[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 241 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 241

   To direct the Federal Election Commission to set uniform national 
standards for Federal election procedures, change the Federal election 
                      day, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 1, 2001

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Federal Election Commission to set uniform national 
standards for Federal election procedures, change the Federal election 
                      day, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Election Standards Act of 
2001''.

SEC. 2. UNIFORM NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL ELECTION PROCEDURES.

    (a) Uniform Standards.--Title III of the Federal Election Campaign 
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``SEC. 323. UNIFORM ELECTION PROCEDURES.

    ``(a) In General.--The Commission shall provide required uniform 
national standards regarding procedures for elections for Federal 
office that--
            ``(1) minimize delay, error, or confusion in voting and in 
        voter registration;
            ``(2) eliminate fraud in the voting process;
            ``(3) increase the accuracy and reliability of vote counts 
        and counting procedure;
            ``(4) reduce the number of uncounted and discarded ballots;
            ``(5) encourage voter registration and voter turnout;
            ``(6) ensure accessibility to registration facilities and 
        polling places for all voters; and
            ``(7) promote public confidence in the accuracy and 
        reliability of the election process.
    ``(b) Standards.--The standards under subsection (a) shall include 
procedures regarding--
            ``(1) the type of ballots used;
            ``(2) vote counting;
            ``(3) use of counting machines;
            ``(4) accuracy and security of elections and vote counts;
            ``(5) voter registration; and
            ``(6) verification and maintenance of voter rolls.
    ``(c) Study of State Procedures.--For purposes of determining 
standards under subsection (a), the Commission shall study and 
periodically review (not less often than once every 6 months following 
an election for Federal office) State election regulations and 
procedures.
    ``(d) Enforcement.--Standards established under this section shall 
only be enforceable under section 309(e).
    ``(e) Regulations.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than January 1, 2002, the 
        Commission shall promulgate regulations to carry out the 
        provisions of this section based on an initial study and 
        analysis of election and vote counting procedures utilized in 
        each State.
            ``(2) State compliance.--The Commission may--
                    ``(A) prescribe a reasonable period of time for 
                States to comply with the uniform national standards 
                established under this section; and
                    ``(B) establish a process for a State to request a 
                waiver of compliance with a standard or an extension of 
                time to comply with a standard, based on a showing that 
                the State cannot reasonably comply with such 
                standard.''.
    (b) Enforcement.--
            (1) Civil penalties.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 309 of the Federal 
                Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437g) is 
                amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) The Attorney General may bring a civil action in an 
appropriate district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as 
is necessary to carry out the requirements under section 323.''.
                    (B) Conforming amendment.--Section 309(a)(1) of the 
                Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 
                437g(a)(1)) is amended by striking ``Any person'' and 
                inserting ``Except as provided in section 323, any 
                person''.
            (2) Criminal penalties.--
                    (A) In general.--Chapter 29 of title 18, United 
                States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
                following:

``SEC. 612. NONCOMPLIANCE WITH UNIFORM NATIONAL ELECTION STANDARDS.

    ``It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly conduct an 
election for Federal office (within the meaning of section 301 of the 
Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431)), or to knowingly 
interfere with such election, so that the election is in violation of 
the uniform national standards established by the Federal 
Election Commission under section 323 of such Act. Any person who 
violates this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not 
more than 3 years, or both.''.
                    (B) Conforming amendment.--The table of sections 
                for chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, is 
                amended by inserting at the end the following:

                              ``Sec. 612. Noncompliance with uniform 
                                        national election standards.''.
    (c) Compliance Grant Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Federal Election Commission is 
        authorized to make grants to States to provide for the cost of 
        implementing the uniform national standards for elections 
        established under section 323 of the Federal Election Campaign 
        Act of 1971.
            (2) Use of funds.--A State may use a grant received under 
        paragraph (1) for costs in relation to compliance with the 
        uniform national standards for elections established by the 
        Federal Election Commission.
            (3) Application.--Each State that desires to receive a 
        grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the 
        Federal Election Commission, at such time, in such manner, and 
        accompanied by such information as reasonably required by the 
        regulations promulgated under paragraph (5).
            (4) Approval of application.--The Federal Election 
        Commission shall approve an application in accordance with the 
        standards required under paragraph (5).
            (5) Administrative regulations.--The Federal Election 
        Commission shall issue regulations regarding grants under this 
        subsection that provide for the following:
                    (A) The application process.
                    (B) The content of an application.
                    (C) The standard amount of each grant.
                    (D) The criteria for approval of an application.
            (6) Authorization of appropriations.--
                    (A) In general.--There is authorized to be 
                appropriated $100,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2002 
                through 2011 to carry out the provisions of this 
                subsection.
                    (B) Availability of funds.--Such funds shall remain 
                available until expended.
            (7) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Federal 
        Election Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the 
        activities under this subsection.

SEC. 3. CHANGE IN GENERAL ELECTION DATE.

    (a) Electors.--Section 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ``on the Tuesday next after the first Monday'' and 
inserting ``on the first consecutive Saturday and Sunday prior to the 
first Monday''.
    (b) Congressional Elections.--Section 25 of the Revised Statutes (2 
U.S.C. 7) is amended to read as follows:
    ``Sec. 25. The first consecutive Saturday and Sunday prior to the 
first Monday in November, in every even numbered year, are established 
as the days for the election, in each of the States and Territories of 
the United States, of Representatives and Delegates to the Congress 
commencing on the 3d day of January thereafter.''.

SEC. 4. VOTER REGISTRATION IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS.

    Section 4 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 
1973gg-2) is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(c) Same Day Registration.--Notwithstanding any other Federal or 
State law, each State shall establish procedures to allow voters in the 
State to register to vote at the polling place at the time of voting in 
a general election for Federal office.''.
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