"New York has been one of the slowest in the nation to comply with the Help America Vote Act," said Daniel M. Seligson, editor of Electionline.org, which tracks and analyzes attempts at election reform throughout the country.

In March, the Justice Department sued New York State for failing to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, which called on the states to overhaul their voting systems.

At the same time, lawmakers in Albany are working to come up with legislation that will allow the state to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, which was intended to help overhaul the nation's election system in the aftermath of the 2000 election debacle.

The Justice Department sued the state on Wednesday, charging that it had not come close to complying with the federal Help America Vote Act, which was passed to spur states to modernize their election systems, make voting easier for the disabled and avoid the problems with the 2000 presidential election in Florida.

The Justice Department has threatened to sue, warning in a letter to state officials last month that New York had fallen "further behind" every other state in complying with the Help America Vote Act, which was passed after the 2000 presidential election.

The United States Justice Department sued New York State this week for having the worst record in the nation when it comes to complying with the Help America Vote Act.

New York State must replace its current machines to comply with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which Congress enacted after the Florida election debacle of 2000.

We do this by issuing guidance, advisories and best practices to help officials comply with the Help America Vote Act and make other election administration improvements and enhancements.

Bills to comply with the Help America Vote Act and reform of the Rockefeller drug laws, now in conference committees, need legislative pressure to become law.