The Electronic Voting System for the United States House of Representatives

Abstract

The most important voting procedure traditionally utilized in the United States House of Representatives to resolve legislative issues involves a time-consuming roll call of Representatives' names. It has been recognized for a number of years that this cumbersome feature of the legislative process could be automated so that a more efficient use of Members' time would be possible. The year 1970 saw the fruition of several years' effort to achieve a broad range of Congressional reforms. Not since 1946, when important structural changes in Committees and their staffs were made, had there been a generalized reform of Congressional, procedures. The Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970 (PL 91-510) in section 121 specifically provides that electronic equipment may be used to record votes in the. House of Representatives. The Senate, a body of only 100, has not chosen to employ automated voting procedures.