracy of such roll-call votes, and the
cost of developing and implementing an electrical vote recording system. During his testimony on
H.Res. 513, Representative Walsh testified that “taking 45 minutes as the average time consumed
in a roll call, the time consumed in the Sixty-second Congress in roll calls was 275 hours, or 55 ¹¹
legislative days.” However, members of the Committee on Accounts were concerned that
shortening votes could “flood the country with legislation” and disrupt then-used delaying tactics ¹²
resulting in “filibuster by means of roll calls.”
The hearings also addressed Members’ concerns that voting mistakes could be made using an
electrical and mechanical system. In the hearings on H.Res. 513, Representative Walsh testified
that the voting system he envisioned would automatically cut off the circuit after a prescribed
time to end a vote. In the instance where a Member missed a vote, Representative Walsh left the ¹³
decision up to the Speaker as to whether the Member would be allowed to vote. Representative
Howard’s resolution, H.Res. 223, overcame this perceived deficiency and allowed for vote
changes either through the mechanical system or through a more traditional paper method.
During the hearings on H.Res. 513, members of the Committee on Accounts expressed concern
about the cost of development and installation of the electric voting system. Representative Walsh ^rd
testified in the 63 Congress that his proposed voting system was estimated to cost no more than ¹⁴^th
$25,000. In the 64 Congress, however, in the report recommending adoption of Representative
Howard’s resolution, the Committee on Accounts estimated that the electrical voting system ¹⁵
would cost $106 per unit, with a total cost of approximately $125,000.

⁸^I^b^id^.,^pp.^4-^{6. T}^h^e^b^u^tt^ons^on^the^v^o^ting^b^o^x^w^{ould i}ⁿ^dⁱ^c^a^t^e^Y^e^a^,^N^a^y^,^P^r^e^s^eⁿ^{t, a}ⁿ^d^P^a^ir^e^d^{. W}^h^eⁿ^a^but^to^{n w}^a^s
^de^pr^e^s^s^e^{d, the}^a^ppr^opr^ia^te^lig^h^t^w^oul^{d c}^o^m^e^{on ne}^x^t^t^o^t^h^e^Me^m^b^e^r^’^s^na^m^e^{in the}^a^ppr^opr^ia^te^c^o^lumⁿ^.
⁹^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^he^a^rⁱⁿ^g^{on H}^.^R^e^s^.²²^3,
⁶⁴^th^Cong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^{., Ma}^y^15,¹⁹¹⁶⁽^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁶⁾^.
¹⁰^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^re^p^o^r^t^t^o^acco^m^p^an^y
^H^.^R^e^s^.²²^3,⁶⁴^th^Cong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^.,^H^.^R^e^pt.⁹⁴⁰⁽^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁶⁾^.
¹¹^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^he^a^rⁱⁿ^g^{on H}^.^R^e^s^.⁵¹^3,
⁶³^rd^Co^ng^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., J}^u^ly^31,¹⁹¹⁴⁽^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁴⁾^,^p.^9.
¹²^Ibid^.
¹³^Ibid^.,^pp.¹⁰^-1^1.
¹⁴^I^b^id^{., p. 12.}
¹⁵^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^re^p^o^r^t^t^o^acco^m^p^an^y
^H^.^R^e^s^.²²^3,⁶⁴^th^Cong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^.,^H^.^R^e^pt.⁹⁴⁰^{, pa}^r^t^{2 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^n:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁶⁾^{, p}^.⁴^.

Although the report on H.Res. 223 recommended the resolution’s adoption, there was still
division in the Committee on Accounts over the desirability of such a voting system. A majority
found that an electrical and mechanical system could help Members save time and avoid the
practice of reading each name twice for every roll-call vote and quorum call:
^Fro^m^t^h^{e s}^t^ate^m^en^t^s^o^f^t^h^{e e}^x^perts^bef^o^{re t}^h^{e co}^m^mⁱ^t^t^{ee it}^is^ev^iden^t^th^a^t^s^u^c^h^{a de}^vⁱ^{ce ca}ⁿ
^b^e^coⁿ^s^tr^u^c^ted^.^Fr^o^m^{a v}ⁱ^e^w^o^f^th^e^w^o^r^kⁱⁿ^g^m^o^d^e^{l o}^f^oⁿ^{e d}^e^vⁱ^{ce, it is ev}^id^en^{t th}^{at a}^p^r^a^c^tⁱ^c^a^l
^v^o^tin^g^s^y^ste^m^can^b^eⁱⁿ^stit^u^t^ed^{, an}^d^f^r^o^m^t^h^{e state}^m^eⁿ^{ts o}^f^v^a^rⁱ^o^u^{s Me}^m^b^e^r^s^o^f^th^e^H^o^u^s^e^,ⁱ^t
^is^ev^iden^{t t}^h^{at th}^{ere is}^{a v}^e^r^y^s^t^ron^g^desⁱ^{re f}^o^{r s}^o^m^e^m^e^aⁿ^s^of^s^a^ving^th^{e ti}^m^e^of^Me^m^b^ers^.
^…B^elievⁱⁿ^g^t^h^{at a s}^y^s^t^e^m^caⁿ^{be adopte}^d^w^h^ic^h^w^{ill s}^a^{ve ti}^m^e^{, en}^cou^r^a^g^{e th}^{e regu}^lar
^atten^d^an^{ce o}^f^Me^m^b^ers^,^aⁿ^{d ins}^u^{re abs}^o^lu^{te acc}^ur^a^c^yⁱⁿ^r^e^gⁱ^s^t^e^rⁱ^{ng a}ⁿ^d^r^e^c^o^r^dⁱ^{ng t}^h^e^vo^t^e^s¹⁶
^o^f^th^{e Me}^m^b^er^{s, th}^{e ad}^o^p^tioⁿ^o^f^thⁱ^s^r^e^so^lu^tioⁿ^{is r}^eco^m^m^eⁿ^d^e^d^.
A minority opposed the concept of an electronic system and the potential loss of floor time to
review proposals before casting a vote:
^It^m^u^s^t^{be f}^r^aⁿ^kl^y^ad^mⁱ^t^t^{ed t}^h^a^t^t^h^e^propos^{ed dev}ⁱ^{ce, i}^f^properl^yⁱⁿ^s^t^al^l^e^{d i}ⁿ^t^h^{e H}^ous^e,^wⁱ^l^l
^rapidly^{record th}^{e v}^o^{te if}^all^Me^m^b^ers^{are pres}^en^{t. Vo}^tin^g^,^h^o^w^e^v^e^r^,^{is t}^h^e^m^o^{st i}^m^p^o^r^tan^t
^f^uⁿ^c^tⁱ^oⁿ^of^{a Me}^m^b^{er of}^C^ongres^s^,^an^d^w^e^s^e^ri^o^u^s^l^y^qu^estⁱ^oⁿ^t^h^e^wⁱ^s^d^o^m^of^hu^rr^yⁱ^ng^t^hⁱ^s
^bran^ch^of^th^e^w^o^rk^{. It f}^r^equ^eⁿ^t^l^y^h^a^ppen^s^un^{der th}^{e pres}^en^{t s}^y^s^t^e^m^t^h^{at Me}^m^b^ers^are
^r^e^q^u^ir^ed^to^v^o^{te b}^e^f^o^r^e^th^ey^h^a^v^e^f^u^ll^y^f^o^r^m^ed^th^eir^j^u^d^g^m^eⁿ^{t. T}^h^{e tim}^{e ta}^k^eⁿⁱⁿ^v^o^tiⁿ^g^is
^obvⁱ^o^u^s^l^y^tⁱ^m^e^o^f^delⁱ^b^eratⁱ^oⁿ^,^of^co^nf^eren^{ce, of qu}ⁱ^e^t^di^scu^s^sⁱ^on^{, a}ⁿ^{d of}ⁱⁿ^t^e^rc^h^a^ng^{e o}^f
^vⁱ^e^w^s^.^O^f^ten^,^un^{der t}^h^{e pres}^eⁿ^{t s}^y^s^t^e^m^{, be}^f^o^{re t}^h^e^v^o^ting^h^a^s^clos^{ed, Me}^m^b^ers^c^h^aⁿ^g^e^t^h^eir
^v^o^t^e^s^.^Itⁱ^sⁿ^o^t^aⁿ^un^reas^on^abl^e^t^hⁱⁿ^{g t}^o^requⁱ^r^{e a}^h^a^l^f^h^o^u^r^or^m^o^{re t}^o^t^a^k^e^t^h^e^v^o^t^e^s^o^f⁴³⁵
^meⁿ^w^h^o^,^a^s^fr^e^q^ue^nt^l^y^ha^p^p^e^ns,^ha^ve^b^e^eⁿ^eⁿ^ga^ge^dⁱⁿ^d^e^b^a^t^e^oⁿ^aⁿⁱ^m^p^o^r^t^a^nt^q^u^e^s^tⁱ^o^{n fo}^r¹⁷
^w^e^e^k^s^…^{. Sp}^eed^{is n}^o^{t th}^e^m^o^s^tⁿ^ecessar^y^t^hⁱⁿ^gⁱⁿ^legⁱ^slatioⁿ^.
Proposals to install automatic, electrical, or mechanical vote counting systems were introduced in
the years following. In 1923, Representative Melville Kelly introduced H.Res. 497, “providing
for the purchase and installation of an electromechanical voting system in the House of ¹⁸
Representatives.” Referred to the Committee on Accounts, H.Res. 497 was reported by the
committee on February 28, without recommendation. In the report, the committee noted that ^rd^th
similar resolutions were favorably reported by the committee in the 63 and 64 Congresses and
“that all Members could vote simultaneously, if so desired. It was also shown that a great saving
in times could be affected [sic] in the calling of the roll in the House by the use of one of these ¹⁹
voting machines.”
With the exception of H.Res. 513 introduced by Representative Walsh in 1915, H.Res. 223
introduced by Representative Howard in 1916, and H.Res. 497 introduced by Representative
Kelly in 1923, none of the bills subsequently introduced received committee or floor attention.

¹⁶^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^re^p^o^r^t^t^o^acco^m^p^an^y
^H^.^R^e^s^.²²^3,⁶⁴^th^Cong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^.,^H^.^R^e^pt.⁹⁴⁰^{, pa}^r^t^{1 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^n:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁶⁾^{, p}^.²^.
¹⁷^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Ele^c^t^rⁱ^c^a^{l a}ⁿ^d^M^e^c^hanic^a^{l Sy}^s^t^e^m^o^f^V^o^tin^g^,^re^p^o^r^t^t^o^acco^m^p^an^y
^H^.^R^e^s^.²²^3,⁶⁴^th^Cong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^.,^H^.^R^e^pt.⁹⁴⁰^{, pa}^r^t^{2 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^n:^G^P^O^,¹⁹¹⁶⁾^{, p}^.²^.
¹⁸^H^.^R^e^s^.⁴⁹^{7 (}⁶⁷^th^Cong^re^{ss), in}^tro^duc^e^d^Jaⁿ^u^a^r^y^{29, 1}⁹²³^{. Se}^e^a^l^so^,^“^P^ubl^ic^{Bills, Re}^sol^u^ti^ons,^aⁿ^d^Me^m^o^ria^l^s,”
^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^v^o^l.^64,^p^a^r^t^{3 (}^J^a^nua^r^y^29,¹⁹²³⁾^{, p}^.²⁶⁷⁸^.
¹⁹^U^.^{S. C}^ong^re^s^s^,^H^ous^e^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^,^Pr^ov^idiⁿ^g^for^the^Pur^c^has^e^aⁿ^d^Iⁿ^s^t^all^a^tioⁿ^{of a}ⁿ^E^l^e^c^t^r^o^m^e^c^hanic^a^l
^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^Ma^chiⁿ^{e i}ⁿ^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^e^o^f^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves^,^rep^o^r^t^t^o^acco^m^p^aⁿ^y^H.^Res.⁴⁹⁷^,⁶⁷^th^Co^ng^{., 4}^th^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^pt.¹⁷³⁹
⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton, G}^P^O^,¹⁹²³⁾^,^p.^{1. S}^e^e^a^l^s^o^{, “}^N^um^be^r^e^{d G}^a^lle^r^y^Se^a^t^{s U}^r^g^e^{d in H}^o^us^e^R^e^s^o^lutⁱ^oⁿ^,”^Washⁱⁿ^gt^on^Po^st^,
^D^e^c^e^m^b^e^r^{11, 1}⁹²³^,^p.^11.

Each was introduced, referred to committee,²⁰ and not acted on. Appendix A lists each of the ²¹
proposals to install automatic, electrical, or mechanical voting in the House of Representatives.
Representative Charles Bennett of Florida,²² a longtime proponent of automated voting, strongly
believed that not using modern technology to vote proved how antiquated the House of
Representatives was compared with state and foreign legislatures:
^T^h^e^r^e^oⁿ^c^e^w^a^s^a^c^oⁿ^g^r^e^s^s^maⁿ^w^h^o^,^wheⁿ^no^tⁱ^fi^e^d^t^h^a^t^a^vo^t^e^wa^s^t^o^b^e^t^a^keⁿ^,^w^ould^race^to
^th^{e leg}ⁱ^slati^v^{e c}^h^a^m^b^e^rⁱⁿ^ti^m^e^to^b^{eat th}^{e f}ⁱⁿ^a^{l r}^a^p^o^f^th^e^g^a^v^e^l—^f^r^o^m^hⁱ^s^h^o^m^e¹⁹^m^iles
^a^w^a^y^{! He}^’^d^u^s^u^a^ll^y^m^a^k^e^it,^{too, becau}^s^e^th^{e ta}^kⁱⁿ^g^o^f^a^{record v}^o^{te in}^th^{e Ho}^u^s^{e o}^f²³
^R^e^pres^en^t^a^tⁱ^v^e^s^requⁱ^r^es^abou^t^{45 m}ⁱⁿ^u^t^e^s^t^h^e^w^a^yⁱ^tⁱ^s^don^{e n}^o^w^.
During the Democratic Caucus’s organizational meeting for the 91^st Congress (1969-1970),
Representative Charles Price of Illinois introduced a resolution on vote recording procedures in
the House of Representatives. The resolution stated:
^R^E^SO^L^V^{ED: T}^h^{at it}^is^t^h^e^s^e^ns^{e of}^t^h^{e cau}^c^u^s^th^a^t^th^e^Speak^{er of}^t^h^{e Hous}^{e s}^h^all
ⁱ^m^m^e^diatel^y^{proceed to tak}^e^s^u^ch^s^t^eps^as^m^a^y^{be n}^ece^s^s^a^r^y^{to im}^prov^{e t}^h^{e v}^o^{te recordin}^g²⁴
^procedu^r^esⁱⁿ^th^{e Hous}^{e of}^R^e^pres^en^tati^v^e^s^.
The resolution was agreed to and sent to the Speaker of the House. In response to the resolution,
Speaker John McCormack of Massachusetts sent a letter to the Committee on House
Administration asking it to examine automated voting. In his letter, Speaker McCormack
indicated that he was sure, while the resolution was adopted by the Democratic Caucus, “that all ²⁵
of our Republican colleagues would approve of the same.”
The Committee on House Administration’s special subcommittee on electrical and mechanical ²⁶
office equipment held a hearing in April 1969 on electrical and mechanical voting. During the

²⁰^{Bills a}ⁿ^d^re^solu^tio^{ns in}^tro^duc^e^d^be^f^o^re¹⁹⁴^{7 w}^e^re^re^f^e^rre^{d to the}^Com^m^itte^e^{on Rule}^{s or}^the^Com^m^itte^e^on
^A^c^c^ounts^.^Be^gⁱⁿⁿ^ingⁱⁿ¹⁹⁴⁷^,^bill^s^a^{nd re}^s^o^l^u^ti^ons^w^e^re^ref^e^rre^{d to the}^Com^m^itte^e^{on Rule}^s^{or t}^h^e^C^o^m^m^itte^e^on
^H^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^ra^{tion, t}^h^e^s^u^c^c^e^s^s^o^{r c}^o^m^m^itte^e^{to the}^Com^m^ittee^{on A}^c^c^ounts^.
²¹^A^ppe^ndix^A^inc^l^ude^{s t}^h^e^Co^ng^re^{ss in w}^h^ic^{h a}^bil^l^or^re^solu^tio^{n w}^a^{s intro}^duc^e^d^{, the}^da^te^of^intr^od^uc^tⁱ^on,^the^bill^or
^r^e^s^o^luti^on^num^be^r^,^aⁿ^d^the^s^p^oⁿ^s^o^r^.^Fr^om¹⁸⁸^{6 t}^o¹⁹⁶⁹^,²¹^dif^f^e^r^e^{nt R}^e^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^intr^od^uc^e^d⁵¹^pr^o^pos^a^l^s^to^ins^t^a^l^l
^so^m^e^t^y^p^e^o^f^au^t^o^m^a^tⁱ^c^,^el^ect^ri^cal^,^o^r^m^ech^anⁱ^cal^vo^tⁱⁿ^{g sy}^st^e^mⁱⁿ^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^e^o^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es.^T^h^e^sp^on^so^{rs o}^f^t^h^ese
^{bills i}ⁿ^c^l^u^d^e^d^{10 De}^m^o^c^r^a^t^{s a}^nd^{11 Re}^p^u^b^lic^aⁿ^{s. Me}^m^b^e^r^{s w}^hoⁱⁿ^trod^uc^e^d^m^o^re^thaⁿ^one^bill^{or re}^s^o^luti^on^w^e^re^a^l^so
^e^v^eⁿ^l^y^divⁱ^de^{d a}^l^ong^pa^rty^line^s^{. Re}^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^Wⁱⁿ^f^ie^ld^De^nton^of^Indiaⁿ^aⁱⁿ^tro^duc^e^d^six^bills^be^t^w^e^e^{n 195}^{1 a}ⁿ^d
¹⁹⁶^{5, Re}^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^G^l^e^{nn D}^a^vⁱ^s^of^Wⁱ^s^c^ons^{in intr}^od^uc^e^d^fⁱ^v^e^bills^be^tw^e^eⁿ¹⁹⁴^{9 a}ⁿ^{d 1}⁹⁶⁹^{, Re}^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^J^ohn
^Ja^r^m^aⁿ^of^Ok^la^ho^m^a^introd^uc^e^d^f^our^bills^be^tw^e^eⁿ¹⁹⁵^{1 a}ⁿ^{d 1}⁹⁵⁹^,^Re^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^Cha^r^le^{s Be}^nne^{tt o}^f^Florida
^intro^duc^e^d^f^o^{ur bi}^{lls be}^tw^e^eⁿ¹⁹⁴⁹^aⁿ^d¹⁹⁶⁹^{, a}ⁿ^{d Re}^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^Milto^{n G}^l^e^{nn of}^Ne^w^Je^rs^e^y^intro^duc^e^d^f^our^bills
^be^tw^e^eⁿ¹⁹⁵⁸^aⁿ^d¹⁹⁶³^.
²²^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^{e Ben}ⁿ^e^t^t^servedⁱⁿ^t^h^{e Hou}^s^{e o}^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^{es f}^r^o^m^t^h^{e 8}¹^st^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽¹⁹⁴⁹^-¹⁹⁵⁰⁾^until^the¹⁰²^nd
^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽¹⁹^91-¹⁹⁹²⁾^.
²³^C^ong^r^e^s^s^m^aⁿ^C^h^a^r^le^s^{E. B}^eⁿⁿ^e^t^t^,^“^Y^e^a^s^a^{nd N}^a^y^s^Wa^s^t^e^Tⁱ^m^e^{: Toda}^y^w^e^’^r^e^{in a}ⁿ^e^r^a^of^pus^h^butt^o^ns^{, b}^u^{t C}^ong^r^e^s^s
^{is still i}ⁿ^the^horse^-aⁿ^d^-b^ug^gy^a^g^e^w^{ith its v}^o^ting^proc^e^d^ure^,^”^U^.^S.A^.^The^M^a^gazⁱⁿ^e^of^Am^e^r^ic^{an A}^ffai^r^s^,^vo^l^.^1,^no^.²
⁽^A^pr^il¹⁹⁵²⁾^{, p. 59}^.
²⁴^Me^e^ting^,^R^e^c^o^r^d^s^of^the^H^ous^e^D^e^m^o^c^r^a^tic^C^a^uc^us^{, Min}^u^te^s^of^J^a^nua^r^y^{9, 19}^69,^c^oⁿ^t^aⁱ^ne^r²^,^f^o^lde^r^5,^Ma^nus^c^r^ip^t
^Dⁱ^vⁱ^sⁱ^{on, L}ⁱ^br^a^r^y^of^C^ong^r^e^s^s^.
²⁵^{U.S. C}^ong^re^{ss, Com}^m^itte^e^{on House}^A^d^mⁱ^nistra^{tion, S}^p^e^cⁱ^a^l^Su^b^c^om^m^itte^e^{on Ele}^c^t^ric^a^l^aⁿ^{d Me}^c^h^aⁿ^ic^a^l^Of^fⁱ^c^e
^Equi^pm^eⁿ^t,^Co^mpu^t^{er S}^y^st^em-V^o^t^{e R}^eco^rdⁱⁿ^g^P^r^o^cedu^r^es^{, un}^pu^bli^s^he^{d he}^a^r^ing^,⁹¹^st^C^ong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^{., A}^p^r^{il 1,}¹⁹^69,^p.
^4.
²⁶^In^t^h^{e 8}⁶^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽¹⁹^59-¹⁹⁶⁰⁾^{, the}^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^{tion r}^e^na^m^e^{d the}^s^ubc^om^m^itte^e^{on of}^fⁱ^c^e
^eq^uⁱ^p^m^en^t^{as t}^h^{e sp}^eci^al^sub^c^o^m^mⁱ^t^t^{ee o}ⁿ^el^ect^ri^cal^an^d^m^ech^anⁱ^c^al^o^f^fⁱ^c^e^eq^uⁱ^p^m^en^t^.^T^h^{e su}^b^c^o^m^mⁱ^t^t^{ee o}ⁿ^o^f^fⁱ^ce
⁽^c^onti^nue^d.^..)

hearing, Representative Fred Schwengel of Iowa, the ranking member, summarized the
subcommittee’s desire for an electronic voting system: “On electronic voting, I think this is
something we can do now which will improve the effectiveness and efficiency, particularly the
efficiency, of our operations. So I am all for moving forward as fast as we possibly can to the ²⁷
consideration of the matter.”
Clerk of the House W. Pat Jennings anticipated approval of an electronic voting system and
included a request to support the development and installation of an electronic voting system in
his proposed operating budget. Jennings estimated that the system would cost between $80,000 ²⁸
and $600,000, with $500,000 considered adequate to install a comprehensive system. The
special subcommittee did not report on the Democratic Caucus’s resolution.

The House agreed to development of an electronic voting system as part of the Legislative
Reorganization Act of 1970. As design and development of the system neared completion, the
House amended its rules to accommodate the system. On January 23, 1973, the House used the
electronic voting system for the first time.
The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970, as introduced and reported in the House, did not ²⁹
mention electronic voting. Representative Robert McClory of Illinois offered a floor
amendment to authorize the development of an electronic voting system and to amend then House
Rule XV to allow the system to be used to conduct votes and quorum calls after its ³⁰
development. The amendment, agreed to by voice vote, is contained in Section 121 of the act.
Section 121 states:
^S^{ec. 121. (a) R}^u^l^e^X^V^of^t^h^e^Ru^l^e^s^o^f^t^h^{e H}^ous^{e of}^R^e^pres^eⁿ^t^a^tⁱ^v^{es i}^s^a^m^eⁿ^{ded by}^addiⁿ^g^at
^th^{e en}^{d t}^h^ereof^th^e^f^o^llo^wⁱⁿ^gⁿ^e^w^claus^e^:
^“⁵^{. In}^lieu^o^f^th^{e call}ⁱ^ng^of^t^h^{e n}^a^m^e^s^of^Me^m^b^ersⁱⁿ^t^h^e^m^aⁿⁿ^e^{r prov}^{ided f}^o^{r u}ⁿ^d^{er th}^e
^precedin^g^prov^ision^s^{of this}^R^u^le,^u^{pon any}^ro^ll^{call or q}^u^orum^call,^th^eⁿ^a^m^e^s^o^f^su^c^h
^Me^m^b^ers^v^o^ting^{or pres}^ent^m^a^y^{be recorded}^t^h^rou^g^h^t^h^e^u^s^e^of^appropri^a^t^e^el^ect^ronⁱ^c
^equⁱ^p^m^eⁿ^{t. In}^any^s^u^ch^cas^e^,^th^{e C}^l^erk^s^h^{all e}ⁿ^{ter in}^t^h^{e J}^o^u^rⁿ^a^{l an}^{d pu}^blis^hⁱⁿ^th^e
^C^ong^res^sⁱ^oⁿ^al^R^{ecord, in}^{alphabetical order in}^each^cate^g^ory^,^{a li}^s^t^{of t}^h^{e n}^a^m^e^s^{of th}^os^e
^Me^m^b^ers^{recorded as}^v^o^tingⁱⁿ^t^h^{e aff}ⁱ^r^m^ati^v^e,^of^t^h^os^{e Me}^m^b^er^s^{recorded as}^v^o^tingⁱⁿ^t^h^e

^(...c^on^tin^ue^d)
^eq^uⁱ^p^m^en^t^h^a^{d b}^een^creat^ed^d^u^rⁱ^{ng t}^h^{e 8}⁴^th^C^o^ng^r^e^s^s⁽¹⁹⁵^5-¹⁹⁵⁶⁾^.
²⁷^{U.S. C}^ong^re^{ss, Com}^m^itte^e^{on House}^A^d^mⁱ^nistra^{tion, S}^p^e^cⁱ^a^l^Su^b^c^om^m^itte^e^{on Ele}^c^t^ric^a^l^aⁿ^{d Me}^c^h^aⁿ^ic^a^l^Of^fⁱ^c^e
^Equi^pm^eⁿ^t,^Co^mpu^t^{er S}^y^st^em-V^o^t^{e R}^eco^rdⁱⁿ^g^P^r^o^cedu^r^es^{, un}^pu^bli^s^he^{d he}^a^r^ing^,⁹¹^st^C^ong^.,¹^st^s^e^s^s^{., A}^p^r^{il 1,}¹⁹^69,^p.
^7.
²⁸^Ibid^.
²⁹^{U.S. C}^ong^re^{ss, House}^Com^m^itte^e^{on R}^u^le^s,^Le^gis^l^ativ^e^Re^or^ga^niz^a^tio^{n Ac}^t^of¹⁹⁷⁰^,^rep^o^rt^t^o^acco^m^p^an^y^H.^R.
¹⁷⁶⁵⁴^{, 9}¹^st^Co^ng^.,²^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^pt.^91-¹²^{15 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^{n: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁷⁰⁾^.
³⁰^L^e^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^R^e^or^g^a^niz^a^{tion A}^c^{t of}¹⁹⁷⁰^,^C^o^ngr^e^s^sⁱ^o^{nal Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^{. 1}^16,^pa^r^t¹⁹⁽^J^uly^27,¹⁹⁷⁰⁾^{, p}^p^.²⁵⁸¹^8-²⁵⁸²⁹^.

ⁿ^e^g^a^tⁱ^v^e^{, an}^{d of}^t^h^os^{e Me}^m^b^e^r^s^v^o^ting^pres^en^{t, as}^th^{e ca}^s^e^m^a^y^{be, as}^if^t^h^{eir n}^a^m^e^s^h^a^d
^been^{called in}^th^e^m^aⁿⁿ^e^{r prov}^{ided f}^o^{r u}ⁿ^d^{er s}^u^ch^preceding^prov^is^ions^.”
⁽^b⁾^T^h^{e c}^oⁿ^tin^g^eⁿ^t^f^uⁿ^d^o^f^th^e^Ho^u^s^{e o}^f^Rep^r^esen^tatⁱ^v^e^{s sh}^a^{ll b}^e^av^ailab^l^{e to}^p^r^o^v^id^{e th}^e
^electronⁱ^{c equ}ⁱ^p^m^eⁿ^{t n}^ece^s^s^a^ry^{to carr}^y^ou^{t th}^{e pu}^rpos^e^of^th^{e a}^m^eⁿ^d^m^en^t^m^a^{de b}^y³¹
^s^u^bs^ectⁱ^oⁿ^(a).
Section 121(b) authorized funding for the design, installation, and implementation of an
electronic voting system. Representative McClory’s amendment authorized funding from the
contingent fund to immediately allow for the creation of the system without an additional funding
resolution. A report by the clerk of the House in the same Congress discussed the cost of a voting ³²
system and estimated the cost as no more than $600,000. Coupled with later rules changes, the
change to Rule XV established the electronic voting system as the primary method for conducting
a roll-call vote or quorum call, in the House and in the Committee of the Whole. In his floor
speech in support of his amendment, Representative McClory, a Republican, acknowledged the
work done on the subject of automated voting by other Members of both parties and the
Committee on House Administration:
^I^sh^o^u^ld^li^k^e^to^p^oⁱⁿ^t^o^u^t^th^at^a^r^e^p^o^r^{t o}ⁿ^thⁱ^s^s^u^b^j^ect^w^a^s^m^a^d^e^b^y^a^m^e^m^b^er^o^f^th^{e o}^rⁱ^gⁱⁿ^al
^Reo^r^g^aⁿⁱ^za^tioⁿ^Co^m^mⁱ^t^t^{ee, th}^{e g}^eⁿ^tle^m^aⁿ^f^r^o^m^Mⁱ^sso^u^r^{i (}^M^r^.^HALL⁾^{. I}^t^{is al}^so^th^e^su^b^j^ect
^o^f^l^e^gi^s^l^a^tⁱ^o^{n a}^t^t^hⁱ^s^s^e^s^sⁱ^oⁿⁱⁿ^t^r^o^d^u^c^e^d^b^y^t^h^e^ge^nt^l^e^ma^{n f}^r^om^F^l^orida^(Mr.^BENNETT),^aⁿ^d
^th^{e g}^eⁿ^tle^m^aⁿ^f^r^o^m^Wⁱ^scoⁿ^sⁱⁿ⁽^M^r^.^DA^VI^S)^{. I}^kⁿ^o^w^th^{at th}^{e Co}^m^mⁱ^{ttee o}ⁿ^Ho^u^s^e
^A^d^miⁿⁱ^st^r^a^tⁱ^o^{n ha}^{s a}^l^r^e^a^d^{y und}^e^r^t^a^ke^{n st}^udⁱ^e^s.^I^kno^w^t^h^a^t^t^h^e^Cl^e^r^{k ha}^s^ma^d^e
^recom^m^eⁿ^d^ation^s^to^th^e^C^o^m^m^ittee^on^Hous^e^A^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^s^t^r^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^,^aⁿ^d^I^f^e^e^l^t^h^a^t^t^hⁱ^s^am^en^dm^en^t
^is^an^e^x^pres^sⁱ^on^o^f^s^u^pport^of^th^{e Hous}^{e f}^o^{r t}^h^e^w^o^r^k^of^th^e^C^o^m^m^{ittee on}^Hou^s^e
^A^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^s^t^ratioⁿ^an^{d perh}^aps^to^e^m^ph^a^s^{ize t}^h^{e n}^{eed to bring}^t^h^{eir reco}^m^m^eⁿ^d^atioⁿ^s^{to t}^h^e
^f^l^{oor of}^t^h^{e Hous}^{e i}ⁿ^t^h^e^f^o^r^m^of^a^m^o^re^s^p^ecifⁱ^c^an^{d detailed}^ch^aⁿ^g^e^a^t^t^h^{e earlies}^t^pos^sⁱ^ble³³
^ti^m^e^{. I}^t^d^o^e^{s n}^o^{t sp}^ecif^y^{a p}^a^r^ticu^l^ar^s^y^ste^m^.
President Richard M. Nixon signed the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 into law on
October 26, 1970.
In December 1970, the clerk of the House contracted with Informatics Inc. to design the voting
system. In addition, the House created House Information Systems (HIS) in 1971 to “satisfy the
requirements for information, information technology, and related computer services of the ³⁴
Members, committees and staff of the U.S. House of Representatives.” Among its
responsibilities, HIS developed, implemented, and maintained the electronic voting system.

³¹^P^.^L^.⁹¹^-⁵¹⁰^,⁸⁴^S^t^at^.¹¹⁵⁷^,^Oct^o^b^e^{r 2}⁶^,¹⁹⁷⁰^.^F^o^r^an^an^al^y^sⁱ^s^o^f^H^o^u^s^{e p}^r^eced^en^t^s^aⁿ^d^r^u^l^e^{s ch}^an^{ges rel}^a^t^e^d^t^o
^v^o^ting^,^inc^l^udi^ng^e^l^e^c^t^r^onic^v^o^tⁱⁿ^g^,^s^e^e^C^R^S^R^e^por^{t R}^L³⁴⁵⁷^0,^R^e^c^o^rd^V^o^tⁱⁿ^gⁱⁿ^t^h^{e Hou}^s^{e o}^f^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^{ves: Issu}^es
^and^O^p^ti^ons^,^by^Mic^h^a^e^l^L^.^K^o^e^m^pe^{l, J}^a^c^{ob R}^.^Str^a^us^{, a}^{nd J}^udy^Sc^hne^ide^r^.
³²^L^e^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^R^e^or^g^a^niz^a^{tion A}^c^{t of}¹⁹⁷⁰^,^C^o^ngr^e^s^sⁱ^o^{nal Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^{. 1}^16,^pa^r^t¹⁹⁽^J^uly^27,¹⁹⁷⁰⁾^{, p}^p^.²⁵⁸²^3-²⁵⁸²⁴^.
³³^L^e^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^R^e^or^g^a^niz^a^{tion A}^c^{t of}¹⁹⁷⁰^,^C^o^ngr^e^s^sⁱ^o^{nal Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^{. 1}^16,^pa^r^t¹⁹⁽^J^uly^27,¹⁹⁷⁰⁾^{, p}^.²⁵⁸¹⁸^.
³⁴^{U.S. C}^ong^re^{ss, Join}^{t Com}^m^itte^e^{on t}^h^e^Org^a^niz^a^tion^of^Cong^re^ss,^O^r^ganiz^a^tio^{n of}^C^oⁿ^g^r^e^s^s^{, f}ⁱ^na^{l r}^e^por^{t t}^o
^acco^m^p^an^y^H.^Coⁿ^.^Res.¹⁹²⁽¹⁰²^nd^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁾^{, 1}⁰³^rd^Co^ng^{., 1}^st^s^e^s^s^.^{, S.R}^e^pt^{. 1}^03-²¹^{5, v}^o^l^.^{2, a}ⁿ^{d H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^03-⁴¹^{3, v}^o^l^.
^{2 (}^D^e^c^e^m^b^e^r¹⁹⁹³⁾^,^p.¹¹^{7. T}^h^e^s^e^r^e^por^ts^pr^ov^ide^d^a^s^u^m^m^a^r^y^o^f^the^c^r^e^a^tion^of^H^ous^e^Iⁿ^f^o^r^m^a^tion^Sy^s^t^em^s^{in 19}⁷¹
^a^s^pa^r^t^of^a^his^t^or^y^of^inf^o^r^m^a^tion^r^e^s^our^c^e^s^a^{nd te}^c^h^nol^og^y^{in C}^oⁿ^g^r^e^s^s^.

Guided by instructions from House Information Systems (HIS) and the House Administration
Committee, Informatics set five objectives and guidelines for designing the system. They were as
follows:
• The system should significantly reduce the time required to vote and also meet
the information needs of system users.
• Each system user, Representative, Tally Clerk, press, etc. should have a simple
and consistent interface with the system from both a hardware and software
viewpoint.
• The system should have a very high degree of reliability with appropriate levels
of automatic testing.
• Hardware should be highly compatible with the Chamber decor so as to be as
unobtrusive as possible and still function properly.
• Absolute lowest cost is not a prime consideration when weighed against other ³⁵
design objectives; however, costs should be handled prudently.
Informatics estimated that completing these objectives would cost a total of $900,000.³⁶
Informatics worked on the preliminary design concept for the electronic voting system until
September 1971; when HIS recommended the termination of the contract. HIS took Informatics’
design and continued to refine and develop the electronic voting system. In November 1971,
Representative John Dent introduced and the House agreed to H.Res. 601. This resolution
authorized funds for the maintenance and improvement of existing computer systems and the ³⁷
creation of a computer systems staff, whose primary task was the creation of the electronic ³⁸
voting system. Also in November 1971, the Committee on House Administration approved a
contract with Control Data Corporation to “develop a fully operational electronic voting ³⁹
system” based on the work of Informatics and HIS.
In October 1972, the cost for designing and installing the electronic voting system was estimated ⁴⁰
to be $1,065,000. While this was substantially greater than the estimated costs in 1915, 1916, or
1969, Representative Wayne L. Hays of Ohio, chairman of the Committee on House
Administration, justified the additional cost as a consequence of the use of electronic

³⁵^In^f^o^rm^atⁱ^c^s,^“E^l^e^ct^roⁿⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^S^y^st^e^m^f^o^{r t}^h^{e Hou}^s^{e o}^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es,^”^M^a^rch¹⁶^,¹⁹⁷¹^,^p^.²^-^1,^l^o^cat^ed^at^t^h^e
^Cen^t^{er f}^o^{r L}^e^gi^sl^atⁱ^v^e^A^r^chⁱ^v^e^s^,^Natⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^A^r^chⁱ^v^{es an}^d^Reco^rd^{s A}^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^st^ratⁱ^oⁿ^.
³⁶^I^b^id^.,^pp.^7-^6.
³⁷^H^.^R^e^s^.⁶⁰^{1 (}⁹²^nd^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁾^{, a}^g^r^e^e^d^{to N}^o^v^e^m^b^e^r^{9, 19}^71.
³⁸^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tion,^Pr^ov^idi^ng^F^unds^for^t^h^e^Ex^pe^ns^e^s^{of t}^h^e^Com^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e
^Admⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tio^{n t}^o^Pr^ov^ide^f^o^r^M^a^inteⁿ^anc^e^a^{nd I}^m^pr^ov^e^m^eⁿ^{t o}^f^O^ngoⁱⁿ^{g C}^o^m^pute^r^Se^r^v^ic^e^s^for^the^H^ous^e^o^f
^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^{ves a}ⁿ^d^f^o^{r t}^h^{e I}ⁿ^vestⁱ^g^a^tⁱ^o^{n o}^f^A^d^dⁱ^tⁱ^oⁿ^a^l^C^o^mp^ut^{er Servi}^{ces f}^o^{r t}^h^{e Ho}^u^s^{e o}^f^R^e^p^r^esent^a^tⁱ^ves^{, r}^e^por^{t t}^o^nd^st
^acco^m^p^an^y^H.^Res.⁶⁰¹^,⁹²^Con^g^{., 1}^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^pt.^92-⁶⁰^{7 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^{n: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁷¹⁾^,^p.^{3. Se}^e^a^l^s^o^“^P^r^o^vⁱ^di^ng
^F^u^nd^{s f}^o^{r Co}^m^p^u^t^{er S}^e^rvi^{ces f}^o^{r Ho}^u^s^{e o}^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es,^”^C^ong^r^e^s^sⁱ^{onal Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^.¹^17,^pa^r^t³¹⁽^N^ov^e^m^be^r^9,
¹⁹⁷¹⁾^,^p^p^{. 4}⁰⁰¹⁵^-⁴⁰⁰¹^7.
³⁹^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tion,^T^h^{e E}^l^ect^ronⁱ^{c V}^o^tⁱ^ng^S^y^st^{em f}^o^r^t^h^{e Uni}^t^e^d^S^t^a^t^{es Hou}^s^{e o}^f
^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves^{, c}^o^m^m^itte^e^print,⁹³^rd^Co^ng^.,²^nd^s^e^s^s^{., J}^a^nua^r^y^31,¹⁹⁷^{5 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^{n: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁷⁵⁾^,^pp.¹⁴^-¹^{5. T}^h^is
^c^o^m^m^itte^e^{print re}^vⁱ^e^w^{s the}^histo^r^y^o^f^the^e^l^e^c^t^ronic^v^o^ti^ng^sy^ste^m^a^{nd e}^x^plaⁱ^ns^{its o}^p^e^r^a^tio^n.
⁴⁰^“E^l^ect^roⁿⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^{g i}ⁿ^t^h^{e H}^o^u^s^e^o^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^on^{al Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l.¹¹^8,^pa^r^t^{27 (}^O^c^t^o^b^e^r¹³^{, 1}⁹⁷²⁾^,^p.
³⁶⁰⁰⁶^.

technology.⁴¹ Instead of having an electrical and mechanical system, the House chose a fully
electronic, computer-based system with an electronic display board “which flashes a running tally ⁴²
and records each member’s vote on an overhead scoreboard and a computer printout.”
The electronic voting system consisted, in part, of voting stations located throughout the House
chamber, in contrast to earlier proposals that linked voting to individual voting boxes that were
affixed to desks in the House chamber. In this respect, the system was unlike those used in many
state and local legislative bodies. Representative Joe D. Waggonner of Louisiana enumerated the ⁴³
impracticality of returning to the pre-1913 practice of assigning seats as a function of the
number of seats in the House chamber and the imbalance between Democrats and Republicans in
a Congress. “How many Democrats are in the House of Representative today? It was 244, I
believe.... How many seats are there on this side of the aisle? There are 224. And there are 224 ⁴⁴
over there.”
The electronic voting system became operational in January 1973. In a letter to Control Data
Corporation in March 1973, Chairman Hays wrote that final system acceptance would not be ⁴⁵
completed until a “list of system deficiencies are corrected.” The deficiencies were divided into
two categories, items that had yet to be completed and items that were unacceptable. The items
yet to be completed included hardware maintenance documentation, delivery of card reader
machines, creation of an installation plan for the Speaker’s CRT monitor, installation of the ⁴⁶
Speaker’s CRT monitor, installation of five additional voting stations, and programmer training.
The unacceptable items included the need for a preventative maintenance schedule, maintenance
personnel not sufficiently familiar with the electronic voting system, the voting stations being
highly sensitive to static electricity and to variations in the voting cards, the panels in the chamber
warping, the CRT monitor for the minority malfunctioning, an insufficient inventory of
maintenance parts, and error messages appearing on CRTs that had not been translated from ⁴⁷
computer terminology to plain English. These issues prevented the House Administration ⁴⁸
Committee from authorizing final payment to Control Data Corporation until October 1974.
While use of the electronic voting system was expected to begin on January 3, 1973,⁴⁹ Speaker
Carl B. Albert of Oklahoma announced that the voting system was not yet operational and that

⁴¹^Ibid^.
⁴²^Davi^d^S^.^Brod^er,^“T^h^e^Ho^u^s^e:^A^Ne^w^E^r^a,^”^The^W^a^s^hⁱⁿ^gt^on^Pos^t^,^Fe^br^ua^r^y^{18, 1}⁹⁷³^,^{p. B}⁶^.
⁴³^T^h^{e assi}^gnⁱⁿ^{g o}^f^seat^{s i}ⁿ^t^h^{e Ho}^{use o}^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es^{was ab}^o^lⁱ^s^hed^d^u^rⁱⁿ^{g t}^h^{e 6}³^rd^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽¹⁹¹³^-¹⁹¹⁴⁾^.^“^S^e^a^ting
^o^f^M^e^m^b^ers,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^on^{al Re}^c^o^r^d^,^vo^l.⁵⁰^,^p^a^r^t¹⁽^A^p^rⁱ^l^7,¹⁹¹³⁾^,^pp^.⁶⁸^-⁶⁹^.
⁴⁴^L^e^gⁱ^s^l^a^tiv^e^R^e^or^g^a^niz^a^{tion A}^c^{t of}¹⁹⁷⁰^,^C^o^ngr^e^s^sⁱ^o^{nal Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^{. 1}^16,^pa^r^t¹⁹⁽^J^uly^27,¹⁹⁷⁰⁾^{, p}^.²⁵⁸²⁵^.
⁴⁵^L^e^tte^r^f^r^om^W^a^yⁿ^e^L^.^H^a^y^s^{, c}^h^aⁱ^r^m^aⁿ^{, C}^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tio^{n, t}^o^Me^lis^s^a^L^.^H^o^g^a^{n, C}^ontr^o^{l D}^a^ta
^Corpo^r^a^tio^{n c}^oⁿ^t^ra^c^t^a^d^mⁱ^nistra^to^{r, Ma}^rc^h^27,¹⁹⁷³^{, l}^o^c^a^t^e^d^a^t^the^Ce^nte^r^f^o^{r L}^e^gⁱ^sla^tiv^e^A^c^ti^v^itie^{s, Na}^tiona^{l A}^r^c^h^iv^e^s
^a^{nd R}^e^c^o^r^d^s^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tion.
⁴⁶^Ibid^.
⁴⁷^Ibid^.
⁴⁸^L^e^tte^r^f^r^om^W^a^yⁿ^e^L^.^Ha^y^s^{, c}^h^aⁱ^rm^aⁿ^{, Com}^m^itte^e^{on House}^A^d^mⁱ^nistra^tio^{n, t}^o^O.M^.^Mc^Ca^{ll, m}^a^rke^ting
^re^pre^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^,^Contr^o^{l Da}^ta^Cor^p^ora^tio^{n, Oc}^to^be^{r 1,}¹⁹⁷⁴^{, l}^o^c^a^t^e^d^a^t^the^Ce^nte^r^f^o^{r L}^e^gⁱ^sla^tiv^e^Ac^tiv^itie^{s, Na}^tiona^l
^A^r^chⁱ^v^{es an}^d^Reco^rd^{s A}^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^st^ra^tⁱ^o^n.
⁴⁹^“^H^ous^e^{to G}^e^{t I}^t^s^Ele^c^t^r^o^nic^Voti^ng^Sy^s^t^em^J^a^nua^r^y^3,”^Th^{e New Y}^o^{rk Times}^{, N}^o^v^e^m^b^e^r^{19, 1}⁹⁷²^,^p^.³²^.

“Members will be given sufficient notice as to when the electronic voting system will be ⁵⁰⁵¹
activated.” Between January 3 and January 23, the House used roll-calls to record votes.
The electronic voting system was used for the first time on January 23, 1973, for a quorum call
after Representative Hays made a point of order that a quorum was not present.
^{Mr. S}^p^eak^{er, I am}^g^oⁱⁿ^g^t^o^mak^e^{a poi}ⁿ^t^of^{order t}^h^at^{a quorum}ⁱ^sⁿ^o^t^pres^ent^.^Itⁱ^s^m^y
^uⁿ^d^er^staⁿ^dⁱⁿ^g^w^e^w^{ill u}^s^e^th^{e n}^e^w^v^o^tiⁿ^g^s^y^ste^m^.^I^j^u^{st w}^aⁿ^t^to^sa^y^t^o^t^h^e^M^e^m^b^e^r^s^t^h^a^t^th^eⁱ^r
^car^d^s^wⁱ^ll^w^o^r^kⁱ^f^th^e^y^p^u^tⁱⁿ^e^ith^er^eⁿ^d^o^r^eith^er^sid^e^o^u^t.^An^y^w^a^y^t^h^{e Me}^m^b^er^{s can}^g^e^t^it⁵²
ⁱⁿ^to^th^e^slo^t^{, it}^w^ill^w^o^r^k^{, eit}^h^er^en^d^o^r^eith^er^sid^e^{; it d}^o^e^{s n}^o^{t m}^a^tter^.
The Congressional Record does not indicate any problems with the quorum call. The dialogue
between the presiding officer and Representative Hays was conducted as it had been in the past,
with the exception that the quorum call was conducted by “electronic device.”
Dr. Frank Ryan, HIS’s first director, worked with the clerk of the House to operate the system and ⁵³
assist the tally clerks responsible for counting votes.
Between at least the 93^rd and 97^th Congresses (1973-1982), House Information Systems staff put ⁵⁴
the electronic voting system through a daily four-step process to ensure it was working properly.
First, the electronic voting system was initialized each morning of a legislative day and tests were
conducted on all chamber equipment, including the main display panels, summary display panels,
voting stations, and video consoles. Second, the electronic voting system was placed in
production mode and made available for votes. Third, during use, a computer technician
monitored the system to ensure the system remained operational. Finally, a member of the clerk’s
office acted as a floor monitor to assist Members using the system and to close down inoperable ⁵⁵
voting stations as necessary.
Data collected by the electronic voting system is housed in four internal House files that are not
made public. These files are the transaction log, the checkpoint file, the vote journal log, and the
hardware and software error log. The final report of the Select Committee to Investigate the
Voting Irregularities of August 2, 2007, explains the four files:

⁵⁰^“^A^nnounc^e^m^eⁿ^{t by}^the^Spe^a^k^e^r^C^onc^e^rⁿⁱ^ng^Ele^c^t^r^onic^V^o^ti^ng^,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^v^o^l.¹¹^9,^pa^r^t^{1 (}^J^aⁿ^ua^r^y^3,
¹⁹⁷³⁾^,^p.²⁷^.
⁵¹^T^h^e^House^use^d^a^r^o^ll-c^a^{ll v}^o^te^w^ith^te^lle^{rs to a}^d^o^p^t^the^r^u^le^{s of}^the⁹³^rd^C^ong^r^e^s^s^.^“^R^ule^s^of^the^H^ous^e^,^”
^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^v^o^l.¹¹^9,^pa^r^t^{1 (}^J^aⁿ^ua^r^y^{3, 19}⁷³⁾^{, p}^.²⁶^.
⁵²^“Ord^{er o}^f^Bu^siⁿ^e^ss,^”^Co^ng^ression^a^l^Reco^rd^,^vo^l.¹¹^9,^p^a^r^t²⁽^J^anuar^y²³^,¹⁹⁷³⁾^,^p^.¹⁷⁹³^.
⁵³^F^r^an^{k B.}^Ry^an^,^“T^h^e^E^l^ect^roⁿⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^S^y^st^e^m^f^o^{r t}^h^{e Un}ⁱ^t^e^d^S^t^at^{es Ho}^u^s^{e o}^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es,^”^C^o^m^pute^r^{, v}^o^l.^5,
^no.^{6 (}^N^ov^em^be^r^/^D^e^c^e^m^b^e^r¹⁹⁷²⁾^,^p^p^.^32-^37.
⁵⁴^T^h^e^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^s^t^r^a^tion^prⁱⁿ^te^d^The^Ele^c^t^r^o^nic^V^o^tin^g^Sy^s^t^e^m^for^the^Uⁿ^ite^d^St^ate^s^H^ous^e^o^f
^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves^{in t}^h^e⁹²^nd^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽^S^e^p^te^m^b^e^r^{19, 1}⁹⁷²⁾^,^t^h^e⁹⁴^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽^J^a^nua^r^y^{31, 1}⁹⁷⁵⁾^,^t^h^e⁹⁵^th^C^ong^r^e^s^s^th^th
^(S^ep^t^e^m^b^{er 1}^,¹⁹⁷⁷^),^t^h^{e 96}^C^o^ngr^{ess (}^A^p^rⁱ^l¹⁵^,¹⁹⁷⁹⁾^,^and^th^{e 97}^C^ong^r^e^s^s⁽^A^ug^us^{t 30,}¹⁹⁸²⁾^{. T}^h^e^c^o^m^m^itte^e^ha^s^th
^not^prⁱⁿ^te^{d t}^h^is^g^uⁱ^d^e^b^o^o^k^sⁱ^nc^e^t^h^e⁹⁷^Con^g^ress.
⁵⁵^L^e^tte^r^f^r^om^W^a^yⁿ^e^L^.^Ha^y^s^{, c}^h^aⁱ^rm^aⁿ^{, Com}^m^itte^e^{on House}^A^d^mⁱ^nistra^tio^{n, t}^o^Re^p^.^W^illia^m^{M. Ke}^tc^hum^{, A}^p^{ril 18,}
¹⁹⁷^3,^loc^a^t^e^d^a^t^t^h^e^Ce^nte^r^f^o^{r L}^e^gⁱ^sla^tiv^e^A^c^ti^v^itie^{s, Na}^tiona^{l A}^r^c^h^iv^e^s^a^{nd Re}^c^o^{rds A}^d^mⁱ^nistra^tion^.

^T^h^{e tran}^s^action^log^reco^rds^all^v^o^ting^trans^actions^b^y^each^Me^m^b^{er du}^riⁿ^g^{a particu}^l^{ar v}^o^te,
ⁱⁿ^cl^u^d^ing^ev^er^y^v^o^{te cas}^{t, t}^h^{e t}ⁱ^m^{e eac}^h^v^o^{te i}^s^cas^{t, a}ⁿ^y^ch^aⁿ^g^e^s^,^aⁿ^{d th}^e^m^aⁿⁿ^e^{r i}ⁿ^w^h^ic^h
^th^{e v}^o^{te i}^s^cas^{t (i.e., f}^r^o^m^a^v^o^tⁱⁿ^g^ter^mⁱⁿ^{al or b}^y^w^e^{ll card) an}^{d allo}^w^s^f^o^{r t}^h^{e g}^eⁿ^e^ration^o^f
^{a d}^e^tailed^r^e^p^o^r^{t. T}^h^{e ch}^eck^p^oⁱⁿ^t^f^ile^is^w^r^itteⁿ^at^th^e^coⁿ^c^lu^sioⁿ^o^f^t^h^{e r}^eco^r^d^v^o^{te a}ⁿ^d
^con^t^ains^{a s}ⁿ^aps^h^{ot of}^th^{e v}^o^te^{data at th}^{e en}^d^o^f^th^{e v}^o^{te. T}^h^e^v^o^{te j}^o^u^rⁿ^a^{l lo}^g^r^eco^r^d^{s w}^h^en
^{a v}^o^t^e^begi^ns^aⁿ^{d en}^{ds an}^d^w^h^eⁿ^v^o^tⁱ^ng^s^t^atⁱ^ons^{are cl}^{osed, open}^e^{d, or reo}^p^en^{ed. T}^h^e
^h^a^rd^w^a^{re a}ⁿ^{d s}^o^f^t^w^a^{re error log}^s^{record any}^errors^w^h^ic^h^occ^u^{r du}^ring^t^h^{e ex}^ec^u^tioⁿ^of^t^h^e⁵⁶
^{record v}^o^te.
Each of these files can be used to evaluate a particular vote and to verify the operational status of
the electronic voting system.
When the chair announces, “The yeas and nays are ordered. Members will record their vote by
electronic device,” the seated tally clerk turns on the electronic voting system for that specific ⁵⁷
vote and enables it to receive votes cast from the 46 floor voting stations. In enabling the
electronic voting system, the seated tally clerk verifies that the correct bill or resolution number is
in the computer, verifies the length of the vote (two minutes, five minutes or 15 minutes), and ⁵⁸
allows the system to begin accepting votes.
House Members may vote at any station located throughout the chamber.⁵⁹ To vote, a Member
inserts “... a little plastic card which is punched on either end identically, so you can put it in ⁶⁰
upside down or backwards ... ” into one of the voting stations, and presses one of three colored
buttons: Yea, green; Nay, red; or Present, amber. (A fourth button illuminates to indicate a voting
station is activated. It is blue.) A Member’s vote is then displayed in panels above the press
gallery seats, directly above the Speaker’s dais. A green light indicates a Member voted Yea, a red

⁵⁶^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^Fⁱⁿ^a^l^R^e^po^rt^an^d
^Summary^o^f^Ac^tiv^itie^s^{, 11}⁰^th^Con^g^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^10-⁸⁸^{5 (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^5.
⁵⁷^T^e^stⁱ^m^oⁿ^y^o^f^Ho^u^s^{e P}^a^rlⁱ^a^m^eⁿ^t^ari^aⁿ^Jo^hn^V^.^S^u^l^lⁱ^v^an^,ⁱⁿ^U.^S^.^Con^g^ress,^Ho^u^s^{e S}^e^l^ect^Co^mmⁱ^t^t^{ee t}^o^In^vestⁱ^g^at^{e t}^h^e
^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^M^e^m^b^e^r^Br^ie^fing^on^Vo^tin^{g in}^the^H^ous^e^o^f^Re^pr^e^s^eⁿ^ta^tiv^e^s^-^The^R^o^s^t^r^u^m^an^d^th^st
^the^Ele^c^t^ronⁱ^c^Voti^ng^Sy^ste^m^{: A “}^W^alk^t^hrou^gh^”^by^t^h^e^Cle^r^k^of^the^House^L^o^rraine^C^.^M^ille^r^{, he}^a^rⁱⁿ^g^,¹¹⁰^Co^ng^.,¹
^s^e^s^s^{., O}^c^tobe^r¹⁸^,²⁰^{07 (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^2.
⁵⁸^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^Fⁱⁿ^a^l^R^e^po^rt^an^d
^Summary^o^f^Ac^tiv^itie^s^{, 11}⁰^th^Con^g^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^10-⁸⁸^{5 (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^3.^Mo^r^e^inf^o^r^m^a^{tion a}^bout
^the^pr^oc^e^dur^e^c^aⁿ^a^l^s^o^be^f^o^u^{nd i}ⁿ^f^ootn^o^te^{4 of}^the^Se^le^c^t^C^o^m^m^it^te^e^’^s^fⁱ^na^{l r}^e^por^t.
⁵⁹^T^h^{e n}^u^m^b^e^{r o}^f^vo^tⁱⁿ^{g st}^atⁱ^oⁿ^sⁱⁿ^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^e^o^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^{es h}^a^{s b}^een^p^l^aced^at^b^e^t^w^een⁴⁴^and^{47 b}^y^vari^o^u^s
^s^our^c^e^s^sⁱ^nc^e¹⁹⁷³^{. I}ⁿ^c^o^m^m^itte^e^pr^ints^pu^blis^he^{d i}ⁿ¹⁹⁷²^,¹⁹⁷⁵^{, 1}⁹⁷⁷^{, a}ⁿ^{d 1}⁹⁸²^,^the^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e
^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^{tion lis}^te^{d 4}⁴^v^o^ti^ng^s^t^a^tions^.^Se^e^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tion,^T^h^{e E}^l^ect^roⁿⁱ^c^th^nd
^Votin^g^Sy^s^t^e^m^for^t^h^e^Uⁿ^ite^d^St^at^e^s^H^ous^e^{of Re}^pr^e^s^eⁿ^tativ^e^s^{, c}^o^m^m^itte^e^{print, 9}⁷^Cong^.,²^s^e^s^s^{., A}^u^g^u^s^t^30,¹⁹⁸²
⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁸²⁾^{, p}^.²^.^C^u^r^r^e^ntly^{, the}^c^l^e^r^k^of^the^H^ous^e^r^e^por^ts^t^h^a^t^the^r^e^a^r^e⁴⁶^v^o^ti^ng^s^t^a^tions^.^Se^e^,^U^.^S.
^Coⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itt^e^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^Vo^tiⁿ^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^M^e^mbe^r^Brie^fing^oⁿ
^Votin^{g i}ⁿ^t^h^e^H^o^us^e^{of Re}^pr^e^s^eⁿ^tativ^e^s^—The^R^o^s^t^r^u^m^an^{d t}^h^e^Ele^c^t^r^onic^V^o^ti^ng^Sy^s^t^e^m^:^{A “W}^alk^t^hr^oug^h”^by^t^h^e^th^st
^Cle^r^k^{of the}^Ho^use^L^o^rraine^C.^M^ille^r^,^h^eariⁿ^g,¹¹⁰^Cong^.,¹^s^e^s^s^{., O}^c^tobe^r^18,²⁰⁰⁷⁽^W^a^s^hing^toⁿ^:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^7.
⁶⁰^“E^l^ect^roⁿⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^{g i}ⁿ^t^h^{e H}^o^u^s^e^o^f^Rep^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^v^es,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^on^{al Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l.¹¹^8,^pa^r^t^{27 (}^O^c^t^o^b^e^r¹³^{, 1}⁹⁷²⁾^,^p.
³⁶⁰⁰⁶^.

light indicates a Member voted Nay, and an amber light indicates a Member voted Present.⁶¹
Today, Member voting cards have magnetic strips that contain identification information.
Two summary displays, on the balconies to the right and left of the Speaker’s dais, keep a running ⁶²
total of votes cast and how much time remains for a vote. Members today, in general, have a ⁶³
minimum of 15 minutes to record a vote.
Once he or she has voted, a Member may check his or her vote by reinserting the card and noting
which light is illuminated at the voting station. During the first 10 minutes of a 15-minute vote, a
Member may also change his or her vote in the same manner by depressing the corresponding
button. If a Member wishes to change his or her vote after the first 10 minutes of a 15-minute ⁶⁴
vote, the Member must use a ballot card (well card) in the well of the House. These ballot cards
are manually entered into the electronic voting system by a tally clerk. Members’ votes so
recorded are reflected on the panels above the Speaker’s dais (along with the votes of Members
who voted at the voting stations), in the running total display boards on either side of the ⁶⁵
chamber, and as a vote change in the Congressional Record. For a five-minute or two-minute
vote, changes may be made electronically throughout the voting process.
After time for a vote has expired and the chair has determined that a record vote is to be
concluded, the clerks on the rostrum initiate a five-stage process to end the vote, tabulate the
results, and reset the computer system in preparation for the next vote. Each stage of the process
is carried out by the tally clerks. The five stages are (1) closing the voting stations, (2)
terminating the vote, (3) setting the vote to final, (4) releasing the displays, and (5) verifying the
release.
The process of closing the voting stations begins when the chair asks whether any Members wish
to vote or change their vote. This statement signals the seated tally clerk to close the 46 floor-
based voting stations. A Member wishing to vote or change a vote after this announcement must
fill out a well card, unless the voting stations are left open to allow additional members to vote. ⁶⁶
The vote is then manually entered into the electronic voting system.

⁶¹^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tion,^T^h^{e E}^l^ect^ronⁱ^{c V}^o^tⁱ^ng^S^y^st^{em f}^o^r^t^h^{e Uni}^t^e^d^S^t^a^t^{es Hou}^s^{e o}^f
^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves^{, c}^o^m^m^itte^e^print,⁹⁷^th^Co^ng^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., A}^u^g^u^s^t^30,¹⁹⁸^{2 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^{n: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁸²⁾^,^{p. 4}^.
⁶²^Ibid^.
⁶³^P^u^rsu^aⁿ^t^t^o^Rul^e^XX^,^cl^.^{2 (a),}^t^h^{e m}ⁱⁿⁱ^m^u^m^tⁱ^m^e^f^o^{r a reco}^rd^ed^v^o^t^e^o^r^q^u^o^r^u^m^cal^lⁱ^s¹⁵^mⁱⁿ^u^t^es,^excep^t^as
^a^u^th^o^r^iz^e^d^uⁿ^d^e^{r R}^u^le^X^X^{, c}^l^.⁸^o^r^c^l^{. 9}^,^o^r^R^u^le^XV^{III, c}^l^.⁶⁽^f⁾^{, w}^h^e^r^e^th^e^Sp^e^a^k^e^r^(o^{r c}^h^aⁱ^rm^aⁿⁱⁿ^t^h^e^Co^m^m^itte^e^o^f
^t^h^{e W}^h^o^l^{e) m}^a^y^red^u^{ce t}^o^fⁱ^ve^mⁱⁿ^u^t^{es t}^h^{e m}ⁱⁿⁱ^m^u^m^tⁱ^m^e^f^o^{r el}^ect^r^oⁿⁱ^{c vo}^tⁱⁿ^g^un^d^e^{r cert}^aⁱⁿ^c^o^ndⁱ^tⁱ^on^s.^T^h^{e Ho}^u^s^e^b^y
^una^nim^ous^c^o^ns^eⁿ^t^ha^s^a^l^s^o^c^o^nd^uc^te^{d tw}^o-^mⁱ^nute^v^o^te^s^.
⁶⁴^P^u^r^s^ua^{nt t}^o^S^p^e^a^k^e^r^’^s^v^o^ting^poli^c^ie^s^{in e}^f^f^e^c^t^sⁱ^nc^e^{1976 a}^nd¹⁹⁷⁷^{, v}^o^te^c^h^aⁿ^g^e^s^c^aⁿ^be^m^a^de^e^l^e^c^t^r^onic^a^lly^f^o^r^the
^fⁱ^r^s^{t 10 m}ⁱ^nute^s^of^a^v^o^te^{. A}^f^te^r^{10 m}ⁱ^nute^s^{, c}^h^aⁿ^g^e^s^m^u^s^t^be^m^a^{de us}^ing^a^ba^ll^{ot c}^a^r^dⁱⁿ^the^w^e^{ll. Fo}^r^v^o^te^s^of^f^e^w^e^r
^t^h^an¹⁵^mⁱⁿ^u^t^es,^c^h^an^{ges can}^b^e^mad^e^el^ect^roⁿⁱ^cal^l^y^at^an^y^tⁱ^m^e^d^u^riⁿ^g^t^h^{e vo}^t^e^.
⁶⁵^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^A^d^mⁱ^nis^t^r^a^tion,^T^h^{e E}^l^ect^ronⁱ^{c V}^o^tⁱ^ng^S^y^st^{em f}^o^r^t^h^{e Uni}^t^e^d^S^t^a^t^{es Hou}^s^{e o}^f
^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves^{, c}^o^m^m^itte^e^print,⁹⁷^th^Co^ng^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., A}^u^g^u^s^t^30,¹⁹⁸^{2 (}^W^a^s^hing^to^{n: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁸²⁾^,^{p. 4}^.
⁶⁶^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^Fⁱⁿ^a^l^R^e^po^rt^an^d
^Summary^o^f^Ac^tiv^itie^s^{, 11}⁰^th^Con^g^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^10-⁸⁸^{5 (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^6.

A vote is terminated by the chair when no additional Members are in the well casting votes and
the seated tally clerk has finished entering all well cards into the electronic voting system. Once
the electronic voting system has processed all votes, the seated tally clerk notifies the standing
tally clerk that the displayed tally is accurate. The standing tally clerk creates a “tally slip” listing
the vote totals and hands it to the parliamentarian. The parliamentarian then provides the slip to ⁶⁷
the chair for the chair’s announcement of the vote.
Following the termination of a vote, the computer system is set to display the word “Final” on the
summary display boards. The clerk, however, can still enter votes into the electronic voting
system once the word “Final” has appeared on the screen: thus, the word “Final” does not have ⁶⁸
parliamentary significance.
Releasing the displays is the first step in resetting the electronic voting system and preparing for
the next vote. This occurs when the chair completes the reading of the vote tally in an ⁶⁹
“unequivocal announcement.” House Parliamentarian John V. Sullivan explained the process
during the Select Committee to Investigate the Voting Irregularities of August 7, 2007, hearing
conducted on the House floor: “[U]sually if the Chair says, ‘The amendment is adopted,’ that is
the unequivocal statement of the results. ‘The bill is passed.’ When he utters that sentence, that ⁷⁰
should be the end of the vote.”
While the first four stages can be reversed at any time should additional Members be allowed to
cast a vote, once the verification process begins, the electronic voting system is shut down, the
display panels are cleared, and the computer is readied for additional votes. At the conclusion of
the vote, the tally clerks cross check any tally cards against the electronic voting system results ⁷¹
and then release the vote results to the clerk’s website.

⁶⁷^Ibid^.
⁶⁸^Ibid^.
⁶⁹^I^b^id^.,^pp.^6-^7.
⁷⁰^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^M^e^mbe^r^Brie^fing
^{on V}^o^ti^ngⁱⁿ^the^H^o^us^e^of^Re^pr^e^s^eⁿ^tativ^e^s^—T^he^Ros^t^r^u^m^an^{d t}^h^e^Ele^c^t^r^onic^V^o^tin^g^Sy^s^t^e^m^:^{A “W}^a^l^k^t^hr^ou^gh^{” by}^t^h^e^th^st
^Cle^r^k^{of the}^Ho^use^L^o^rraine^C.^M^ille^r^,^h^eariⁿ^g,¹¹⁰^Cong^.,¹^s^e^s^s^{., O}^c^tobe^r^18,²⁰⁰⁷⁽^W^a^s^hing^toⁿ^:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.
^18.
⁷¹^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^Fⁱⁿ^a^l^R^e^po^rt^an^d
^Summary^o^f^Ac^tiv^itie^s^{, 11}⁰^th^Con^g^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^10-⁸⁸^{5 (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^7.

Since 1973, the electronic voting system has been updated and upgraded. These upgrades and
updates include changes in voting information retrieval, how votes are displayed on closed-circuit
television, how Members may change their votes during a vote, and computer equipment and
programming upgrades. Some changes are highlighted here. Appendix B contains a
chronological list of upgrades and updates, based on reports of the Committee on House
Administration.
These upgrades, updates, and changes to the electronic voting system were initially handled by ^th
House Information Systems (HIS). During the 104 Congress (1995-1996), the Committee on
House Administration, then called the Committee on House Oversight, approved the transfer of ⁷²
legislative operations on the House floor to the clerk of the House. This action included the
transfer of the electronic voting system from HIS to the clerk’s Office of Legislative Computer
Systems (LCS). LCS continues to operate and maintain the electronic voting system, with the
Committee on House Administration providing oversight.
In June 1975, Chairman Hays of the House Administration Committee announced that the video
consoles at the majority and minority tables had been reprogrammed to allow for retrieval of vote
information:
^Star^tin^g^to^d^a^y^t^h^eⁿ^e^w^f^e^a^t^u^r^e^wⁱ^l^l^p^e^r^m^{it t}^h^{e De}^m^o^cr^{ats to}^r^e^tr^iev^eⁱⁿ^f^o^r^m^atioⁿ^o^r^g^aⁿⁱ^zed
^by^w^h^{ip zon}^e^an^{d b}^yⁿ^e^w^Me^m^b^ers^,^w^h^{ile t}^h^{e R}^e^p^u^bli^can^s^can^retrie^v^e^inf^o^r^m^atioⁿ
^o^r^g^aⁿⁱ^zed^b^y^w^h^ip^r^e^gⁱ^oⁿ^an^dⁿ^e^w^Me^m^b^er^{s. T}^h^{is is a}ⁿ^ad^d^itioⁿ^to^th^{e p}^r^ev^io^u^s^cap^ab^ilit^y
^f^o^r^dⁱ^sp^la^yⁱⁿ^g^Me^m^b^er^v^o^tiⁿ^gⁱⁿ^f^o^r^m^atioⁿ^o^r^g^aⁿⁱ^{zed alph}^abeticall^y^b^y^Me^m^b^{er, State, part}^y^,
^an^{d v}^o^{te pref}^eren^{ce. T}^h^es^e^f^e^atu^r^es^wⁱ^l^l^{be ex}^teⁿ^d^{ed s}ⁱ^gnⁱ^f^ican^tl^yⁱⁿ^earl^y^Septe^m^{ber to}
ⁱⁿ^cl^u^d^{e a}^m^o^{re g}^eⁿ^e^{ral capabilit}^y^{to org}^aⁿⁱ^{ze a}ⁿ^{d displa}^y^in-prog^r^ess^v^o^tingⁱⁿ^f^o^r^m^ation^....
^T^h^{is i}^m^p^r^o^v^e^m^eⁿ^{t to}^th^{e s}^y^ste^m^r^e^su^l^t^{s f}^r^o^m^{a co}ⁿ^tⁱⁿ^uⁱⁿ^g^e^f^f^o^r^t^b^y^t^h^{e Ho}^u^s^{e I}ⁿ^f^o^r^m^a^tioⁿ
^S^y^s^t^e^m^{s sta}^f^f^o^f^th^e^Co^m^mⁱ^{ttee o}ⁿ^Ho^u^s^e^A^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^str^a^tioⁿ^to^p^r^o^v^id^{e an}^o^p^e^r^a^tioⁿ^a^l
^electronⁱ^{c v}^o^ti^ng^s^y^s^t^e^m^th^a^t^bes^t^s^e^rv^e^s^t^h^{e i}ⁿ^f^o^r^m^{ation needs}^of^t^h^{e Me}^m^b^er^s^aⁿ^{d th}^e
^l^eaders^hⁱ^p^{. H}^ous^{e Inf}^o^r^m^a^tⁱ^oⁿ^Sy^st^e^m^s^pers^onn^el^wⁱ^l^l^{be a}^v^ai^l^a^bl^{e i}ⁿ^t^h^e^Ch^a^m^{ber eac}^h
^m^o^rⁿⁱⁿ^{g f}^o^{r t}^h^{e re}^m^aⁱⁿ^{der of}^t^h^e^w^e^e^k^{to trai}ⁿ^t^h^e^s^t^a^f^{f of}^ea^ch^part^y^{in th}^e^us^{e of t}^h^eⁿ^e^w⁷³
^f^eat^u^r^e.
In August 1976, the Committee on House Administration again upgraded the display and
reporting features of the electronic voting system with the ability to search for a specific roll-call
vote by number or through a search feature. Chairman Frank Thompson of the Committee on
House Administration announced:
^T^o^d^a^y^t^h^e^Co^m^mⁱ^{ttee o}ⁿ^Ho^u^s^e^A^d^mⁱⁿⁱ^str^a^tioⁿ^is^p^l^acin^gⁱⁿ^o^p^e^r^a^tioⁿ^{a n}^e^w^cap^ab^ilit^y^to
^r^e^tr^iev^e^v^o^tiⁿ^gⁱⁿ^f^o^r^m^atioⁿ^f^r^o^m^p^a^{st r}^o^{ll calls o}^f^thⁱ^s^se^ssi^oⁿⁱⁿ^t^h^{e sa}^m^e^m^aⁿⁿ^e^r^t^h^{at t}^h^e

⁷²^U^.^{S. C}^ong^r^e^s^s^,^C^o^m^m^itte^e^{on H}^ous^e^O^v^e^r^sⁱ^g^h^t,^Re^port^oⁿ^the^Ac^tiv^itie^{s of t}^h^e^Committe^e^oⁿ^Ho^use^Ov^e^rsight^{, 1}⁰⁴^th
^C^ong^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^04-⁸⁸⁵⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁹⁷⁾^.
⁷³^“Im^p^ro^ve^men^t^{s t}^o^t^h^{e E}^l^ect^roⁿⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^S^y^st^e^m^,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^ona^{l R}^e^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l.¹²^1,^pa^r^t¹⁴⁽^J^une^12,¹⁹⁷⁵⁾^,^p.¹⁸⁶⁶^8.

^lead^er^sh^ip^an^d^Me^m^b^er^{s r}^e^tr^iev^e^r^o^{ll call in}^f^o^r^m^at^ioⁿ^oⁿ^th^e^d^a^y^t^h^{e r}^o^{ll call is tak}^eⁿ^.^I^f^th^e
ⁿ^u^m^b^er^o^f^th^{e r}^o^{ll call in}^q^u^e^s^tioⁿ^is^kⁿ^o^wⁿ^{, it can}^b^e^r^e^tr^iev^e^d^si^m^p^l^y^b^y^en^terⁱⁿ^g^th^at
ⁿ^u^m^b^er^oⁿ^th^{e d}ⁱ^sp^la^y^ter^mⁱⁿ^{al k}^e^y^b^o^a^r^d^{. I}^f^th^{e r}^o^{ll call n}^u^m^b^e^r^isⁿ^o^{t k}ⁿ^o^wⁿ^,^aⁿ^o^t^h^e^r⁷⁴
^f^eat^u^r^{e is av}^ai^lab^l^{e to}^r^e^tr^iev^e^b^y^b^illⁿ^u^m^b^er^o^r^b^yⁱ^s^s^u^{e t}^y^p^e^.
In April 1977, the electronic voting system was updated to be compatible with the installation of
closed circuit television in the House chamber. The modification allowed the broadcast of in-
progress voting information on the screen of the closed circuit system that was then being tested ⁷⁵
in the House. The addition of in-progress voting information served as the prototype for the
current display during votes as shown on C-SPAN.
Before electronic voting, Members could change their vote during a vote by filling out a card in
the well of the House and handing it to a tally clerk. Once the electronic voting system was
installed, Members had the freedom to change their votes as many times as they wanted within ⁷⁶
the 15-minute vote window. In 1975, at the request of both parties’ leadership, Speaker Albert
announced that to change votes Members would now have to “come to the well at the conclusion
of the 15-minute minimum voting time, seek recognition and announce their vote changes after ⁷⁷
their names are called by the reading clerk.”
In 1976, the process of changing votes during a 15-minute vote was again altered. In consultation
with both parties’ leadership and the Committee on House Administration, the Speaker
announced that
ⁱ^t^h^a^s^beeⁿ^deci^{ded t}^h^atⁱ^t^w^oul^{d be a conv}^eⁿⁱ^eⁿ^c^e^t^o^Me^m^b^ers^t^o^per^mⁱ^t^c^h^ang^e^{s i}ⁿ^v^o^t^e^s
^cas^t^wⁱ^t^h^th^{e e}^l^ectronⁱ^{c s}^y^s^t^e^m^by^reiⁿ^s^e^rtiⁿ^g^{a v}^o^ti^ng^{card du}^rin^g^t^h^e^fⁱ^rs^{t 10}^mⁱ^nu^tes^o^f^t^h^e
^v^o^tin^g^p^e^rⁱ^o^d^.^Af^ter¹⁰^mⁱⁿ^u^te^{s, if}^a^Me^m^b^er^wⁱ^sh^e^s^to^c^h^an^g^e^hⁱ^s^v^o^te,^h^e^m^u^st^f^o^llo^w^th^e
^p^r^esen^{t p}^r^o^ced^u^r^{e o}^f^d^oⁱⁿ^g^so^b^y^v^o^tin^g^car^d^,ⁱⁿ^th^e^w^e^{ll, f}^o^llo^wⁱⁿ^g^th^e^c^o^m^p^l^e^tⁱ^oⁿ^o^f^th^e¹⁵^-⁷⁸
^mi^nut^e^vo^tⁱ^ng^p^e^rⁱ^o^d^.
Following a rules change in 1977, a Member could change a vote electronically at any time by ⁷⁹
reinserting his or her card into a voting station and pressing the corresponding button. These

⁷⁴^“Ne^w^V^o^t^e^Reco^rdiⁿ^{g F}^eat^u^r^{es of}^t^h^{e E}^l^ect^roⁿⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^S^y^st^e^m^,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^v^o^l.¹²^2,^pa^r^t²¹⁽^A^ug^us^t
²³^,¹⁹⁷⁶⁾^,^p.²⁷²²^5.
⁷⁵^“M^o^dⁱ^fⁱ^catⁱ^o^{n o}^f^t^h^{e E}^l^ect^ronⁱ^c^V^o^tⁱⁿ^g^S^y^st^e^m^,^”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^ona^{l R}^e^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l.¹²^3,^pa^r^t⁹⁽^A^pr^{il 1}⁸^,¹⁹⁷⁷⁾^,^p.¹¹⁰²^4.
⁷⁶^T^h^{e m}ⁱⁿⁱ^m^u^m^tⁱ^m^e^f^o^{r a vo}^t^e^w^a^{s set}^at¹⁵^mⁱⁿ^u^t^es^p^u^r^su^aⁿ^t^t^o^Rul^e^XX^,^cl^.²^.^T^h^{e S}^p^{eaker ma}^y^re^d^u^{ce reco}^rd^ed
^v^o^te^{s to f}ⁱ^v^e^mⁱ^nute^s^prov^ide^d^tha^t^the^fⁱ^{rst v}^o^te^{in a}^se^rⁱ^e^s^is^a^15-^mⁱ^nute^v^o^te⁽^R^ule^X^X^,^c^l^.⁹⁾^{. T}^hⁱ^s^a^u^thor^ity^w^a^s^th
^g^r^aⁿ^te^{d a}^s^pa^r^t^of^the^r^u^le^s^c^h^aⁿ^g^e^s^m^a^de^a^t^the^be^gⁱⁿⁿⁱ^ng^of^the⁹⁶^Cong^re^s^s^{in 1}⁹⁷⁹^.^Se^e^Rule^X^Xⁱⁿ^C^o^ns^tit^uti^on,^th^th^nd
^J^e^ffe^r^s^on’^s^M^anu^al,^an^{d R}^u^le^s^of^the^H^ous^e^{of Re}^pr^e^s^eⁿ^tativ^e^s^of^t^h^e^Uⁿ^ite^d^St^ate^s^{, 1}¹⁰^C^o^ngr^e^s^s^{, 109}^Co^ng^.,²
^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^D^o^c^.¹⁰^9-¹⁵^{9 (}^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁷⁾^,^p.⁸³^{0; a}ⁿ^{d L}^e^wⁱ^s^D^e^s^c^hle^r^a^{nd W}^m^{. H}^o^l^m^e^s^B^r^o^w^n,^Desch^l^er-
^B^r^o^wⁿ^P^r^eced^en^t^s^o^f^t^h^{e Un}ⁱ^t^e^d^St^a^t^{es Ho}^u^s^e^o^f^R^e^p^r^esen^t^a^tⁱ^ves⁽^W^a^s^hing^{ton: G}^P^O^,¹⁹⁹⁸⁾^{, C}^h^{. 3}⁰^,^{§ 3}⁷^,^p.⁴⁵^0.
⁷⁷^“^A^nnounc^e^m^eⁿ^{t by}^the^Spe^a^k^e^r^,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^o^nal^Re^c^o^r^d^,^v^o^l.¹²¹^,^pa^r^t^{22 (}^S^e^p^te^m^b^e^r^17,¹⁹⁷⁵⁾^{, p}^.²⁸⁹⁰^3.
⁷⁸^“^A^nnounc^e^m^eⁿ^{t by}^the^Spe^a^k^e^r^-^C^ha^ng^e^{in Ele}^c^t^r^o^nic^Vo^ting^Sy^s^t^em^,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^on^{al Re}^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^.¹²²^{, pa}^r^t⁶
⁽^M^a^r^c^h²²^,¹⁹⁷⁶⁾^,^p.⁷³⁹⁴^.
⁷⁹^T^h^e^s^a^m^e^polic^y^{on c}^h^aⁿ^g^e^{d v}^o^t^e^s^ha^s^be^eⁿ^a^p^p^lie^{d t}^o^tw^o-^mⁱ^nute^v^o^te^s^a^s^a^pplie^s^to^fⁱ^v^e^-^m^inute^vote^s^.

changes have been reiterated by the Speaker at the beginning of each Congress since the 95^th ⁸⁰
Congress in 1977.
As practiced today, a Member who desires to change his or her vote, after the initial 10 minutes of
a 15-minute vote, takes the appropriate ballot card to the “standing” tally clerk. The standing tally
clerk then hands the well card to the “seated” tally clerk, who enters the vote change into the ⁸¹
electronic voting system. Members who change their vote before the last five minutes are
recorded by the electronic voting system as having changed their vote. Only Members who ⁸²
change their votes during the last five minutes are noted in the Congressional Record. During a
five-minute or two-minute vote, Members may change their votes using the electronic voting
stations throughout the duration of the vote.
In January 2004, the current computer hardware that runs the electronic voting system was
installed in the House. This upgrade was “the fourth major upgrade of the EVS [electronic voting
system] since its inception in 1972.” The hardware is located in the Rayburn House Office ⁸³
Building and is connected to the Capitol and the House Chamber through a secure connection.
Information on the three prior technology upgrades was not made available by the Office of the
Clerk.

The history and development of the electronic voting system frames the process for recording
votes and quorum calls in the House of Representatives and the Committee of the Whole. It was
101 years from the time Thomas Edison invented a vote recording device in 1869 until the House
reached a consensus to adopt an automated vote recording system. Over the course of those years,
proposals for the system changed from mechanical relays, to electrical switches, to the computer-
driven electronic recording system approved in 1970.
The electronic voting system, as designed and installed, was forward-looking technology. The
electronic voting system also fit the House’s traditions and practices. Unlike many earlier
proposals, the electronic voting system did not use assigned seats as the basis for voting stations.
Instead of requiring all Members to be present on the floor for a vote, the electronic voting system
in addition allowed them to come and go from the House floor, so long as they voted during the
time frame established by the Speaker or chair of the Committee of the Whole, within House
rules and precedents.

⁸⁰^Se^e^,^f^o^r^e^x^am^ple^,^“A^nnou^nc^e^m^{ent by}^the^S^p^e^a^k^e^r^,”^C^ongr^e^s^sⁱ^on^a^l^Re^c^o^r^d^{, v}^o^l^.¹²³^,^pa^r^t^{1 (}^J^aⁿ^ua^r^y^{4, 197}⁷⁾^,^pp.
^73-^{74; a}^{nd R}^e^{p. N}^a^nc^y^P^e^losⁱ^,^“^A^nno^unc^e^m^eⁿ^{t by}^the^Spe^a^k^e^r^,”^r^e^m^a^r^k^s^{in the}^H^ous^e^,^C^o^ng^ressioⁿ^a^l^Reco^rd^{, da}^ily
^e^d^itio^{n, v}^o^l^.¹⁵³^(Ja^nua^ry^{5, 2}⁰⁰⁷⁾^{, p}^p^{. H}^59-H^61.
⁸¹^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^M^e^mbe^r^Brie^fing
^{on V}^o^ti^ngⁱⁿ^the^H^o^us^e^of^Re^pr^e^s^eⁿ^tativ^e^s^—T^he^Ros^t^r^u^m^an^{d t}^h^e^Ele^c^t^r^onic^V^o^tin^g^Sy^s^t^e^m^:^{A “W}^a^l^k^t^hr^ou^gh^{” by}^t^h^e^th^st
^Cle^r^k^{of the}^Ho^use^L^o^rraine^C.^M^ille^r^,^h^eariⁿ^g,¹¹⁰^Cong^.,¹^sess.^,^Oct^o^b^e^r¹⁸^,²⁰⁰⁷⁽^W^ashⁱⁿ^g^t^on:^G^P^O,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^.
⁸²^Ibid^.,^pp.¹⁶^-1^7.
⁸³^{U.S. C}^oⁿ^g^re^{ss, Ho}^u^s^e^Se^le^c^t^Co^m^m^itte^e^to^In^v^e^stig^a^t^e^th^e^V^o^tin^g^Irre^g^u^la^ritie^{s o}^f^A^u^g^u^{st 2}^,²⁰⁰⁷^,^Fⁱⁿ^a^l^R^e^po^rt^an^d
^Summary^o^f^Ac^tiv^itie^s^{, 11}⁰^th^Con^g^{., 2}^nd^s^e^s^s^{., H}^.^R^e^{pt. 1}^10-⁸⁸^{5 (}^W^a^s^hing^ton:^G^P^O^,²⁰⁰⁸⁾^,^p.^3.

On January 23, 2008, the electronic voting system had been used to record votes in the House of
Representatives for 35 years. Over the years, the electronic voting system seems to have been
adaptable to change and improvement. It evidently continues to meet the needs of the House of
Representatives, with the capacity to change based on future requirements.

Proposals to establish automated voting in the House of Representatives were first introduced ^th
during the 49 Congress (1885-1886), 17 years after Thomas Edison proposed his electrical
voting system to Congress. The table below lists each of the bills and resolutions proposing to use
an electrical, mechanical, and automated voting system in the House of Representatives, and
includes the Congress and date the bill or resolution was introduced, bill number, and sponsor of
the measure.
Table A-1. Electrical, Mechanical, and Automated Voting Bills and Resolutions in the
House of Representatives Before 1970
^Cong^{ress (Years)}^{Date Introduced}^Bill^Number^Sponsor^{(Party-State)}
⁴⁹^th⁽¹⁸^85-1⁸⁸⁶⁾^{Feb. 1, 18}⁸⁶^N/A^a^Beach^(D-NY)
⁴⁹^th⁽¹⁸^85-1⁸⁸⁶⁾^{Jun. 7,}¹⁸⁸⁶^N/A^b^{Le Fevre (D-OH)}
⁵⁰^th⁽¹⁸^87-1⁸⁸⁸⁾^{Jan. 14,}¹⁸⁸⁹^N/A^c^Cogswell⁽^R-MA)
⁵¹^st⁽¹⁸^89-1⁸⁹⁰⁾^{Jan. 8, 1}⁸⁹⁰^N/A^d^Cogswell⁽^R-MA)
⁵¹^st⁽¹⁸^89-1⁸⁹⁰⁾^{Aug. 14, 1}⁸⁹⁰^N/A^e^Gifford^(R-SD)
⁵²^nd⁽¹⁸^91-¹⁸⁹²⁾^{Jan. 25,}¹⁸⁹²^N/A^f^Oates^(D-AL)
⁶²^nd⁽¹⁹^11-¹⁹¹²⁾^{Jan. 23,}¹⁹¹²^H.Res.³⁸⁵^{Copley (R-IL)}^g
⁶²^nd⁽¹⁹^11-¹⁹¹²⁾^{Jan. 7, 1}⁹¹³^H.Res.⁷⁶⁸^{Garrett (D-TN)}
⁶³^rd⁽¹⁹¹^3-19¹⁴⁾^{Apr. 1, 1}⁹¹³^H.Res.¹⁵^{Copley (P-IL)}
⁶³^rd⁽¹⁹¹^3-19¹⁴⁾^{Jun. 2}^{6, 1}⁹¹³^H.Res.¹⁸⁷^{Walsh (D-NJ)}
⁶³^rd⁽¹⁹¹^3-19¹⁴⁾^{Mar. 2, 1}⁹¹⁵^H.Res.⁵¹³^{Walsh (D-NJ)}
⁶⁴^th⁽¹⁹^15-1⁹¹⁶⁾^{Jul. 10, 1}⁹¹⁶^H.Res.²²³^{Howard (D-GA)}
⁶⁷^th⁽¹⁹^23-1⁹²⁴⁾^{Jan. 29,}¹⁹²³^H.Res.⁴⁹⁷^{Kelly (P-}^PA)^h
⁷⁵^th⁽¹⁹^37-1⁹³⁸⁾^{May 2}^{5, 19}³⁸^H.R.¹⁰⁷⁵⁶^{Hill (D}^-WA)
⁷⁷^th⁽¹⁹^41-1⁹⁴²⁾^{Jan. 1, 1}⁹⁴¹^H.R.⁹⁸⁴^{Hill (D}^-WA)
⁷⁹^th⁽¹⁹^45-1⁹⁴⁶⁾^{Oct. 15, 1}⁹⁴⁵^H.Res.³⁷²^{Bennett (R-MO)}
⁷⁹^th⁽¹⁹^45-1⁹⁴⁶⁾^{Jan. 29,}¹⁹⁴⁶^H.R.⁵²⁶³^{Buck (R-NY)}
⁸⁰^th⁽¹⁹^47-1⁹⁴⁸⁾^{Jan. 29,}¹⁹⁴⁷^H.R.¹⁴³³^{Buck (R-NY)}
⁸⁰^th⁽¹⁹^47-1⁹⁴⁸⁾^{Nov. 24, 1}⁹⁴⁷^H.R.⁴⁵⁵⁷^{Miller (R-}^NE)
⁸¹^st⁽¹⁹^49-1⁹⁵⁰⁾^{Jan. 2, 1}⁹⁴⁹^H.R.³⁷^{Davis (R-WI)}
⁸¹^st⁽¹⁹^49-1⁹⁵⁰⁾^{Jun. 7,}¹⁹⁴⁹^H.R.⁵⁰³⁰^{Bennett (D-FL)}
⁸¹^st⁽¹⁹^49-1⁹⁵⁰⁾^{Jun. 1}^{3, 1}⁹⁴⁹^H.R.⁵¹²¹^{Noland (D-IN)}
⁸¹^st⁽¹⁹^49-1⁹⁵⁰⁾^{Jun. 2}^{1, 1}⁹⁴⁹^H.Res.²⁶¹^{Bennett (D-FL)}
⁸¹^st⁽¹⁹^49-1⁹⁵⁰⁾^{Feb. 27, 1}⁹⁵⁰^H.Res.⁴⁹¹^{Noland (D-IN)}
⁸²^nd⁽¹⁹^51-¹⁹⁵²⁾^{Jan. 3, 1}⁹⁵¹^H.R.¹⁷¹^{Davis (R-WI)}
⁸²^nd⁽¹⁹^51-¹⁹⁵²⁾^{Jan. 4, 1}⁹⁵¹^H.R.⁹³¹^{Le Compte (R-IA)}

^Cong^{ress (Years)}^{Date Introduced}^{Bill Number}^Sponsor^{(Party-State)}
⁸²^nd⁽¹⁹^51-¹⁹⁵²⁾^{Jan. 12,}¹⁹⁵¹^H.R.¹³²⁶^{Denton (D-IN)}
⁸²^nd⁽¹⁹^51-¹⁹⁵²⁾^{Jun. 2}^{2, 1}⁹⁵¹^H.R.⁴⁵⁷⁸^{Jarman (D-OK)}
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Jan. 6, 1}⁹⁵³^H.R.⁹⁸⁸^{Bennett (D-FL)}
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Jan. 6, 1}⁹⁵³^H.R.¹⁰³⁹^{Johnson (R-CA)}
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Jan 7,}¹⁹⁵³^H.R.¹²⁴⁶^{Davis (R-WI)}
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Jan. 9, 1}⁹⁵³^H.R.¹³⁹⁷^{Le Compte (R-IA)}
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Jan. 15,}¹⁹⁵³^H.R.¹⁸¹¹^{Dawson (R-UT)}
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Jan. 26,}¹⁹⁵³^H.R.²⁰⁹⁰^{Elliott (}^D-AL)
⁸³^rd⁽¹⁹⁵^3-19⁵⁴⁾^{Mar. 12,}¹⁹⁵³^H.R.³⁹²⁰^{Jarman (D-OK)}
⁸⁴^th⁽¹⁹^55-1⁹⁵⁶⁾^{Jan. 5, 1}⁹⁵⁵^H.R.⁹²^{Denton (D-IN)}
⁸⁴^th⁽¹⁹^55-1⁹⁵⁶⁾^{Jan. 5, 1}⁹⁵⁵^H.R.¹²⁸^{Le Compte (R-IA)}
⁸⁴^th⁽¹⁹^55-1⁹⁵⁶⁾^{Jan. 5, 1}⁹⁵⁵^H.R.⁶⁵¹^{Davis (R-WI)}
⁸⁵^th⁽¹⁹^57-1⁹⁵⁸⁾^{Jan. 28,}¹⁹⁵⁷^H.R.³⁷⁵⁸^{Denton (D-IN)}
⁸⁵^th⁽¹⁹^57-1⁹⁵⁸⁾^{Feb. 27, 1}⁹⁵⁷^H.R.⁵³⁸⁷^{Jarman (D-OK)}
⁸⁵^th⁽¹⁹^57-1⁹⁵⁸⁾^{Jan. 3, 1}⁹⁵⁸^H.R.¹⁰⁴³⁶^{Glenn (R-NJ)}
⁸⁶^th⁽¹⁹^59-1⁹⁶⁰⁾^{Jan. 7, 1}⁹⁵⁹^{H.R. 754}^{Denton (D-IN)}
⁸⁶^th⁽¹⁹^59-1⁹⁶⁰⁾^{Jan. 7, 1}⁹⁵⁹^{H.R. 814}^{Jarman (D-OK)}
⁸⁶^th⁽¹⁹^59-1⁹⁶⁰⁾^{Jan. 15,}¹⁹⁵⁹^{H.R. 2537}^{Glenn (R-NJ)}
⁸⁷^th⁽¹⁹^61-1⁹⁶²⁾^{Jan. 3, 1}⁹⁶¹^{H.R. 954}^{Glenn (R-NJ)}
⁸⁷^th⁽¹⁹^61-1⁹⁶²⁾^{Feb. 7, 19}⁶¹^{H.R. 3966}^{Denton (D-IN)}
⁸⁷^th⁽¹⁹^61-1⁹⁶²⁾^{Jul. 10, 1}⁹⁶¹^{H.R. 8047}^Tuppe^{r (R-ME)}
⁸⁸^th⁽¹⁹^63-1⁹⁶⁴⁾^{Feb. 27, 1}⁹⁶³^{H.R. 4311}^{Glenn (R-NJ)}
⁸⁹^th⁽¹⁹^65-1⁹⁶⁶⁾^{Jan. 14,}¹⁹⁶⁵^{H.R. 2805}^{Denton (D-IN)}
⁹¹^st⁽¹⁹^69-1⁹⁷⁰⁾^{Jan. 3, 1}⁹⁶⁹^{H.R. 397}^{Bennett (D-FL)}
⁹¹^st⁽¹⁹^69-1⁹⁷⁰⁾^{Jan. 14,}¹⁹⁶⁹^{H.R. 3340}^{Davis (R-WI)}
^a.^{Representative Beac}^{h’s resolution was not as}^{signed a n}^umbe^{r in t}^{he 4}⁹^th^Cong^{ress. The re}^{solution can b}^e^th^st
^{found in U.S. Congress, House of}^Represe^ntatives,^{Plan to Register}^{Votes, Etc.}^{, 4}⁹^{Cong., 1}^se^{ss., Mis.Doc}^.
^{98, Serial Set 241}^{5 (1}⁸⁸^{6), p. 1, a}^{nd in the}^Congres^{sional Rec}^ord,^vol^{. 17, part}^{1 (Feb. 1,}¹⁸^{86), p. 1}⁰³^7.
^b.^{Representative}^{Le Fevre’s re}^{solution was not assigned a n}^u^m^{ber in}^{the 4}⁹^th^Cong^{ress. The}^{resolution can}^be^th^st
^{found in U. S. Congress, House o}^f^Represe^ntatives,^{Electrical Recording of Yeas and Nays}^{, 49}^{Cong., 1}^sess.,
^{Mis.Doc. 315, Serial Set 2418 (}¹⁸^{86), p. 1, and in}^the^Congres^{sional Record}^{, vol. 17, part 5 (J}^{un. 7,}¹⁸⁸^{6), p.}
⁵³⁶^5.
^c.^{Representative Cogswell’s resolution was not assigned a n}^u^m^{ber i}ⁿ^the⁵⁰^th^Congres^{s. The resolution can}
^{be fou}^{nd in the}^Congres^{sional Rec}^o^r^d^{, vo}^{l. 20, part 1 (Ja}^{n. 1}^{4, 18}^89),^{p. 76}^1.
^d.^{Representative Cogswell’s resolution was not assigned a n}^u^m^{ber i}ⁿ^the⁵¹^st^{Congress. The}^{resolution can}
^{be fou}^{nd in the}^Congres^{sional Rec}^o^r^d^{, vo}^{l. 21, part 1 (Ja}^{n. 8, 1}⁸⁹^{0), p}^.^474.
^e.^{Representative}^{Gifford’s resolution was not assigned a}^nu^mberⁱⁿ^{the 5}¹^st^Congre^{ss. The resolution can}^be
^{found in t}^he^{Congressional Re}^cord^{, vol. 21, part 9}^{(Aug. 14,}¹⁸^{90), p.}⁸⁵^85.
^f.^{Representative}^{Oates’s resolution was not as}^{signed a n}^umbe^{r in t}^{he 5}²^nd^{Congress. The r}^{esolution can b}^e
^{found in t}^he^{Congressional Re}^cord^{, vol. 23, part 1}^{(Jan. 2}^{5, 18}^{92), p.}^517.

^g.^{Representative Copley}^repre^sent^{ed an Illinois district from 191}^{1 t}^o¹⁹²^{3 and wa}^{s a mem}^{ber of t}^h^e^nd^rd^th^th^th
^{Republican Party}^{during t}^he⁶²^{, 63}^and⁶⁵^th^rough⁶⁷^Congr^{esses. During t}^{he 6}⁴^Cong^ress,
^{Representative Copley}^repre^sent^{ed the Progressive Party.}
^h.^{Representative Kelly was initially elected to the 63}^rd^{Congress as a}^member^{of the Re}^pu^{blican Party. He was}
^{not re-elected to the 6}⁴^th^Cong^r^{ess, and was re-elected to the}⁶⁵^th^{Congress as}^{a Progressive.}

Since its implementation in 1973, the electronic voting system has been upgraded and updated
many times. The Committee on House Administration reported various upgrades and updates in
their activity reports submitted at the end of each Congress. The table below lists those upgrades
and updates that were included in the committee activity reports, but it may not be a complete list
of all upgrades and updates as additional clarifying materials were not readily available to the
author.
Table B-1. Upgrades to the House Electronic Voting System
^Cong^{ress Year}^Action
⁹³^rd¹⁹⁷⁴^{- General imp}^{rovement of t}^{he el}^{ectronic voting system.}^a
⁹⁴^th¹⁹⁷^5-^{- Capability to establish and use}^r^{etrieval categories that assist in t}^{he analysis of Hou}^{se votes;}
¹⁹⁷⁶^{- Added display terminals in the r}^{ear of the c}^ham^ber;
^{- Capability to retrieve historical vote information on display terminals;}
^{- Expa}^{nsion of the}^{issue in}^{formation associated with each vote; an}^d
^{- Modificati}^{ons to permit other}^s^{ystems to operate on}^the^{vote re}^{cording computers.}^b
¹⁹⁷⁷^{- Provided vote information from the Hous}^{e cha}^mber^{standard dis}^{play scree}^{ns for}^broadcast⁹⁵^th
^{on the Hou}^{se closed circuit telev}^{ision facilit}^{ies; and}
^{- Displayed information on issues}^{under de}^{bate on display sc}^reens.^c
¹⁹⁷⁸^{- Transferr}^{ed voting data from th}^{e vote recording system}^{immediately after the}^{vote to the}
^summary^{of proceedings a}^{nd deb}^{ates system for}^{immediate dissemination on the}^Membe^r^d
^{information network.}
¹⁹⁷^9-^{- Initiated the installation of the v}^{ote recording software on more}^{modern comp}^uter^e⁹⁶^th
¹⁹⁸⁰^equipme^nt.
¹⁹⁷⁹^{- Improved eq}^uipme^{nt (both}^the^computers^{and t}^{he cha}^mber^{displays) to make it more cost-}^f
^{effective to maintain.}
¹⁹⁸⁰^{- Conversion of the vote}^{recording software f}^{rom the CDC}¹⁷⁰⁰^computers^{to more}
^{modern comp}^uters.^g
⁹⁷^th¹⁹⁸¹^{- Conversion of all vote recording software to more modern}^computer^eq^uipment^to
^{improve the overall capa}^{bilities o}^f^{the voting sy}^stem;
^{- Speed of tally clerk printer inc}^r^{eased; and}
^{- Completed program modificati}^{ons to provide GPO final vote re}^{sults on magn}^{etic tape for}^h
^{direct photo-composition processing in the Cong}^{ressional Record.}
⁹⁸^th¹⁹⁸^3-^{- Programming and operational s}^upport^{to the vote r}^{ecording and}^{vote history system.}ⁱ
¹⁹⁸⁴
⁹⁹^th¹⁹⁸^5-^{- Microcomputer}^programm^{ed to act as electronic voting syste}^{m b}^ackup.^j
¹⁹⁸⁶
¹⁰⁰^th¹⁹⁸^7-^{- Programming and operation s}^u^p^{port for th}^{e vote recording a}^{nd v}^{ote history systems.}^k
¹⁹⁸⁸
¹⁰¹^st¹⁹⁸^9-^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^l

¹⁹⁹⁰

^Cong^{ress Year}^Action
¹⁰²^nd¹⁹⁹^1-^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^m
¹⁹⁹²
¹⁰³^rd¹⁹⁹^3-^{- Delegates were allowed to vote}^{in the Committee of th}^{e Whole. Modifications were made}
¹⁹⁹⁴^{to accommodate the rules c}^hang^{es and p}^{roduce u}^nique^{voting rec}^{ords for the Delegates; and}
^{- Added the ability to display diac}^{ritical marks in Mem}^{bers’ su}^rnam^es.ⁿ
¹⁰⁴^tho¹⁹⁹^5-^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^p
¹⁹⁹⁶
¹⁰⁵^th¹⁹⁹^7-^{- Old vote cards, in which eac}^{h c}^{ard was p}^{hysically pun}^{ched a}^{nd a}^{reader read th}^{e holes in}
¹⁹⁹⁸^{the card, were}^{replaced with digital cards with embedded c}^hips.^q
¹⁰⁶^th¹⁹⁹^9-^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^r
²⁰⁰⁰
¹⁰⁷^th²⁰⁰^1-^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^s
²⁰⁰²
²⁰⁰³^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^t¹⁰⁸^th
²⁰⁰⁴^{- Current}^hardwa^{re installed.}^u
¹⁰⁹^th²⁰⁰^5-^{- No specific mention of}^upg^{rades to the electronic voting syst}^em.^v
²⁰⁰⁶
^a.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration, Providing F}^{unds for t}^he^Ex^pense^{s of the Co}^mmittee
^{on House Administration to Prov}^{ide for Maintenan}^{ce and I}^mprove^{ment of O}^{ngoing Compute}^{r Serv}^{ices for}
^{the House}^{of Represe}^{ntatives a}ⁿ^d^{for the I}^{nvestigation of Additio}^{nal Computer Ser}^{vices for t}^{he H}^{ouse of}^rd^nd
^{Representatives, 93}^{Cong., 2}^{sess., report to accompan}^{y H.Res. 10}^{03, H.Rept. 9}^3-94^{6 (Washingt}^on:
^{GPO, 19}^{74), p. 5.}
^b.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use
^{Administration}^{, 94}^th^{Cong., 2}^nd^ses^{s., 94-17}^{90 (Was}^{hington: GPO, 1}^{977), p.}¹²^0.
^c.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use
^{Administration,}⁹⁵^th^{Cong., 2}^nd^ses^{s., H.Rept. 95-18}^{36 (Washingto}^{n: GPO, 19}^{79), p.}²⁰^3.
^d.^Ibid.
^e.^{U.S. C}^{ongress. Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration,}⁹⁶^{Cong., 2}^ses^{s., H.Rept. 96-15}^{58 (Washingto}^{n: GPO, 19}^{81), p.}^18.
^f.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Providing Fu}^{nds for the Expenses}^{of the Commit}^{tee on}
^{House Administration to Provide for}^{Computer Services for the House of}^{Representatives}^{, report}^{to accompany}^th^st
^{H.Res. 574, 9}⁶^{Cong., 1}^se^{ss., H.Rept. 96-2}^{3 (Washington: GP}^{O, 198}^{0), p. 1}^6.
^g.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Providing Fu}^{nds for the Expenses}^{of the Commit}^{tee on}
^{House Administration to Provide for}^{the Maintenance and Improvement of Ongoing Computer Services for the House}
^{of Representatives, for the Investigat}^{ion of Additional Computer Services for the House of Representatives,}^{and to}^th^nd
^{Provide Computer Support to the C}^ommittee^{s of the Hou}^{se of Re}^prese^ntatives^{, 96}^{Cong., 2}^{sess., H.Rept. 96-}
⁸¹³^{(Washington: GPO, 1}⁹⁷^{9), p. 11.}
^h.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration}^{, 97}^{Cong., 2}^ses^{s., H.Rept. 97-99}^{0 (Washington:}^{GPO, 19}^{83), p}^{p. 99-}¹⁰^0.
^i.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration,}⁹⁸^{Cong., 2}^ses^{s., H.Rept. 98-11}^{73 (Washingto}^{n: GPO, 19}^{84), p.}^92.
^j.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration}^{, 99}^{Cong., 2}^ses^{s., H.Rept. 99-10}^{28 (Washingto}^{n: GPO, 19}^{86), p.}¹⁰^8.
^k.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration}^{, 100}^{Cong., 2}^se^{ss., H.Rept. 100-1}¹¹^{2 (Washingt}^{on: GPO, 19}^{88), p. 1}^01.

^l.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^st^nd
^{Administration}^{, 101}^{Cong., 2}^se^{ss., H.Rept. 101-1}⁰⁰^{5 (Washingt}^{on, GPO, 19}^90).
^m.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^nd^nd
^{Administration}^{, 102}^{Cong., 2}^{sess., H.Rept. 102-1}⁰⁸^{3 (Washingt}^{on, GPO, 19}^92).
^n.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^rd^nd
^{Administration}^{, 103}^{Cong., 2}^{sess., H.Rept. 103-8}^{93 (Was}^{hington: GPO, 19}^{95), p}^{p. 5}^7-58.
^o.^{In the}¹⁰⁴^th^and¹⁰⁵^th^Congre^sse^{s, the Committee on House Adm}^{inistration was known as t}^{he Co}^mmittee
^{on House Ov}^ersight.
^p.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, House Committe}^{e on House}^Oversight,^Re^{port on}^{the Activities of the Com}^{mittee on}^House
^Oversight^{, 104}^th^{Cong., 2}^nd^{sess., H.Rept. 104-}⁸⁸^{5 (Washington: G}^{PO, 199}^7).
^q.^{Representative William Thomas, “Regarding the House}^Electronic^{Voting System,” House debate,}
^{Congressional Record}^{, vol. 146, par}^{t 9 (Ju}^ne^{23, 2}⁰⁰^{0), pp. 1}²¹^41-¹²^142.
^r.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use
^{Administration}^{, 106}^th^{Cong., 2}^nd^se^{ss., H.Rept. 106-1}⁰⁵^{6 (Washingt}^{on: GPO, 20}^01).
^s.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration}^{, 107}^{Cong., 2}^se^{ss., H.Rept. 107-8}^{10 (Was}^{hington: GPO, 20}^03).
^t.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration}^{, 108}^{Cong., 2}^se^{ss., H.Rept. 108-8}^{16 (Was}^{hington: GPO, 20}^05).
^u.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, House Select Committee to Investigate th}^{e Voting Irreg}^{ularities of August}^{2, 20}^07,^Final^th^nd
^{Report and Summary of Activities}^{, 110}^{Cong., 2}^{sess., H.Rept. 110}^{-885 (Was}^{hington, GPO, 2}⁰⁰^{8), p.3.}
^v.^{U.S. C}^{ongress, Committee on H}^{ouse Administration,}^{Report on th}^{e Activities of the Com}^{mittee on Ho}^use^th^nd
^{Administration}^{, 109}^{Cong., 2}^se^{ss., H.Rept. 109-7}^{52 (Was}^{hington: GPO, 20}^07).
^{Jacob R}^.^S^t^rau^s
^Aⁿ^al^y^s^t^on^t^h^e^C^ong^res^s
^j^s^trau^s^@^cr^s^.^loc.g^o^v^{, 7-}⁶⁴³⁸