[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 571 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 571

  To establish a uniform poll closing time throughout the continental 
           United States for Presidential general elections.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 14, 1997

   Mr. Reid introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
         referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To establish a uniform poll closing time throughout the continental 
           United States for Presidential general elections.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. UNIFORM POLL CLOSING TIME THROUGHOUT THE CONTINENTAL UNITED 
              STATES FOR PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTIONS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating section 1 as section 1A; and
            (2) by inserting before section 1A the following:
``Sec. 1. Uniform poll closing time throughout the continental United 
              States
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Continental united states.--The term `continental 
        United States' means a State (other than Alaska and Hawaii) and 
        the District of Columbia.
            ``(2) Presidential general election.--The term 
        `Presidential general election' means the election for electors 
        of President and Vice President.
    ``(b) Closing Time.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each polling place in the continental 
        United States shall close, with respect to a Presidential 
        general election, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
            ``(2) Early closing.--A polling place at which each person 
        who is eligible to vote has voted may close earlier than the 
        time specified in paragraph (1), as provided by the law of the 
        State in which the polling place is located.
    ``(c) No Voting by Late Arrivals.--A person who, as determined 
under the law of the State in which a polling place is located, arrives 
at a polling place after the closing time established by subsection (b) 
shall not be permitted to vote in the Presidential general election.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) The table of sections for chapter 1 of title 3, United 
        States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to 
        section 1 and inserting the following:

``1. Uniform poll closing time throughout the continental United 
                            States.
``1A. Time of appointing electors.''.
            (2) Sections 871(b) and 1751(f) of title 18, United States 
        Code, are amended by striking ``title 3, United States Code, 
        sections 1 and 2'' and inserting ``sections 1A and 2 of title 
        3''.
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