[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 144 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 144

   To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections and 
                     establish polling place hours.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            January 24, 2005

 Mr. Kohl (for himself and Mr. Corzine) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 
                             Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections and 
                     establish polling place hours.

    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 ``Weekend Voting Act''.

SEC. 2. CHANGE IN CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION DAY TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

    Section 25 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 7) is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``Sec. 25. The first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday 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. 3. CHANGE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DAY TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

    Section 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``Tuesday next after the first Monday'' and inserting ``first Saturday 
and Sunday after the first Friday''.

SEC. 4. POLLING PLACE HOURS IN CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Presidential general election.--Chapter 1 of title 3, 
        United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating section 1 as section 1A; and
                    (B) by inserting before section 1A the following:
``Sec. 1. Polling place hours in 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) Polling Place Hours.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each polling place in the continental 
        United States shall be open, with respect to a Presidential 
        general election, beginning on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern 
        standard time and ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern 
        standard time.
            ``(2) Early closing.--A polling place may close between the 
        hours of 12:00 p.m. (midnight) and 5:00 a.m. local time as 
        provided by the law of the State in which the polling place is 
        located.''.
            (2) Congressional general election.--Section 25 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 7) is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating section 25 as section 25A; and
                    (B) by inserting before section 25A the following:

``SEC. 25. POLLING PLACE HOURS IN 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) Congressional general election.--The term 
        `congressional general election' means the general election for 
        the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or 
        Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
    ``(b) Polling Place Hours.--
            ``(1) In general.--Each polling place in the continental 
        United States shall be open, with respect to a congressional 
        general election, beginning on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern 
        standard time and ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern 
        standard time.
            ``(2) Early closing.--A polling place may close between the 
        hours of 12:00 p.m. (midnight) and 5:00 a.m. local time as 
        provided by the law of the State in which the polling place is 
        located.''.
    (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. Polling place hours in continental United States.
        ``1A. Time of appointing electors.''.
            (2) Sections 871(b) and 1751(f) of title 18, United States 
        Code, are each 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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