1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited
as the Ballot Integrity Act of
2007
.
(b)The table of contents of this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—Moratorium on, and replacement and retrofitting of,
certain direct recording electronic voting systems
Sec. 101. Moratorium on acquisition of certain direct recording
electronic voting systems and certain other voting systems.
Sec. 102. Grant program to replace or retrofit direct recording
electronic voting systems.
Sec. 103. Grants for research on voting technology improvements
for the development of completely accessible voting systems.
Sec. 104. Authorization of appropriations for Election
Assistance Commission; etc.
TITLE II—Ballot integrity
Sec. 201. Promoting accuracy, integrity, and security through
individual, durable, voter-verified paper records.
Sec. 202. Requirement for mandatory manual audits.
TITLE III—Improving Federal elections
Subtitle A—Additional requirements for Federal
elections
Sec. 301. Absentee voting.
Sec. 302. Third-party voter registration.
Sec. 303. Training of poll workers.
Sec. 304. Equitable allocation of voting systems, poll workers,
and election resources.
Sec. 305. Prohibition on campaign activities by chief State
election officials.
Sec. 306. Standards for purging voters.
Sec. 307. Election observers.
Sec. 308. Early voting.
Sec. 309. Requirements for counting provisional
ballots.
Sec. 310. Conforming amendments.
Subtitle B—Military and overseas voting
Sec. 311. Prohibiting refusal to accept voter registration and
absentee ballot applications and federal write-in absentee ballot for failure
to meet nonessential requirements.
Sec. 312. Federal write-in absentee ballots cast by overseas
voters located in the United States.
<enum>I</enum><header>Moratorium on,
and replacement and retrofitting of, certain direct recording electronic voting
systems</header>
<section id="id1D74921EB2774C80BB05E08D467A3743"><enum>101.</enum><header>Moratorium on
acquisition of certain direct recording electronic voting systems and certain
other voting systems</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section
301 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="id719D99DF07CC4E0397966FF226F0F46D"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsections (c) and (d) as subsections (d) and (e), respectively; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id24DC8EB9818C4BD7BBA1E37636DFEE72"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting
after subsection (b) the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA24FEED1E7764AC1AAD1A6AA7265D617" style="OLC">
<subsection id="id01C1F8B8B8D04B80BDD74EFF95B4E2CE"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Moratorium on
acquisition of direct recording electronic voting systems and certain other
voting systems</header><text>Beginning on the date of enactment of the
<short-title>Ballot Integrity Act of 2007</short-title>,
no State or jurisdiction may purchase or otherwise acquire for use in an
election for Federal office a direct recording electronic voting system or
other electronic voting system that does not produce a voter-verified paper
record as required by section 301(a)(2) (as amended by such
Act).</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></section><section id="id8689281285FD4A7EB0C9A51DE2CAF79D"><enum>102.</enum><header>Grant program
to replace or retrofit direct recording electronic voting systems</header>
<subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4AB2DBC861EF41A7AA7C58C6209B8830"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subtitle D of title
II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15401 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following new part:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB9AC4F06F86849D7A697886023B43CD2" style="OLC">
<part id="idE3D1E38C306F4EFF8359D850F5F6F7A8"><enum>7<?LEXA-Enum 7?></enum><header>Grants for replacing or retrofitting direct
recording electronic voting systems and certain other voting systems</header>
<section id="id37536B98E71D4F8DAB7634B36C6E2D96"><enum>297.</enum><header>Grants for
replacing or retrofitting direct recording electronic voting systems and
certain other voting systems</header>
<subsection id="IDC79C41D97C8B479287BEEFDB4626DE4F"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment
of Program</header>
<paragraph id="ID553E81DD8A544473B84BCA8A0D12D150"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Election Assistance Commission shall make payments in
an amount determined under subsection (c) to each State which meets the
conditions described in subsection (b).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="IDF533FA451CDF459D84274FAFF42EC2A8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Use of
funds</header><text>A State shall use the funds provided under a payment under
this section for (either directly or as reimbursement, including as
reimbursement for costs incurred on or after January 1, 2007, under multiyear
contracts) replacing or retrofitting any nonqualified voting systems in
remedial precincts within that State with voting systems (by purchase, lease,
or such other arrangement as may be appropriate) that—</text>
<subparagraph id="ID9D0C7C035F714716B4C929B3E0D11B1F"><enum>(A)</enum><text>meet the
requirements of section 301 (as amended by the
<short-title>Ballot Integrity Act of 2007</short-title>);
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID91D5AB43DC4343E68EADCB1D1BCF3C70"><enum>(B)</enum><text>are not
inconsistent with the requirements of the laws described in section 906.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID2BAD1106A57143639DAB2CFF8205CE25"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Eligibility</header>
<paragraph id="ID2F2FE208438D47D694AAE4668B43526E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>A State is eligible to receive a payment under this
section if it submits to the Commission, not later than 1 year after the date
of the enactment of the <short-title>Ballot Integrity Act
of 2007</short-title>—</text>
<subparagraph id="idBF86A22D14EB4549AFDB66793CC8B0FC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>a notice (in such
form as the Commission may require) certifying the number of remedial precincts
in the State; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H2C448CB172C940E68BF4356FE51227E7"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">a statement made by the chief executive
officer of the State, or designee, in consultation and coordination with the
chief State election official—</text>
<clause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2387D89038CF4EA4BAFC91E175175539"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">describing the State’s need for the payment
and how the State will use the payment to meet the requirements of section
301(a)(2) (as amended by such Act);</text>
</clause><clause id="ID6EECBDEA78BD42E783A123335465A6E7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>certifying that
the State will continue to comply with the laws described in section
906;</text>
</clause><clause id="ID0D55AE02925E4E5586CB233A5B4C43AE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>certifying that
any voting systems which are replaced or retrofitted will meet the requirements
of section 301 (as amended by such Act); and</text>
</clause><clause id="ID2198FB031BA44323B90766C92C978FCC"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>containing such
other information and certifications as the Commission may require.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="ID8F16C61C13184479AFA6CA751ED4FC36"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Compliance of
states that require changes to state law</header><text>In the case of a State
that requires State legislation to carry out an activity covered by any
certification submitted under this subsection, the State shall be permitted to
make the certification notwithstanding that the legislation has not been
enacted at the time the certification is submitted and such State shall submit
an additional certification once such legislation is enacted.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID9A145D2E4A97456EA2894623505F2F50"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Amount of
Payment</header>
<paragraph id="idC53732B01B1E4FE994E8407536A620C0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subject to paragraph (3), the amount of payment made to a
State under this section shall be equal to the product of—</text>
<subparagraph id="id844C55E00DCD456F9875FCBE02068372"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the total amount
appropriated for payments for the year pursuant to the authorization under
subsection (e); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id7D6B0F35C45F48409A2B283C060E8A7B"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the State
allocation percentage for the State (as determined under paragraph (2)).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H17DF50DB9EEF47A28F26B520083733A2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>State Allocation
Percentage Defined</header><text>The <quote>State allocation percentage</quote>
for a State is the amount (expressed as a percentage) equal to the quotient
of—</text>
<subparagraph id="HA911129305684918AE02A6C5AAE5B207"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the number of
remedial precincts in the State; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H190B939B1BD24FD686960186D7F58D51"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the total number
of remedial precincts in all States.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDA1809AE040A249658601030D7D1229BF"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Minimum Amount
of Payment</header><text>The amount of a payment under this section made to a
State for a year may not be less than—</text>
<subparagraph id="IDD3D5E310B9F647E4833664D686FBDFEE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in the case of
any of the several States or the District of Columbia, one-half of 1 percent of
the total amount appropriated for requirements payments for the year under
subsection (e); or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="ID06C6458948D14944A52B8627045B5FCB"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in the case of
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, or the United States
Virgin Islands, one-tenth of 1 percent of such total amount.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDDBAC2E1C174E408FA8463E68DDC796FB"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Pro Rata
Reductions</header><text>The Commission shall make such pro rata reductions to
the allocations determined under paragraph (1) as are necessary to comply with
the requirements of paragraph (3).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="ID333E9F5F891E42FC808BC77C1DF3A2D7"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Continuing
Availability of Funds After Appropriation</header><text>Any payment made to a
State under this part shall be available to the State without fiscal year
limitation.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID821DC520AB5B494EB7FF5763BD50B045"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>For
purposes of this section:</text>
<paragraph id="idFCAC3FB7AF774C42871DA3E094D6B43C"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Nonqualified
voting system</header><text>The term <term>nonqualified voting system</term>
means a direct recording electronic voting system or other electronic voting
system which does not meet the vote verification and audit capacity
requirements of section 301(a)(2), as amended by the
<short-title>Ballot Integrity Act of
2007</short-title>.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H1212AB98F424409F8147020087E764D8"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Remedial
precinct defined</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term
<term>remedial precinct</term> means any precinct (or equivalent location)
within the State for which the voting system used to administer the regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2006—</text>
<subparagraph id="H06EF3FF4617D4A11AA67B9949EFED290"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">was a nonqualifying voting system;
or</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2801D83A7A2642118E127D02B058C577"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">did not provide that the entire process of
vote verification was equipped for individuals with disabilities.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idD3315A932B20447DA56C3FEFA96EB2F7"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header>
<paragraph id="id0D2A6D0F07264CE594813F3DCCE41ED6"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated $300,000,000 for
each of fiscal years 2008 and 2009 for grants under subsection (a).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idB27430A8E6984B05AF36A7A80D0C0F14"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Availability</header><text>Any
amounts appropriated pursuant to the authority of paragraph (1) shall remain
available without fiscal year limitation until
expended.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section></part><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="id60308EA9F6384DC8B9E59BF5017D39A1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Rule of
construction regarding States receiving other funds for replacing punch card,
lever, or other voting systems</header><text>Nothing in the amendment made by
subsection (a) or in any other provision of the Help America Vote Act of 2002
may be construed to prohibit a State which received or was authorized to
receive a payment under title I or II of such Act for replacing punch card,
lever, or other voting systems from receiving or using any funds which are made
available (either directly or as reimbursement) under the amendment made by
such subsection.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3DD28514C09A4C5D95523153F8389E5B"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 296 the
following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF206AF409294469396E9EB4BFA0A3140" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="part">Part 7—Grants for replacing or
retrofitting direct recording electronic voting systems and certain other
voting systems</toc-entry>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">Sec. 297. Grants for replacing
or retrofitting direct recording electronic voting systems and certain other
voting
systems.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><section id="id2162020259B0447BACE03DED72D268EF"><enum>103.</enum><header>Grants for
research on voting technology improvements for the development of completely
accessible voting systems</header>
<subsection id="idB9C08E2C4D45450D9A715694735385E8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 271 of the
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15441) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="idCD31AD9550FA4B118A41EE36A9AF37BE"><enum>(1)</enum><text>in subsection
(b), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking <quote>An
entity</quote> and inserting <quote>Subject to subsection (c), an
entity</quote>;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE99B6590ADAF487A9F959BFFE8D74101"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (d), (e), and (f), respectively;
and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5A9190813377490CBB3E87793E9A6E46"><enum>(3)</enum><text>by inserting
after subsection (b) the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id89673A0110EB473A875B6C2B02F6D269" style="OLC">
<subsection id="idEA82CA24D87E4ACDBB0652D4FFEC1AE2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Deemed
eligibility for development of completely accessible voting systems</header>
<paragraph id="id55DE9074AA2A4B0297618EFB2C9DCEBC"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>An entity shall be deemed to be eligible to receive a
grant under this part if the entity submits a grant application to conduct
research and develop voting systems that meet the verification and audit
requirements of section 301(a)(2) using a voting system that is completely
accessible for all individuals, including individuals with disabilities,
language minorities described in section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
and individuals with difficulties in literacy.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idF2B9A6D6485B4975A133582C80AE5365"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Number of
entities receiving a grant</header><text>The Commission, in consultation with
the Technical Guidelines Development Committee, shall make grants to not less
than 3 entities, including academic, non-profit, and public and private
entities, that are deemed to be eligible to receive a grant under paragraph
(1).</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idFA413759B6DD4DDDB13F1842593930E0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><text>Section 273 of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 (42 U.S.C. 15443) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="id9383AEDE9FB44D3DA1B39BADB8DBDDBA"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsection (b) as subsection (c); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id6F0EDB9E2AEB4C3DB138A9C882A4DA5A"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting
after subsection (a) the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idDE46EFC6D2A345C4B85D5636BFF0FF07" style="OLC">
<subsection id="id25DF793200484316886625CCD6F2273B"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Accessible
voting systems</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated for grants
to entities deemed eligible under section 271(c) $3,000,000 for fiscal years
2008 and 2009.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>;
and</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA9CD179849994BD184330D3A699841B2"><enum>(3)</enum><text>in subsection
(c), as redesignated by paragraph (1), by striking <quote>authorization under
this section</quote> and inserting <quote>authorizations under subsections (a)
and (b)</quote>.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id4089B7EC514C466B9327C053AC6B2C22"><enum>104.</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations for Election Assistance Commission; etc</header>
<subsection id="idE9B810573C274846B1BC11B50CC27D93"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Authorization
of appropriations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 210
of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15330) is amended by striking
<quote>for each of the fiscal years</quote> through the end and inserting
<quote>for fiscal year 2008 and each fiscal year thereafter such sums as are
necessary for the Commission to carry out this title.</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="ID6B0850F2C9564574A05BE9995FD9403F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Budget
Requests</header>
<paragraph id="idBD692E30DB6646609D0ED6F9133EF334"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Part 1 of subtitle A of title II of the Help America Vote
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15321 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 209
the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block id="ID338CA7420528451682B5367A4513CEEC" style="OLC">
<section id="IDF35A91F24649487BA4BF00C05450F742"><enum>209A.</enum><header>Submission of
budget requests</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Whenever the
Commission submits any budget estimate or request to the President or the
Office of Management and Budget, it shall concurrently transmit a copy of such
estimate or request to Congress and to the Committee on House Administration of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Rules and Administration of
the
Senate.</text>
</section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idFAF49B675DDD43638824E7A383DD12D7"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 209 the following new item:</text>
<quoted-block id="id6433ae93-ea59-4390-9eaf-0a4010f8348e" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry idref="IDF35A91F24649487BA4BF00C05450F742" level="section">Sec. 209A. Submission of budget
requests.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="ID8A88CF638B944AE6B66C4A05F7D4BBAC"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Exemption from
Paperwork Reduction Act</header><text>Paragraph (1) of section 3502 of title
44, United States Code, is amended by redesignating subparagraphs (B), (C), and
(D) as subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E), respectively, and by inserting after
subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph:</text>
<quoted-block id="ID968CB8F980334F96AC50EDC7CDFD5EDF" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="IDB8CD02913DD94EC28DE6771BD421097C"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the Election
Assistance
Commission;</text>
</subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><enum>II</enum><header>Ballot
integrity</header>
<section id="H8296EA16623F4E43B344AC674DC33C00"><enum>201.</enum><header>Promoting
accuracy, integrity, and security through individual, durable, voter-verified
paper records</header>
<subsection id="H558B40953D9A4A939CD4E0CA304F5CB1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Vote
Verification and Audit Capacity</header>
<paragraph id="H4B407C6FE91C4B6B87F491D7B211D9FA"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Voter-verified
paper records</header>
<subparagraph id="idD6CE9327FB984D3C922BF4AB3F2B2D7E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 301(a)(2) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002
(<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/15481">42 U.S.C.
15481(a)(2)</external-xref>) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block id="HFD700411F213477CAE06332FEB45A036">
<paragraph id="H754A50BDA3134DF4A0AFAE74BB96F1D6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Vote
verification and audit capacity</header>
<subparagraph id="H21A0E1559ECA4C5BB4AC0032DE33872E"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Voter-verified
paper records</header>
<clause id="H77B2971AEB0944CC0086ABDF3080BAED"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The voting system
shall require the use of or produce an individual, durable, voter-verified
paper record of the voter’s vote that shall be created by or made available for
inspection and verification by the voter before the voter’s vote is cast and
counted. For purposes of this subclause, examples of such a record include a
paper ballot marked by the voter for the purpose of being counted by hand or
read by an optical scanner or other similar device, a paper ballot prepared by
the voter to be mailed to an election official (whether from a domestic or
overseas location), a paper ballot created through the use of a ballot marking
device or system, or a paper record or ballot produced by a touch screen or
other electronic voting system, so long as in each case the voter is permitted
to verify the vote in a paper form in accordance with this subparagraph.</text>
</clause><clause id="H13E1A8348E7646B2864D00409DBAC9C"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Verification</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The voting system shall provide the voter
with an opportunity to correct any error made by the system in the
voter-verified paper record before the individual, durable, voter-verified
paper record is preserved in accordance with subparagraph (C).</text>
</clause><clause id="H31915594FEA54780ACE8AC90367C3625"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Maintenance of
secret ballot</header><text>The voting system shall not preserve the
voter-verified paper records in any manner that makes it possible, at any time
after the vote has been cast, to associate a voter with the record of the
voter’s vote.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H29662E77FD6D47F98E23C33FFA4B03EE"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Durability and
readability requirements</header>
<clause id="HFDE8CB50D58C46A780DCCF7F70D9B8F0"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Durability
requirements</header><text>The individual, durable, voter-verified paper record
produced in accordance with subparagraph (A) shall be marked, printed, or
recorded on durable paper capable of withstanding multiple counts and recounts
without compromising the fundamental integrity of the records, and capable of
retaining the information marked, printed, or recorded on them for the full
duration of a retention and preservation period of 2 years.</text>
</clause><clause id="HD953CD736268413D8E12AC5BFF82145C"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Readability
requirements for machine-marked or printed voter-verified paper
records</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">All voter-verified
paper records marked or printed through the use of a marking or printing device
shall be clearly readable by both the voter and by a scanner or other device
equipped for voters with disabilities and for voters who are language
minorities described in section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2DD0637ECEDA4428B625BAB514147331"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Preservation</header><text>The
individual, durable, voter-verified paper record produced in accordance with
subparagraph (A) shall be used as the official ballot for purposes of any
recount or audit conducted with respect to any election for Federal office in
which the voting system is used and shall be preserved in the following
manner:</text>
<clause id="HE6E94C18E0A6431589006919E1ACDD14"><enum>(i)</enum><text>In
the case of votes cast at the polling place on the date of the election, within
the polling place in the manner or method in which paper ballots are preserved
within such polling place.</text>
</clause><clause id="H5CFFC58947D4454E87F3AB88DF956DE7"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>In any other
case, including any case where no such manner or method has been established
under clause (i), in the manner or method which is consistent with the manner
employed by the jurisdiction for preserving paper ballots in general.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="idF5C48264FEF44DC68B9D7031456A6152"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Manual audit
capacity</header><text>Each paper record produced pursuant to subparagraph (A)
shall be suitable for a manual audit equivalent to that of a paper ballot
voting system, and shall be counted in any recount or audit conducted with
respect to any election for Federal office.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H23178B184C5E41BE00F032B4ECA41B7D"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Inconsistencies
between records and electronic vote tallies</header>
<clause id="idA5B8AE36B00B412AA760E09A0CED747B"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subject to clause
(ii), in the event of any inconsistencies or irregularities between any
electronic vote tallies and the vote tallies determined by counting by hand the
individual, durable, voter-verified paper records produced pursuant to
subparagraph (A), the individual, durable, voter-verified paper records shall
be the true and correct record of the votes cast.</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="HF3CA8E71692644CFBD75869BEB394F6C"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Special rule
for treatment of disputes when voter-verified paper records have been shown to
be compromised</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">If, with
respect to any recount, audit, or contest proceeding with respect to an
election for Federal office—</text>
<subclause commented="no" id="idF1F258DF991B446D963FC35F7528A6D9"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">there is any inconsistency between any
electronic vote tallies and the vote tallies determined by counting by hand the
individual, durable, voter-verified paper records produced pursuant to
subparagraph (A); and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="idB08C8B6EA40E46108E75359C27FB9F0C"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">it is determined that a sufficient number
of voter-verified paper records were compromised (by damage or mischief or
otherwise) before the start of such recount, audit, or contest proceeding such
that the result of the election would be changed,</text>
</subclause><continuation-text continuation-text-level="clause">the
electronic vote tallies in the precincts in which voter-verified paper records
were compromised may, to the extent provided under State law, be taken into
consideration as a factor, but not the only factor, in determining the true and
correct count of the
votes.</continuation-text></clause></subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H911A855FC2404687B3F10993F7E4D103"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Conforming
amendments</header><text>Section 301(a)(1) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/15481">42 U.S.C.
15481(a)(1)</external-xref>) is amended—</text>
<clause id="HD877B7A9A3C64563B9AC28007F8F38B3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>in
subparagraph (A)(i), by striking <quote>counted</quote> and inserting
<quote>counted, in accordance with paragraph (2)(A)(i)</quote>;</text>
</clause><clause id="HAA3A35449ABC464A8B4D9E1735D11EB5"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>in
subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking <quote>counted</quote> and inserting
<quote>counted, in accordance with paragraph (2)(A)(ii)</quote>; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H837B1372B0A1406F83EA1C73B6501EE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>in
subparagraph (A)(iii)(III), by striking <quote>counted</quote> and inserting
<quote>counted, in accordance with paragraph (2)</quote>.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HF0EFC026A61041EAB7C85D2596825005"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Special
certification of voter-verified paper record durability and readability
requirements for States not currently using voter-verified paper
records</header><text>If any of the voting systems used in a State for the
regularly scheduled 2008 general elections for Federal office did not operate
by having voters cast votes on paper ballots or otherwise produce or use a
voter-verified paper record, the State shall certify to the Election Assistance
Commission not later than July 1, 2009, that the State will be in compliance
with the requirements of section 301(a)(2)(B) of the Help America Vote of 2002,
as added by subparagraph (A), in accordance with the deadline established under
this Act, and shall include in the certification the methods by which the State
will meet the requirements.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H2DFC7F355B5E4B2B89AA62444115DCC1"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Accessibility
and vote verification for individuals with disabilities</header>
<subparagraph id="H4497355B799C447489CF1DD70836AB91"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Modification of
accessibility requirement</header>
<clause id="idB345BDA9FBE544B48A4ACCDA592D1108"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 301(a)(3)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
15481(a)(3)(B)) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H6F6C57D77CF246F5914257A417AA55EE" style="traditional">
<subparagraph id="HAA24BF27201D4E3785AAFEEE8DC38EA"><enum>(B)</enum><clause commented="no" display-inline="yes-display-inline" id="id764D9EDCF4FC4BA7A6F736F4F3968E64"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">satisfy the requirement of subparagraph (A)
through the use of at least one voting system equipped for individuals with
disabilities at each polling place; and</text>
</clause><clause id="id3665072CF202488E83A9D0343134EDC4" indent="up1"><enum>(ii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">meet the requirements of subparagraph (A)
and paragraph (2)(A) by using a system that—</text>
<subclause id="id33F49F1427914F70924E46B86ECC8612"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">allows the voter to privately and
independently verify the individual, durable, voter-verified paper record
produced in accordance with paragraph (2)(A) through the conversion of the
human-readable printed vote selections into accessible form;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idE16258129CCB43C6A3985281110FD6CA"><enum>(II)</enum><text>ensures that the entire process,
including vote verification and vote casting, is equipped for individuals with
disabilities; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id535C57A6BDAA42DF908DBC37CE1C2F32"><enum>(III)</enum><text>does not preclude the supplementary use
of Braille or tactile ballots;
and</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</clause><clause id="id404120973CAC46F79C6169041241E73A"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Conforming
amendment</header><text>Section 301(a)(3)(C) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
15481(a)(3)(C)) is amended by striking <quote>January 1, 2007</quote> and
inserting <quote>January 1, 2010</quote>.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H43B52632D6F54CE8BD1CAAE0062F2E2"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Specific
requirement of study, testing, and development of accessible vote verification
mechanisms</header>
<clause id="HF00A1040767F4BE68D08E1731C851917"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Study and
reporting</header><text>Subtitle C of title II of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15381 et
seq.) is amended—</text>
<subclause id="H074E27CEF37D4555821672D738B4E8CC"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by redesignating
section 247 as section 248; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H3B849EF68D04475193BDAF99AB3B35F6"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by inserting
after section 246 the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HB9F3F483F86442698DBC14F92769FF42" style="OLC">
<section id="HA2DA9D856C5340A4B9DBFEBFD20802C"><enum>247.</enum><header>Study and report
on accessible vote verification mechanisms</header>
<subsection id="HB0B78878CC7947C8AE4D1B740200DBA7"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Study and
Report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall
study, test, and develop best practices to enhance the accessibility of vote
verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for language
minorities described in section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and for
individuals with difficulties in literacy, including best practices for the
mechanisms themselves and the processes through which the mechanisms are used.
In carrying out this section, the Commission shall specifically investigate
existing and potential methods or devices that will assist such individuals in
creating voter-verified paper records and in presenting or transmitting the
information printed or marked on such records back to such individuals for
purposes of verification.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id2951FE4E312C490E86BC97AABE1EB11D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Coordination
with grants for technology improvements</header><text>The Commission shall
coordinate the study conducted under subsection (a) with the research conducted
under the grant program under section 271 to the extent that the Commission
determines necessary to provide for the uniform advancement of accessible
voting technology.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="HB64ACF583ADA40DE9DDAF5E8B4605EA1"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Deadline</header><text>The
Commission shall complete the requirements of subsection (a) not later than
January 1, 2010.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="H78C9BDF05B364F52857187D9061100BC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Authorization of
Appropriations</header><text>There are authorized to be appropriated to carry
out subsection (a) $1,000,000, to remain available until
expended.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subclause></clause><clause id="HD9D49F6B07594E07B198F2E100A9B618"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended—</text>
<subclause id="H426FF407A43B44DCBF7771D8FFA33868"><enum>(I)</enum><text>by redesignating
the item relating to section 247 as relating to section 248; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="H82FA58C69AD342628300CFBB3CCF81A8"><enum>(II)</enum><text>by inserting
after the item relating to section 246 the following new item:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HA374FDDF22AB4AD5BD81E2266E56C637" style="OLC">
<toc regeneration="no-regeneration">
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 247. Study and report on accessible
voter verification
mechanisms.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H6C112AA22CC04233B2642D9C9E89E300"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Clarification of
accessibility standards under voluntary voting system guidance</header><text>In
adopting any voluntary guidance under subtitle B of title III of the Help
America Vote Act of 2002 with respect to the accessibility of the vote
verification requirements under section 301(a)(2)(A)(ii) of such Act for
individuals with disabilities, the Election Assistance Commission shall include
and apply the same accessibility standards applicable under the voluntary
guidance adopted for accessible voting systems under such subtitle.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id687E1D825C8049DBAE3FBEDC5D805C37"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Modification of
alternative language accessibility requirements</header><text>Paragraph (4) of
section 301(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15481(a)) is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idF9FF218FA1E44BE7B017BAF06805FF23" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HFCFFEDE8DF8A4D60B7B421B9D6C38F20"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Alternative
language accessibility</header><text>The voting system (including the
individual, durable, voter-verified paper record produced under paragraph
(2))—</text>
<subparagraph id="id66B6DE5CA3FA406D951569FD11A7A0EE"><enum>(A)</enum><text>shall provide
alternative language accessibility to individuals who are language minorities
described in section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in a manner that
provides the same opportunity for access, participation, and private and
independent inspection and verification as for other voters; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8A20D7DE08AF48BDAC7B3C39C8F2BA17"><enum>(B)</enum><text>shall be subject
to the requirements of section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to the
extent such section is applicable to the State or jurisdiction in which such
voting system used or in which such record is
produced.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H7F21EDB3096E4378BAF7A1AC2C251724"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Requirement for
residual vote benchmark</header><text>Section 301(a)(5) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
15481(a)(5)) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id4A0A7954B35E49E4A011C8409F363018" style="OLC">
<subparagraph id="H4C7A61911BAC40E9BCAF77299E8EFF"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The error rate of the voting system in counting votes
(determined by taking into account only those errors which are attributable to
the voting system and not attributable to an act of the voter) shall not exceed
the error rate standards established under the voting systems standards issued
and maintained by the Commission.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="HB07B6147A21E4541A0F76246A257834B"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Residual ballot
performance benchmark</header><text>In addition to the error rate standards
described in subparagraph (A), the Commission shall issue and maintain a
uniform benchmark for the residual vote error rate that States may not exceed.
For purposes of the preceding sentence, the residual vote error rate shall be
equal to the combination of overvotes, spoiled or uncountable votes, and
undervotes cast in all Federal election contents on the ballot, but excluding
an estimate, based upon the best available research, of intentional undervotes.
The Commission shall base the benchmark issued and maintained under this
subparagraph on evidence of best practices in representative
jurisdictions.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H98B9E75A4C104F7DA4AF666F37158539"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Historically
high intentional undervotes</header>
<clause id="H9EC538BD80794F8EBA4E32002D6812C"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Finding</header><text>Congress
finds that there are certain distinct communities in certain geographic areas
that have historically high rates of intentional undervoting in elections for
Federal office, relative to the rest of the Nation.</text>
</clause><clause id="HBF339230EB8A4B0DB38D3706F34D54DB"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Treatment of
certain distinct communities</header><text>In establishing the benchmark
described in subparagraph (B), the Commission shall—</text>
<subclause id="HF6E2F48FBE3943A6A6391800E94B00FD"><enum>(I)</enum><text>study and report
to Congress on the occurrences of distinct communities that have significantly
higher than average rates of historical intentional undervoting; and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H41018E5E2064454C9900F169C739FEA4"><enum>(II)</enum><text>promulgate for
local jurisdictions in which that distinct community has a substantial presence
either a separate benchmark or an exclusion from the national benchmark, as
appropriate.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC3B2B7A371E04B5CBD19702DBB86F8A0"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Additional
voting system requirements</header>
<paragraph id="H9418B8B3552D45EA89FC8C863ECA97CB"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 301(a) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/15481">42 U.S.C.
15481(a)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraphs:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="HAABF80CAA04E411AA9EEA231824F18F7" style="OLC">
<paragraph commented="no" id="H0A08081D1D5941FAB519B31E63CB731"><enum>(7)</enum><header>Certification and
disclosure of software</header>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="id4BA2CE50377F41F29EFDB1C149E055A0"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Certification</header>
<clause commented="no" id="id84AFFAD6E185401DBDD3EB57FDE8B782"><enum>(i)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No voting system
shall at any time contain or use any software which has not been
certified—</text>
<subclause commented="no" id="id901268BFBF7F4A62BF2090707C170819"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the case of systems used in Federal
elections before January 1, 2010, by the Commission or by the State under
section 231; and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="idC45EF3108E69424E82580458E6911825"><enum>(II)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the case of systems used in Federal
elections on and after January 1, 2010, by the Commission under section
231.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="id6E8FD2E69E694D4FA59D94D30290D3C3"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Emergency
software certification</header><text>The Commission shall establish guidelines
for the expedited and secure certification of any software additions or patches
to existing voting systems—</text>
<subclause commented="no" id="id1DD9F33BE7D342A4A94EC1C64673FECF"><enum>(I)</enum><text>that are
necessary for the secure and accurate counting of voter-verified paper records;
and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="id3069AB03BEF24CCD9A426A04762E0E78"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the
certification of which cannot be completed through the ordinary certification
process in adequate time to allow the secure and accurate use of the voting
system in the next election for Federal office.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="id9321542EF24243AEBF7C5866BC6D30CC"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Exception</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission may exempt commercial
off-the-shelf software that is not election-dedicated software from the
certification requirements of this subparagraph if the Commission determines
such an exemption is appropriate.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idFDAEEDFB802946A9AD1B7AFDD3771992"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Disclosure</header>
<clause commented="no" id="id0EDA08A18B2544A9AB9442A1AC68C434"><enum>(i)</enum><header>Disclosure of
election-dedicated software</header>
<subclause commented="no" id="idCFDF4D4F8FC5408987571609D42B823C"><enum>(I)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>No voting system shall at any time contain or use any
election-dedicated software unless such software has been disclosed as provided
under subclause (II).</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="id6C82EFA66FF843EF9AE43492AE9C873B"><enum>(II)</enum><header>Disclosure</header><text>Software
disclosed under this clause shall be disclosed to the Commission and to any
State using such voting system in electronic form and shall include such
information as necessary to assess the integrity and efficacy of such
software.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="id6805B6B6AB0D4133B9A26A97B3C59120"><enum>(ii)</enum><header>Disclosure of
other software</header><text>No voting system shall at any time contain or use
any software other than election-dedicated software unless the manufacturer of
such software discloses in electronic form such information as the Commission
determines appropriate to the Commission, the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, and the Chief State election official of any State using such
voting system.</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="id9D27B2F585354A6AABD44CDE1722D8F1"><enum>(iii)</enum><header>Storage of
software</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall
transmit the information disclosed under clauses (i) and (ii) to an entity
selected by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for the purpose
of holding such information.</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="IDac4e2696715e418ea4a2ce93594748d0"><enum>(iv)</enum><header>Use of
information</header>
<subclause commented="no" id="idC45E31E9A48F41F98C3B7EBEDF8BEB11"><enum>(I)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Information disclosed under this subparagraph may not be
provided to any person except as provided in this clause.</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="idF0A533DF5FAC4547A62DCE3458FA8E3C"><enum>(II)</enum><header>Disclosure to
governmental entities</header><text>Information disclosed under this
subparagraph may be provided to the Commission, the National Institute of
Standards and Technology, the Chief State election official of any State using
such electronic voting software in an voting system, or any other Federal or
State governmental entity responsible for the administration or enforcement of
election laws, but only for the purposes of administering or enforcing election
laws, or for review, analysis, and reporting as provided in clause (v).</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="id1262E2E132B149E9AD7C75A720388512"><enum>(III)</enum><header>Disclosure to
parties in litigation</header><text>Information disclosed under this
subparagraph may be provided to a party involved in litigation with respect to
an election in which such electronic voting software is used, but only if such
information is disclosed to all parties involved in such litigation and only to
the extent necessary for the review and analysis of such information (as
provided in clause (v)) for use in such litigation.</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="idBD625604ECFF4319AB67D25934E8B59C"><enum>(IV)</enum><header>Disclosure to
other persons</header><text>Information disclosed under this subparagraph may
be provided to independent technical experts and other persons and entities
consistent with standards established by the Commission, but only for purposes
of reviewing, analyzing, and reporting on the operation of such software as
provided in clause (v).</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="ID10e9065ce4054cfd9284bf4d1fad54eb"><enum>(v)</enum><header>Scope of
review, analyses, and reporting</header><text>The review, analysis, and
reporting of software permitted under clause (iv) may only consist of the
following:</text>
<subclause commented="no" id="IDeba1c441063e4655a090a6e090721252"><enum>(I)</enum><text>In the case of
election-dedicated software, performing review and analyses of the software,
disclosing reports and analyses that describe operational issues (including
vulnerabilities to tampering, errors, risks associated with use, failures as a
result of use, and other operational issues), and describing or explaining why
or how a voting system failed or otherwise did not perform as intended, but
only if the information published does not compromise the integrity of the
software or result in the disclosure of trade secrets or other confidential
commercial information, or violate intellectual property rights in such
software.</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="ID3317aa048f374a37bb356fd965e4178c"><enum>(II)</enum><text>In the case of
software other than election-dedicated software, performing review and analyses
of the software, and issuing reports that describe operational issues, but only
if the information published does not compromise the integrity of the software
or result in the disclosure of trade secrets or other confidential commercial
information, or violate intellectual property rights in such software.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="ID336ee5dde6ad42759d50ed962543e3c5"><enum>(vi)</enum><header>Protection of
information provided through disclosure</header><text>Any recipient of
information disclosed under this subparagraph—</text>
<subclause id="id6403674ADF584E708476328C5C85145E"><enum>(I)</enum><text>shall not
compromise the integrity of the software with respect to which such information
relates;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idF862E075BB904CA3AB1FDAEB8DA77DC9"><enum>(II)</enum><text>shall not
disclose any trade secrets or other confidential commercial information with
respect to such software; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id52561EF6303248569E9F24CA65858C33"><enum>(III)</enum><text>shall not
violate any intellectual property rights in such software.</text>
</subclause><continuation-text continuation-text-level="clause">The
Commission shall develop a process with manufacturers and holders of
intellectual property to ensure compliance with the requirements of this
clause.</continuation-text></clause></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id62A5011A6FD24E32AA9AB4E17E248DF6"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Election-dedicated
software</header><text>For purposes of this paragraph, the term
<term>election-dedicated software</term> means software that—</text>
<clause commented="no" id="id948DED923B324EB8A9573293C4EEE44E"><enum>(i)</enum><text>is specifically
designed for use primarily in a voting system; or</text>
</clause><clause commented="no" id="idE30503EBB3DA409FAA789318102325BC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>has been
specifically modified for use primarily in a voting system, but only to the
extent of such modification.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="IDC36C2637849F4DB8B801331EE9074D25"><enum>(8)</enum><header>Prohibition of
use of wireless communications devices in voting systems</header>
<subparagraph id="idBC9A9E2CC5E245F1804F920A9C5F5A74"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>No voting system shall contain, use, or be accessible by
any wireless, power-line, or concealed communication device.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id30E970652D1B48F3815F4B5AF2462D97"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Exception for
certain systems using infrared technology</header><text>Subparagraph (A) shall
not apply to a voting system that uses software which is loaded using solely
infrared technology if the infrared technology is certified as part of the
voting system.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HB5C814487D6D495DAB604EFB56527EF6"><enum>(9)</enum><header>Prohibiting
connection of system or transmission of system information over the
internet</header><text>No component of any voting device upon which votes are
cast shall be connected to the Internet at any time. Nothing in this section
shall be construed to prohibit any study on Internet voting required under this
Act or any other provision of law.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H6DEE0308194D4CD1B083F7DCF453F38"><enum>(10)</enum><header>Security
standards for voting systems used in Federal elections</header>
<subparagraph id="H6F642DB3FC9A4E47ACBEED8F75DF7C00"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>No voting system may be used in an election for Federal
office unless the manufacturer of such system and the election officials using
such system meet the applicable requirements described in subparagraph
(B).</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H3DE6A0FFCE8C47969161B89097AE00DD"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Requirements
described</header><text>The requirements described in this subparagraph are as
follows:</text>
<clause id="H62AE0458BD234F3A9509A6FC7877E3A6"><enum>(i)</enum><text>The chain of
custody for the handling of all software, hardware, vote storage media,
ballots, and voter-verified paper records used in connection with voting
systems is documented by State election officials, under standards developed by
the State, and made available to the Commission upon request.</text>
</clause><clause id="HFDEC6941772F493FB36C3EF153BACCCC"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>The manufacturer
discloses to the Commission and to the appropriate election official any
software or other information required to be disclosed under paragraph
(7)(B).</text>
</clause><clause id="H0145C0DF34784C1EA8749C5E2B485500"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Except as provided in paragraph (7)(A)(ii),
after the voting system software has been certified for use in an election, the
manufacturer may not—</text>
<subclause id="HEF85BC4153AD47B48E45B6FE8031D7E4"><enum>(I)</enum><text>alter such
software; or</text>
</subclause><subclause id="HD6D6590DEFC64B94B4DABA366B274FFB"><enum>(II)</enum><text>insert or use in
the voting system any software not certified for use in the election.</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="H83DF35446D1744EFBA7C7378F3AD00F6"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>At the request of
the Commission, the appropriate election official submits information to the
Commission regarding the State’s compliance with this subparagraph.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H421A1A79EE0E435AB41B4DE4F9BC72BD"><enum>(11)</enum><header>Use of
emergency paper ballots in case of system or equipment failure</header>
<subparagraph id="id475764C6F03F409497D464186EED9093"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In the event of the
failure of voting equipment or other circumstance at a polling place that
causes a significant disruption of the voting process for voters, any
individual who is waiting at the polling place to cast a ballot in an election
for Federal office shall be advised immediately of the individual’s right to
use an emergency paper ballot, and upon request shall be provided with an
emergency paper ballot for the election and the supplies necessary to mark the
ballot.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idB216FA559794438EA92C407BEB323328"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Durability of
emergency paper ballots</header><text>Any emergency paper ballot used in a
Federal election shall be marked on durable paper capable of withstanding
multiple counts and recounts without compromising the fundamental integrity of
the ballot, and capable of retaining the information marked on it for the full
duration of a retention and preservation period of 2 years.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC3482BD861F84525ADF080DBDF4049EF"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Counting of
emergency paper ballots</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Any
emergency paper ballot which is cast by an individual under subparagraph (A)
shall be counted and otherwise treated as a regular ballot and not as a
provisional ballot, unless the individual casting the ballot would have
otherwise been required to cast a provisional ballot if the voting equipment at
the polling place had not failed.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idD2DDC65BA589476797B9E95B2AACCEC6"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Posting of
notice</header><text>The appropriate election official shall ensure that at
each polling place a notice is displayed prominently which describes the right
of an individual under this paragraph to be provided with a paper ballot for
voting in the
election.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idAB4F844783C94B59AA7E1BDCF739AF9E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming
amendment</header>
<subparagraph id="idAE4A89FD8C9B4D6499A83D8AAB13705C"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 231(a)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15371(a)(2)), as
amended by subsection (c)(2)(B), is amended by striking <quote>and
software</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id154BCBBC502C412081507580510CB0D5"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>The amendment made by subparagraph (A) shall take effect on
January 1, 2010.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HA2F270D940974097A3302F8EE162999E"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Requiring
laboratories To meet standards prohibiting conflicts of interest as a condition
of accreditation for testing of voting system hardware and software</header>
<paragraph id="HA6E0FA8381644467A43B91FC00916D07"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Section 231(b) of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/15371">42 U.S.C.
15371(b)</external-xref>) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraphs:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H9542AB70ECB948098D2001A316B7C447" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="HE06563F071194AC99DC6038FD73B42FA"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Prohibiting
conflicts of interest; ensuring availability of results</header>
<subparagraph id="HE43CA07F9CE344B18CF04362BB532763"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>A laboratory may not be accredited by the Commission for
purposes of this section unless—</text>
<clause id="H32664A25B6B0406380283400261C80E3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the laboratory
certifies that the only compensation it receives for the testing carried out in
connection with the certification, decertification, and recertification of the
manufacturer’s voting system hardware and software is the payment made from the
Testing Escrow Account under paragraph (4);</text>
</clause><clause id="H985E5387D1714D8FA1A400699C48C5DA"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the laboratory
meets such standards as the Commission shall establish (after notice and
opportunity for public comment) to prevent the existence or appearance of any
conflict of interest in the testing carried out by the laboratory under this
section, including standards to ensure that the laboratory does not have a
financial interest in the manufacture, sale, and distribution of voting system
hardware and software, and is sufficiently independent from other persons with
such an interest;</text>
</clause><clause id="H217AE8048FE14C3692A88705A2D1ED8F"><enum>(iii)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">the laboratory certifies that it will
permit an expert designated by the Commission to observe any testing the
laboratory carries out under this section; and</text>
</clause><clause id="H469CAE23DC5C4DE98844274F55765F35"><enum>(iv)</enum><text>the laboratory,
upon completion of any testing carried out under this section, discloses the
test protocols, results, and all communication between the laboratory and the
manufacturer to the Commission.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0C3E88E3DC0545F8AF1C7D393E506B7F"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Availability of
results</header><text>Upon receipt of information under subparagraph (A), the
Commission shall make the information available promptly to election officials
and the public.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HD497A3AB533C4287A0EC5841A061CA62"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Procedures for
conducting testing; payment of user fees for compensation of accredited
laboratories</header>
<subparagraph id="HBE4E6FD35B7D492095F7FB8063ED32A9"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Establishment of
escrow account</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission
shall establish an escrow account (to be known as the <quote>Testing Escrow
Account</quote>) for making payments to accredited laboratories for the costs
of testing carried out in connection with the certification, decertification,
and recertification of voting system hardware and software.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2D11B802B8134EEB9DE3725589569881"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Schedule of
fees</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In consultation with the
accredited laboratories, the Commission shall establish and regularly update a
schedule of fees for testing carried out in connection with the certification,
decertification, and recertification of voting system hardware and software,
based on the reasonable costs expected to be incurred by the accredited
laboratories in carrying out such testing for various types of hardware and
software.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H1A479DA31BFD4CC1BA4EC90388F5404E"><enum>(C)</enum><header>Requests and
payments by manufacturers</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">A
manufacturer of voting system hardware and software may not have the hardware
or software tested by an accredited laboratory under this section
unless—</text>
<clause id="H85291E48CC7C43FCA3F16B0032014D87"><enum>(i)</enum><text>the manufacturer
submits a detailed request for the testing to the Commission; and</text>
</clause><clause id="HEF49B78C4BAD458C99C4016F2BF1E71"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>the manufacturer
pays to the Commission, for deposit into the Testing Escrow Account established
under subparagraph (A), the applicable fee under the schedule established and
in effect under subparagraph (B).</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="HCE90528B29CF4B5289AEEE7401896BB"><enum>(D)</enum><header>Selection of
laboratory</header><text>Upon receiving a request for testing and the payment
from a manufacturer required under subparagraph (C), the Commission shall
select at random, from all laboratories which are accredited under this section
to carry out the specific testing requested by the manufacturer, an accredited
laboratory to carry out the testing.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H19DF10D3168A495DAB244BA4AC03EF53"><enum>(E)</enum><header>Payments to
laboratories</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Upon receiving a
certification from a laboratory selected to carry out testing pursuant to
subparagraph (D) that testing is completed, along with a copy of the results of
the test as required under paragraph (3)(A)(iv), the Commission shall make a
payment to the laboratory from the Testing Escrow Account established under
subparagraph (A) in an amount equal to the applicable fee paid by the
manufacturer under subparagraph (C)(ii).</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="H3E23F83148E1482B9B5BCE4BEEB5653C"><enum>(5)</enum><header>Dissemination of
additional information on accredited laboratories</header>
<subparagraph id="H71BE2079687846118701ECEE9631A928"><enum>(A)</enum><header>Information on
testing</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Upon completion of
the testing of a voting system under this section, the Commission shall
promptly disseminate to the public the identification of the laboratory which
carried out the testing.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H2DE881F903C84D74B1C468CE29A36E78"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Laboratories
with accreditation revoked or suspended</header><text>If the Commission
revokes, terminates, or suspends the accreditation of a laboratory under this
section, or if the Commission has credible evidence of significant security
failures at accredited laboratories, the Commission shall promptly notify
Congress, the chief State election official of each State, and the
public.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="H17EDCCAE96704C2486C4A219192285C3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming
amendments</header><text>Section 231 of such Act (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/15371">42 U.S.C. 15371</external-xref>)
is further amended—</text>
<subparagraph id="HA8AE81333A6D4A0E9483D9907320F299"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in subsection
(a)(1), by striking <quote>testing, certification,</quote> and all that follows
and inserting the following: <quote>testing of voting system hardware and
software by accredited laboratories in connection with the certification,
decertification, and recertification of the hardware and software for purposes
of this Act.</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H5FBEA5FD0A494CE3A2B05863ECE0EDA9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in subsection
(a)(2), by striking <quote>testing, certification,</quote> and all that follows
and inserting the following: <quote>testing of its voting system hardware and
software by the laboratories accredited by the Commission under this section in
connection with certifying, decertifying, and recertifying such
hardware.</quote>;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H8CC4EA81779D4398A6A4E9461614C3AD"><enum>(C)</enum><text>in subsection
(b)(1), by striking <quote>testing, certification, decertification, and
recertification</quote> and inserting <quote>testing</quote>; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="H0986E5BBB24E4A3A8353A0491BCAAAFD"><enum>(D)</enum><text>in subsection (d),
by striking <quote>testing, certification, decertification, and
recertification</quote> each place it appears and inserting
<quote>testing</quote>.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HC4EA827D6EDE4F09952EE113B0B317C1"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Deadline for
establishment of standards and escrow account</header><text>The Election
Assistance Commission shall establish the standards described in section
231(b)(3) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and the Testing Escrow Account
described in section 231(b)(4) of such Act (as added by subparagraph (A)) not
later than January 1, 2008.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H63CB35C97DDD43A4991FD696A5008CBD"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective date
for new requirements</header><text>Section 301(e) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
15481(d)), as redesignated by section 101, is amended to read as
follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD71C15C4E72F40E58D6BFD3B6D03BF2E" style="OLC">
<subsection id="H515A0FF50BCC40BF8B8466E52953C617"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Effective
Date</header>
<paragraph id="H85AC19A250A84617B19482511495F2EE"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Except as provided in this subsection, each State and
jurisdiction shall be required to comply with the requirements of this section
on and after January 1, 2006.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idB5ACAB4AF4CF40D99E1DD151E95667F6"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Special rule
for certain requirements</header><text>Each State and jurisdiction shall be
required to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (7), (8), (9), and (10)
of subsection (a) on and after January 1, 2008.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE09CB8E4B2DC4375A508D77270A92E6A"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Emergency paper
ballots</header><text>Each State and jurisdiction shall be required to comply
with the requirements of subsection (a)(11) with respect to the regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2008 and each
succeeding election for Federal office.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="HCBD60FF2457E41D4ACDA404C2C5E863C"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Vote
verification and audit capacity requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each State and jurisdiction shall be
required to comply with the requirements of this section which are first
imposed pursuant to the amendments made by section 201(a) of the
<short-title>Ballot Integrity Act of 2007</short-title> on
and after January 1,
2010.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><section id="id6753A2ADED6A4DE9A61B3D352797E1DF"><enum>202.</enum><header>Requirement
for mandatory manual audits</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="idFA89D5DE70AB49EEB8138C218CA8DB31"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Mandatory
manual audits</header>
<paragraph commented="no" id="id93AED282D00B442EA80522EBF314F783"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 et seq.) is amended by redesignating sections 304 and 305
as sections 305 and 306, respectively, and by inserting after section 303 the
following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8F68B24F75CB4290B1104AA946285C0A" style="OLC">
<section id="idF68E2A2F6A264B61BB1869DBAE66D691"><enum>304.</enum><header>Mandatory
election audits</header>
<subsection id="idB04486580F6C4AB799C13733B5CB70E6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>State
guidelines</header>
<paragraph id="idC923CA2ED6314E3793F717F25A613F10"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Not later than 90 days before the date of each regularly
scheduled general election for Federal office, each State shall establish
guidelines and standards for local jurisdictions to utilize in conducting
audits under this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id2625BF3D96CF4ACD95AFC5F79FE5627E"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Consideration
of model guidelines</header><text>In adopting the State guidelines and
standards under paragraph (1), the State shall consider the model audit
guidelines established under part 4 of subtitle A of title II.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id7220F178EC4D4CB1947629151D1E3112"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Audits</header><text>Each
State shall require an audit of results for elections for Federal office that
meets the following minimum requirements:</text>
<paragraph id="idD876AC82370E42CF80E95F0501D8C24E"><enum>(1)</enum><text>The audit shall
be conducted—</text>
<subparagraph id="idAB070E29AF53473EB23EA3D7AE6B9081"><enum>(A)</enum><text>at the same time
as the official canvass of each Federal election; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8A11F7754DAA4D559109B8DF783538E1"><enum>(B)</enum><text>in a public and
transparent manner, such that members of the public are able to observe the
entire process.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id3CACB29875F84EB0A8690E1B1608EAD5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>The audit shall
be of not less than 2 percent of precincts in the State.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id097A96BEA1AF44D8B90CBC50B82436D0"><enum>(3)</enum><text>The State shall
select the precincts audited under this section in a random manner following
the election.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id50F70CFDCAA74D52A26AAFC612063A57"><enum>(4)</enum><text>In the case of
any State which uses electronic voting systems, the audit shall compare the
vote tallies from the hand count of the individual, durable, voter-verified
paper records produced under section 301(a)(2)(A) with electronic vote
tallies.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id4F2DA4CDCE3E4D2EA7DD89B5CDB70052"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Completion of
audits; collection of audit results; Publication</header>
<paragraph id="idA255B9B1F935499CAB9C61E625B131C0"><enum>(1)</enum><header>State
submission of report</header><text>Each State shall submit to the Commission a
report, in such form as the Commission may require, on the results of the audit
conducted under this section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id0168BC2EFFA242F19A9AE9A3EFAEC97B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Commission
action</header><text>The Commission may request additional information from
each State based on the results of the audit conducted under this
section.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id09D39E3057074CE5A683964781B746EF"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Publication</header><text>The
Commission shall publish each report submitted under paragraph (1) upon
receipt.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idBAE0EA2BF9C34E92B170253371501081"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Delay in
certification of results by State</header><text>No State may certify the
results of any election which is subject to an audit under this section prior
to the completion of the audit and the submission of the results of the audit
to the Commission.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id050DC8626BF741C8BF12178CA976E93A"><enum>(e)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Effective
date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each State shall be
required to comply with the requirements of this section on and after January
1,
2010.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idCD4E574216724F28B8878D7C55A6967C"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Availability of
enforcement under help america vote act of 2002</header><text>Section 401 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 15511) is amended by striking <quote>and 303</quote> and
inserting <quote>303, and 304</quote>.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9B9AF99386B8499488ECE8A86AB2BA01"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 is amended by striking the items relating to sections 304 and 305 and
inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="idB977926DE84F4B96B2E32A03411C03EA" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 304. Mandatory election
audits.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">Sec. 305. Minimum
requirements.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry bold="off" level="section">Sec. 306. Methods of
implementation left to discretion of
State.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idCE924DA8DE694E9494102E5403B4EBDD"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Commission
guidance</header>
<paragraph id="idD40554644A3A460FB9E566ADA02BF3F7"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subtitle A of title II of the Help America Vote Act of
2002 (42 U.S.C. 15321 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following
new part:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2BDDAC4798224FD4A9E994ADF74A88DE" style="OLC">
<part id="idBAA92BA5EA494897ACB44D2B51964A03"><enum>4<?LEXA-Enum 4?></enum><header>Model audit guidelines.</header>
<section id="idDAF4399211A342378613854248327A08"><enum>223.</enum><header>Audit
guidelines development task force</header>
<subsection id="id1F0199D9076F452D83033BF6FB85D966"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Establishment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall establish an Audit
Guidelines Development Task Force (hereafter in this part referred to as the
<quote>Task Force</quote>).</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id409D3972A7C24C3286162D4C54E0E30E"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Membership</header>
<paragraph id="id7869532C7C854F79A2C9B4CDF506223A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The Task Force shall be composed of individuals who are
experts in the fields of election audits, recounts, computer technology, and
election management. The composition of the Task Force shall (to the extent
possible) reflect the demographic composition of the voting age population of
the United States.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE728D77950474971BBE151858E91B236"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Consultation</header><text>The
Commission shall consult with the Technical Guidelines Development Committee
on—</text>
<subparagraph id="idD3BF6659DFDD4462AF6BBC219FA68D73"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the composition
of the Task Force; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5057652D1B30410C9504C341CD97C269"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the appointment
of members to the Task Force.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id320D0E4FAB36417E909E0C727492B910"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Duties</header>
<paragraph id="idC1A075406A2B4DA39A2B954C006ED674"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Task Force shall
assist the Commission in developing model audit guidelines for administrative
and procedural practices to ensure efficient, transparent, and accurate audits
and recounts of ballots cast in Federal elections.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC1F07595B8434879B0887EC957350171"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Deadline for
initial set of recommendations</header><text>The Task Force shall provide its
first set of recommendations under this section to the Executive Director of
the Commission not later than 10 months after the Task Force is
established.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idD78E80C294D246278F8E5F465AC67E38"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Considerations</header><text>In
developing the model audit guidelines under subsection (c), the Task Force
shall consider—</text>
<paragraph id="idA6C9271883DF48B2961FA52ACA208F64"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the time, place,
and manner of developing audit procedures;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA447B722247044D39401D1D62C5248BC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>processes for
completing manual audits of voter-verified paper records and comparing such
records with any electronic tallies;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idB8127F72C11349E381716422E32F3C81"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the timing of
starting and completing audit functions;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC29AD6301F3B482AB9D677290E9F7C11"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the cost and
burden on local election officials of conducting an audit; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id8A532B8C0EDD47A59D8A1F2C2C3D46FC"><enum>(5)</enum><text>the personnel and
management requirements of conducting audits.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idFB2440DC8D0B4FDF8F081998113FDD91"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Publication of
report</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Task Force shall
make its recommendations to the Commission public upon delivering them to the
Commission.</text>
</subsection></section><section id="idC51E6733C95B4D3A8415C18D39D7F1CE"><enum>224.</enum><header>Process for
adoption</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Commission shall
provide for publication of the recommendations from the Task Force, an
opportunity for public comment on the proposed model audit guidelines, and an
opportunity for a public hearing on the record. Final model audit guidelines
shall be adopted by the Commission after a majority vote of the members of the
Commission.</text>
</section></part><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id531FC552406943FAA118176D7D659CA3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Technical
amendment</header><text>Section 202 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15322) is amended by
striking <quote>and</quote> at the end of paragraph (5), by striking the period
at the end of paragraph (6) and inserting <quote>; and</quote>, and by adding
at the end the following new paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3570E51A6FF24F51BE2FD13FE3343B6C" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id6BA2F3F4A172494FA8D1FEB85132E36E"><enum>(7)</enum><text>carrying out the
duties described in part 4 (relating to the adoption of model audit
guidelines), including the maintenance of a clearinghouse of information on the
experiences of State and local governments in implementing the guidelines and
in conducting audits in
general.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD2997D1861524AB5B04B2E3A1EF9980F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act is amended by
inserting after the item relating to section 222 the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="idA3208261DAFD4DDA9F6A1C2C41176402" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="part">Part 4—Model audit guidelines</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 223. Audit Guidelines Development
Task Force.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 224. Process for
adoption.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><enum>III</enum><header>Improving
Federal elections</header>
<subtitle id="idA59C7CACFD7A431F924F30A1530C8FFA"><enum>A</enum><header>Additional
requirements for Federal elections</header>
<section commented="no" id="id1FB2D5D0E9E34027A9958B2C8031582D"><enum>301.</enum><header>Absentee
voting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Title III of the Help
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 et seq.) is amended by adding at the
end the following new subtitle:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id3C05767B38B5485CBB90A7400AA5990F" style="OLC">
<subtitle id="idB896A2F5EE204406B02E9E71C776EDDA"><enum>C</enum><header>Additional
requirements</header>
<section commented="no" id="idAD2DC7EB3FF0458BBF946F37CC92132B"><enum>321.</enum><header>Absentee
voting</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="id0EF23AD0C32D48569B6E2657ED15E7C1"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Absentee
voting</header><text>Each State shall permit any person who is otherwise
qualified to vote in an election for Federal office to vote in such election in
a manner other than in person, and shall not impose any additional conditions
or restrictions on absentee voting other than a reasonable deadline for
requesting and returning the ballot.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id4A7CDB4294F54956A98E96DDA06DF2C5"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Submission and
processing</header><text>Any ballot cast under subsection (a) shall be
submitted and processed in the manner provided for absentee ballots under State
law.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id84DE6A84F0F9460AA7998BCA6ECC7BC2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>Each State and jurisdiction shall be required to comply with
the requirements of this section on and after January 1,
2008.</text>
</subsection></section></subtitle><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section commented="no" id="id1C18F404C4F744559E7C4BC0A6E4724C"><enum>302.</enum><header>Third-party
voter registration</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subtitle C
of title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by this Act, is
amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idD3DE043E8F08449ABBE81A92460CFD38" style="OLC">
<section commented="no" id="idA227863D8A754751A2E84627116647DD"><enum>322.</enum><header>Allowance of
voter registration assistance</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="id91E408EB68564CBD98C436F3E8E6640D"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No State shall refuse
to register an individual to vote on the grounds that such individual’s voter
registration application was submitted to the State by a third party.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" id="idE3E4361446BD4A43AF3147EE9ABE66BB"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Prohibition on
limiting voter registration activity</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">No State shall—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="id4FD67C3E993A4B728CC5FE4849F9E305"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">prohibit any person from assisting
individuals in obtaining and completing, or from collecting or submitting, mail
voter registration forms developed pursuant to sections 6(a)(2) and 9(a)(2) of
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–4(a)(2);
1973gg–7(a)(2)) for the purpose of registering those individuals to vote in
elections for Federal office; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id28F1712D26C646278721D1E3813810EC"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">impose any burden on such assistance, or on
the collection or submission of such mail voter registration forms.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id048F4F9ED0AD4D5191249977F9F56F84"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Rule of
construction</header><text>Nothing in this subsection shall prevent any State
from prohibiting or penalizing—</text>
<paragraph id="idC9118C67DB034654989C4F63D80EE474"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the intentional
and knowing falsification of voter registration forms;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC9C060E833EB4EB08244C209868FBAC5"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the intentional
and knowing destruction of completed voter registration forms;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id655816FD9AFA40D3A7E74C1FDE3F5CAE"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the failure to
submit completed voter registration forms before a voter registration deadline
for an election for Federal office with the specific intent of disenfranchising
voters; or</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idBB3D8649069140429147D3AB47261495"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the payment of
any person to collect voter registration forms based solely on the number of
forms
collected.</text>
</paragraph></subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="id1D54CE06CE514483B1EDE1D581506BD1"><enum>303.</enum><header>Training of
poll workers</header>
<subsection id="id27D5E0E28FA14C92965A8E8B97C91F97"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Training
requirement</header><text>Subtitle C of title III of the Help America Vote Act
of 2002, as added and amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id159251A0464349359C6CD81FEA116D75" style="OLC">
<section id="idAD85B7EF4BF94F21BC9C0124D6858068"><enum>323.</enum><header>Instruction of
poll workers</header>
<subsection id="idD3CD595B31FF4099829EC220D248C232"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Instruction of
poll workers</header>
<paragraph id="id194F641EE11248A9A2D9CA0117B6CD95"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Establishment
of program</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each State shall
establish a program to ensure uniformity of, and establish minimum standards
for, training poll workers.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id5DB982C045B64A3384E192BF434AFF08"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Nondiscriminatory
standards</header>
<subparagraph id="id3D317D6099E84AE9910E78056DAA4DF6"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The standards established under paragraph (1) shall be
nondiscriminatory.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id5ECD17FDB20649B98BBC361656F359E7"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Exception</header><text>Such
standards may vary based on the type of voting system used in different
locations in the State.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idAECE8F7C269343C4820CA1E01C97A2A9"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Development of
curriculum</header><text>The curriculum provided under such a program shall be
developed—</text>
<subparagraph id="idC027C090668B4371AAFCAB73933DCA65"><enum>(A)</enum><text>in conjunction
with election and education experts; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8907CB2C91454F6BA6C8E439C8766088"><enum>(B)</enum><text>taking into
consideration guidelines provided by the Commission.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idC424704757F64E7DABDF0022F6FBDC8F"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Content of
program</header>
<subparagraph id="id74C64A31285647A08C9633CF98C3EEBE"><enum>(A)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Under such a program,
each State shall require that all poll workers successfully complete a
curriculum under which the individual is trained—</text>
<clause id="id2BE3B19A37D046F7836186CFF5407333"><enum>(i)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">in the applicable laws governing election
administration in the State, including laws governing—</text>
<subclause id="id6EFC6FF42DE64D25AF0611A0B7FAC3CA"><enum>(I)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">who is eligible to vote;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id04733EBBE8604221B1A9BF2602FEB134"><enum>(II)</enum><text>the rights and
responsibilities of voters;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idECB32E9857604646BC9B65934C9A2104"><enum>(III)</enum><text>the casting and
counting of votes;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id849F098EB43E43E19EA0D746EE49DEB0"><enum>(IV)</enum><text>the rights of
voters with disabilities and of voters who are language minorities described in
section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965;</text>
</subclause><subclause id="idF839AC89885C40A9BF6DE286809F1B91"><enum>(V)</enum><text>the right of any
individual under section 301(a)(1)(A) to verify the ballot and correct any
error in a private and independent manner; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id33DB0431BDD84B3DAB2B70F8427FE3B2"><enum>(VI)</enum><text>the right of
voters to a provisional ballot; and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause id="id43B1F20B5FD14C6FB81B251EF43B7F3E"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>on the use and
maintenance of any voting systems (including optical scan voting systems and
direct recording electronic voting systems) used for the conduct of Federal
elections in the State.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><subparagraph id="id675687480BA0431CAAFBD60FBE9D3FAF"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Development and
distribution of manual for poll workers</header><text>As part of such
curriculum, each State shall—</text>
<clause id="id285E7A7690DD4DE6A4D65B398E7E70D3"><enum>(i)</enum><text>develop a manual
for poll workers;</text>
</clause><clause id="id3AB8A9A84B6F4EDFB44EEFAC09CD9435"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>publish such
manual not less than 4 weeks before each election for Federal office;
and</text>
</clause><clause id="idAFB127686E2647EE8B6E7CC0C53AB0F5"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>with respect to
each election for Federal office—</text>
<subclause id="id089948F043B04E1BA5ED0F2B8927FBF0"><enum>(I)</enum><text>distribute such
manual to all appropriate individuals before such election; and</text>
</subclause><subclause id="id7FBEFC80C826435CBCCFE9BDF054A290"><enum>(II)</enum><text>ensure that all
poll workers sign a certification that they have received and reviewed such
manual.</text>
</subclause></clause></subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id95060BBDFCF6492AA255E0F18C8946B7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each State shall be
required to comply with the requirements of this section on and after January
1,
2008.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><section id="idAB8D772F96D5449E9BB5BC1C4037DBAD"><enum>304.</enum><header>Equitable
allocation of voting systems, poll workers, and election resources</header>
<subsection id="id960EAA1EE8FC4D62B80AB8072744C464"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subtitle C of title III of the Help America Vote Act of
2002, as added and amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id42773F1A15E84E2F9F0D01E29D680CF6" style="OLC">
<section id="idEA6621D234784581B6F09000A77980F1"><enum>324.</enum><header>Equitable
allocation of voting systems, poll workers, and election resources</header>
<subsection id="id812BA328BB4041B9BEA7E901A54B30EF"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Each State shall provide for an equitable number of
voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including all other
physical resources) for each voting site on the day of any Federal election and
on any days during which such State allows early voting for a Federal election.
Such resources shall be adequate to address long lines, delays, technological
failures, and other administrative circumstances.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id5288FA996ECB4BB298580A841181E616"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Consideration
and deviation from Commission benchmark</header>
<paragraph id="id7BADCD8C2D8C47C496BB6FEFAFFA0551"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Consideration</header><text>In
providing for an equitable number of voting systems, poll workers, and other
election resources in the State under subsection (a), each State shall consider
the benchmark standards established by the Commission under section 299.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idEC8E9CF9C36644FCB3E238D8D8F2F921"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Explanation of
deviations</header><text>If the number voting systems, poll workers, and other
election resources provided by a State under subsection (a) materially deviates
from the benchmarks standards established by the Commission under section 299,
the State shall make publicly available a statement describing such differences
and explaining the reasons for such differences.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idA405FCD0952940FD9BA28F074F25F519"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Voting
site</header><text>For purposes of this section and section 299, the term
<term>voting site</term> means a polling location, except that in the case of
any polling location which serves more than 1 precinct, such term shall mean a
precinct.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id82E2D196CD0B498E85BCE0E50B266EAD"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>Each State shall be required to comply with the requirements
of this section on and after January 1,
2010.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="idEAFBB3D4A1A449BA814BBD1B6F79E980"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Standards</header>
<paragraph id="id70355F7794B74C6E9F89B3E2B81CBCE5"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as amended
by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id75E8AC3EE9094DBC8AF8FBA6B47F60BB" style="OLC">
<subtitle id="idA7E81A33C64F47A69D049DC678BD46A6"><enum>E</enum><header>Guidance and
Standards</header>
<section id="idC254235F00B44D65B77FE14127167861"><enum>299.</enum><header>Standards for
the equitable allocation of voting systems, poll workers, and election
resources</header>
<subsection id="idB51B09954D924D6F8E85B98E0292F3F8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header>
<paragraph id="id18117AAAB4934B948A1DB33DCEFA1A53"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Study</header><text>The
Commission shall conduct a study on the equitable distribution of voting
systems, poll workers, and election resources.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id27100CBCC301450BBA0B8F8F7E475CA4"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Standards</header><text>Not
later than January 1, 2009, the Commission shall issue standards based on the
results of the study conducted under paragraph (1) that establish benchmarks
for the distribution of an equitable number of voting systems, poll workers,
and other election resources (including all other physical resources) for
voting sites on the day of any Federal election and on any days during which
early voting is allowed for a Federal election.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id5A6A548E32F947E6A239254F0331763F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Distribution</header>
<paragraph id="id95E4BE8562B34C938184E6CB75CCB50F"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>The standards described in subsection (a) shall provide
for a uniform and nondiscriminatory distribution of such systems, workers, and
other resources, and, to the extent possible, shall take into account, among
other factors—</text>
<subparagraph id="id6BEF493617804E6FA042F70EE834D8FC"><enum>(A)</enum><text>voting patterns
and voter turnout in prior Federal elections, including the differences between
presidential elections and other elections;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id344F38575121402E98C542A6E9233371"><enum>(B)</enum><text>voter
registration counts;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id1F0C66BEA6A74070ABC07AFF7A535106"><enum>(C)</enum><text>current census
data and demographic changes;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id994E6CF32BEB45CCBF277963DE36D7A6"><enum>(D)</enum><text>the abilities and
training of poll workers;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id236E94257EF34DF8B9AB57755ED23205"><enum>(E)</enum><text>the accessibility
of polling locations; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="idC5ED2B8B594A42818F968D1723945179"><enum>(F)</enum><text>available
assistive voting technologies.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id604F95D047CB4A4B847277E10432F789"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Purpose</header><text>To
the extent possible, the standards shall provide for a distribution of voting
systems, poll workers, and other election resources with the goals of —</text>
<subparagraph id="id59427A6858744387B885C35E2A281506"><enum>(A)</enum><text>ensuring a fair
and equitable waiting time for all voters in the State; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id69506C864F0C4294AF997793E191E5B7"><enum>(B)</enum><text>preventing a
waiting time of over 1 hour at any voting
site.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section></subtitle><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idBC6F6D23FCA642E2813A02F8320D85FB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming
amendments</header>
<subparagraph id="id07A67D28D4CA424BB0E33F96A367450B"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Section 202 of
the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15322), as amended by this Act, is
amended by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (6), (7),
and (8), respectively, and by inserting after paragraph (4) the following new
paragraph:</text>
<quoted-block id="id46DC150347BB440F90B233AB470ACA2D" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id4EC3B0DA2EB64FE9A2ED31656974F673"><enum>(5)</enum><text>carrying out the
duties described in subtitle
E.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id8C9690CE84AA432B8ACFF25B83EB6998"><enum>(B)</enum><text>The table of
contents of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as amended by this Act, is
amended by inserting before the item relating to title III the
following:</text>
<quoted-block id="id9D0CA331F42145BAAEC2681EE82C371A" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="subtitle">Subtitle E—Guidance and
Standards</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 299. Standards for the equitable
allocation of voting systems, poll workers, and election
resources.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id9BD7A65CC4B94F95B30DCF54192AEAB3" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>305.</enum><header>Prohibition on
campaign activities by chief State election officials</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Subtitle C of title III of the Help America
Vote Act of 2002, as added and amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the
end the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block act-name="" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idBAFA948F153144FF96CE62F203B2A246" style="OLC">
<section id="idF1AA683D0D104D6F91AC53AB5BC6F174"><enum>325.</enum><header>Prohibition on
campaign activities by chief State election officials</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="id0A6751E4AC9542B8A16B1A0C9AF02B13"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Prohibition</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subject to subsection (c), no chief State
election official shall take an active part in political management or in a
political campaign with respect to any election for Federal office over which
such official has supervisory authority.</text>
</subsection><subsection commented="no" id="idCC1478EFFBAF4D44A6232222FEED02E1"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Active part in
political management or in a political campaign</header><text>The term
<term>active part in political management or in a political campaign</term>
means—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="idAE63540598304EF8A4185525FF8D2DE5"><enum>(1)</enum><text>serving as a
member of an authorized committee of a candidate for Federal office;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id6B641404AABA462BBC8FF66693CD4982"><enum>(2)</enum><text>making public
comments in support of, or opposed to, any candidate for Federal office in an
official capacity;</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id80CDD7FEA5034340A1352CCBBA5D70EF"><enum>(3)</enum><text>the solicitation,
acceptance, or receipt of political contributions from any person on behalf of
a candidate for Federal office; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id01039B3457A0459EBCE115F395EF7E10"><enum>(4)</enum><text>the sharing of
information concerning an official count, recount, or audit with respect to any
primary, special, or general election for Federal office with a candidate for
such office or with an authorized committee of such a candidate, unless the
same information is provided to all other candidates for such office in such
election.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id8583D19C8A144E37967DFC3266B237EB"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Exceptions</header>
<paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id2C5BE029C199451F9EA39BDCC31BA62A"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Chief state
election official running as candidate</header><text>In the case of a chief
State election official who is a candidate for Federal office, the prohibition
under subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to the election for that
Federal office.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idA6FED20462CE47289A775C73E63F1FEB"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Attendance at
political campaign events</header><text>Nothing in this section shall be
construed to prohibit a chief State election official from serving as a
delegate to a national nominating convention of a political party or from
attending any political campaign event.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id87D56CF0F40142C096FBAF6CB81024EC"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>The requirements of this section shall take effect on
January 1,
2008.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</section><section id="idC1565E2A4AB74460AF7610491B743DF9"><enum>306.</enum><header>Standards for
purging voters</header>
<subsection id="id6F83120DEF7449A997E721C44C505CCC"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Safeguards
against accidental removal</header>
<paragraph id="id1452F4A2384A457488308CD6E4DF5B85"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subparagraph (B) of section 303(a)(4) of the Help America
Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15483(a)(4)) is amended to read as follows:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1A3C4D8591AC470181EA6BA8CEFA9877" style="OLC">
<subparagraph commented="no" id="idD7DDAC6B4A2D4C9AB470819BC57EB0FE"><enum>(B)</enum><header>Safeguards</header><text>Uniform
and nondiscriminatory procedures that—</text>
<clause commented="no" id="idF47A53706EE149659F05F78679574907"><enum>(i)</enum><text>ensure that no
voter is erroneously removed from or prevented from being added to the voter
registration list, including for reasons related to—</text>
<subclause commented="no" id="id4CBB12A209414F0B878E32EDA5E4CA4D"><enum>(I)</enum><text>errors or
inconsistencies in data;</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="idB24B8CE3A0D1486FB2B07A80EFC30292"><enum>(II)</enum><text>variations or
inconsistencies in names (including maiden names, nicknames, and middle names);
and</text>
</subclause><subclause commented="no" id="id0D6B0F6B67244AF991DD6E162B9578C0"><enum>(III)</enum><text>any other
immaterial variation or inconsistency in voter registration information;
and</text>
</subclause></clause><clause commented="no" id="idC64AB285F3174BD5A09881A88B5AC83B"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>provide an
opportunity for voters who have been erroneously removed from or prevented from
being added to the voter registration list to be restored or
registered.</text>
</clause></subparagraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC52FF50174D24EAAB93B45F94C2E5099"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>The amendments made by paragraph (1) shall take effect
January 1, 2008.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="idCDF7964485094B78B4CEFE2443ED876D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Notice
requirements</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Subtitle C of
title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added and amended by this
Act, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idB9A8AF15B3D24B248D47689F19C647E8" style="OLC">
<section commented="no" id="id73B9B35A8D694B11BA63B9E2FEBDC689"><enum>326.</enum><header>Removal from
voter registration list</header>
<subsection commented="no" id="id2CBDEBA2D71B4BBA978C8C9644B0B679"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Public
notice</header><text>Not later than 90 days before any Federal election, each
State shall publish in a public location and on the Internet—</text>
<paragraph commented="no" id="id0CD532B49E564A7087A3B72D7C4930A2"><enum>(1)</enum><text>the full name,
including middle name and suffix where available, of all voters who have been
removed from the voter registration list of such State since the earlier of the
most recent election for Federal office or the day of the most recent previous
public notice provided under this section; and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id243FAC8F6AD44330AB925A037F38C1DC"><enum>(2)</enum><text>the criteria,
processes, and procedures used to determine which names were removed,
including—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="id14708D00FADF46049B70C853AD20344D"><enum>(A)</enum><text>the procedures
implemented by the State for safeguarding incorrect removals under section
303(a)(4)(B); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id794BF47695B94BA0822E60A91C7C6786"><enum>(B)</enum><text>the processes
under which the State compares names on the voter registration list with the
list of names proposed to be removed.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id80D2D3615DB8412D9547AC6169E137E7"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Notice to
voters before removal by reason other than a change in residence</header>
<paragraph commented="no" id="idCCCAEC489AD04776BCEFC0A069F9DBD4"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>No individual shall be removed from the voter
registration list of a State on any ground other than that the individual has
changed residence unless such individual is first provided with a written
notice to the voter’s address on file which meets the requirements of paragraph
(2).</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id6B97C361794B49C2B258ACDEC7139E44"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Requirements of
notice</header><text>The notice required under paragraph (1) shall—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="id518401A3147A4BED815EA5BF22090620"><enum>(A)</enum><text>be provided to
each voter in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner;</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id901BF708F1F4403DA906A65E594C6FD2"><enum>(B)</enum><text>be consistent
with the requirements of section 8(d) of the National Voter Registration Act of
1993 (<external-xref legal-doc="usc" parsable-cite="usc/42/1973gg">42 U.S.C.
1973gg–6(d)</external-xref>);</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="id37960517D3204DD2A337284028FBDC30"><enum>(C)</enum><text>be in the form
and manner prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission; and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idA4721B54C1B648F994115AA9F24A09AC"><enum>(D)</enum><text>include a clear
notice of the reason for which the voter will be removed, an opportunity to
cure such removal, and the contact information for the office sending the
notice.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" id="id18C3BC5C366D4CF29FB4AB3175560DD2"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Final notice
and opportunity To cure removals by reason of change in residence</header>
<paragraph commented="no" id="id5081BB2F83D34355B8D7748D8D060F21"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Notwithstanding section 8(d) of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(d)), no individual shall be
removed from the voter registration list of a State on the ground that the
individual has changed residence unless such individual is first provided with
a written notice which meets the requirements of paragraph (3) and an
opportunity to cure the removal.</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="id412FB7452B4140C6A24790F85836AE40"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Time for
sending notice</header><text>The notice described in paragraph (1) shall not be
sent until after such individual—</text>
<subparagraph commented="no" id="id937C49AB2C4B455EB050FDAC58BEBA99"><enum>(A)</enum><text>has failed to
respond to a notice described in section 8(d)(2) of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(d)(2)); and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="idF7A3775258804A2A8CCFBB94B02C7A14"><enum>(B)</enum><text>has not voted or
appeared to vote in an election during the period beginning on the date of the
notice described in subparagraph (A) and ending on the day after the date of
the second general election for Federal office that occurs after the date of
such notice.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="idDA679DB42CD7486B9FF29B337DC7D09F"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Requirements of
notice</header><text>The notice required under paragraph (1) shall be in the
form and manner prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission and shall
include a clear notice of the reason for which the voter will be removed, an
opportunity to cure such removal, and the contact information for the office
sending the notice.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9048A04AA0334D37B0EF169B5A66E47D"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>Each State shall be required to comply with the requirements
of this section on and after January 1,
2008.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section><section id="id36A933C7BD6A4AB6A53BEA31332A965E"><enum>307.</enum><header>Election
observers</header>
<subsection id="id5884CB1C61114E46A0651405C4E74E0E"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Required access
by accredited election observers</header><text>Subtitle C of title III of the
Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added and amended by this Act, is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9325FD9B347F446D8586B6CCFD24918C" style="OLC">
<section id="idCC141FC17C1C4AAB92337C29987EAE1D"><enum>327.</enum><header>Access by
accredited election observers</header>
<subsection id="idD3CDADC9947345E495C7213FA5BAE504"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Access
required</header>
<paragraph id="id4FC74175C0A942FCBB200D5EA93EB29D"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Each State shall promulgate uniform and nondiscriminatory
procedures to allow access to polling places for purposes of observing a
Federal election to international and domestic election observers who—</text>
<subparagraph id="id8364892EDF9A47DBB40DDB425BBC5976"><enum>(A)</enum><text>meet the
accreditation standards developed by the Commission under section 299A;
and</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id23AC735521894EC6A714635434C077A9"><enum>(B)</enum><text>agree to—</text>
<clause id="id1A0830DD13E44FAEB4552380960EB4FC"><enum>(i)</enum><text>accept election
rules;</text>
</clause><clause id="idD4B1AFE59B7440508AAE9E0A3C75268C"><enum>(ii)</enum><text>not interfere
with the election process; and</text>
</clause><clause id="idF3785B9F0B7C41B3A84DF6F366859DDE"><enum>(iii)</enum><text>accept the
secrecy of the ballot.</text>
</clause></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="id2CAA6F8EB34D472684DDA6F16B7146D3"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Observation of
a Federal election</header><text>The procedures promulgated under paragraph (1)
shall include access to any polling place for the purpose of observing the
following:</text>
<subparagraph id="id57B9444680AB4BFAB7B2D17B7BB8F966"><enum>(A)</enum><text>Processing of any
absentee or provisional ballots in an election for Federal office.</text>
</subparagraph><subparagraph id="id78BB012A7CBE42D4BFF20E2A66F3322D"><enum>(B)</enum><text>Counting of votes
cast in an election for Federal office.</text>
</subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="idA8FD9FF6F10647C29D01639AB64B1C89"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Public notice
of any denial</header><text>The State shall make publicly available a notice of
any denial of a request to observe a Federal election under this section. Such
notice shall include an explanation of the reasons for the denial and an
opportunity to appeal such denial.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id73F8A65F59304EDB98EEC430F4117D6D"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective
date</header><text>Each State and jurisdiction shall be required to comply with
the requirements of this section on and after the date of the enactment of this
section.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="id9CB454F0D88D40428588D60285DF9B69"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Standards</header>
<paragraph id="id46170F4B199D4005BC9B0735DA31F818"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subtitle E of title II of such Act, as added by this Act,
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idDF062FE7904A4B08A3CB2172AAE0FA16" style="OLC">
<section id="id12D827D73AF04C50B575CDA63B36EF80"><enum>299A.</enum><header>Accreditation
of election observers</header>
<subsection id="idEFE7961E53B24B63B90B2DBB29A4B7D6"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The Commission shall
develop nondiscriminatory and uniform standards for the accreditation of
election observers.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="idF6274F57D381447E80BE35C33AFD884F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Requirements</header><text>Such
standards shall provide for the accreditation of a wide range of domestic and
international observers under this
section.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idA47771029B714790827FC0ADC821D292"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act, as amended by this
Act, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 299 the
following new item:</text>
<quoted-block id="id377E1144F2494F5F8B2611B9891DB743" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 299A. Accreditation of election
observers.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id384DEE12632E4B24B439D8F918CE717E"><enum>308.</enum><header>Early
voting</header>
<subsection id="idA654D4F84C0D49B3BD67623B9FFBA838"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Subtitle C of title III of the Help America Vote Act of
2002, as added and amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the
following new section:</text>
<quoted-block id="id547F5E5EB5DB40ADB4A84904A5C52047" style="OLC">
<section id="id4EEED14C992A443B9A67CA190F9363A6"><enum>328.</enum><header>Early
voting</header>
<subsection id="idFD434D02EC324E0C860DD11152949B8C"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Each State shall allow individuals to vote in an election
for Federal office not less than 15 days prior to the day scheduled for such
election in the same manner as voting is allowed on such day.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id2C1660AE58094BADBF4E55541020AE7C"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Minimum Early
Voting Requirements</header><text>Each polling place which allows voting prior
to the day of a Federal election pursuant to subsection (a) shall—</text>
<paragraph id="id27BCD11B05F146C1B606C359A2E3CE2F"><enum>(1)</enum><text>allow such voting
for no less than 4 hours on each day (other than Sunday); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id26A8EA57B1E8463B80F21F8817FE66E0"><enum>(2)</enum><text>have uniform
hours each day for which such voting occurs.</text>
</paragraph></subsection><subsection id="id572C67768D4B442EB034D48E4D2B15BD"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Effective
Date</header><text>The requirements of this section shall apply with respect to
the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November
2008 and each succeeding election for Federal
office.</text>
</subsection></section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="idA6A51DCAD64043EEAE1803F652C4E351"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Guidance for
Early Voting</header>
<paragraph id="id609176B319D3471B96F0B1B080CC7A67"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subtitle E of title II of such Act, as added and amended
by this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="idC47800AD47FE4E66A07131115D4F241B" style="OLC">
<section id="id68E1E94D868F4DEDA3DBC24F111D088E"><enum>299B.</enum><header>Guidance for
early voting</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">The Commission
shall issue guidance for the administration of voting prior to the day
scheduled for a Federal election. Such guidance shall include the
nondiscriminatory geographic placement of polling places at which such voting
occurs.</text>
</section><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="id2EBCC4CD8716434889F1E726E0344D6B"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text>The table of contents of such Act, as amended by this
Act, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 299A the
following new item:</text>
<quoted-block id="idA8A99017B15A4202A34E12BC4F16DF50" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 299B. Standards for early
voting.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="idF725A81195D24F8EB3A42C0519FB1C1A"><enum>309.</enum><header>Requirements
for counting provisional ballots</header>
<subsection id="id6B5F383C44E7465ABDD6675D86C2EA5A"><enum>(a)</enum><header>In
General</header><text>Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42
U.S.C. 15482) is amended by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e) and
by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block id="id0AA1B4D86B784C52B5966715FF33E131" style="OLC">
<subsection id="id250F5AD617004129B4C3608C48E56FA9"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Statewide
Counting of Provisional Ballots</header><text>For purposes of subsection
(a)(4), notwithstanding at which polling place a provisional ballot is cast
within the State, the State shall count such ballot with respect to a vote for
an election for a Federal office if the individual who cast such ballot is
otherwise eligible to vote for such office and has not voted in that Federal
election.</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="id75B56D3E412A49EAA7B4672420A20553"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Effective
Date</header>
<paragraph id="idA0F0F56C751E496A930170110098564E"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Subsection (e) of section 302 of the Help America Vote
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15482(e)), as redesignated under subsection (a), is
amended by adding at the end the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="idC54E2AFA0BAE4236A75A95BCE3D690B4" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id383A08928FB7471BB2B9AD44C1A113A2"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Effective date
for statewide counting of provisional ballots</header><text>Each State shall be
required to comply with the requirements of subsection (d) on and after the
date of the enactment of this
section.</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idE2488ED00C094830834ACC9997367F96"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Conforming
amendment</header><text>Subsection (e) of section 302 of the Help America Vote
Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15482(e)), as redesignated under subsection (a), is
amended by striking <quote>Each</quote> and inserting the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="id404561E81DD747BFBC0600C85019E529" style="OLC">
<paragraph id="id0189310EC1524BE9BEBD3BCE4F6E6D11"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In
general</header><text>Except as provided in paragraph (2),
each</text>
</paragraph><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id9A66742B7DFD4C1496C49AD44543F391"><enum>310.</enum><header>Conforming
amendments</header>
<subsection id="id23C0C4D730964D8A980B4338FA4E98A8"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Voluntary
guidance</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Section 311 of the
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15501) is amended by striking
<quote>subtitle A</quote> and inserting <quote>subtitles A and
C</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id11938D8D18B44EAEABDD929E14795827"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Enforcement</header><text>Section
401 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15511), as amended by this
Act, is amended by striking <quote>and 304</quote> and inserting <quote>304,
and subtitle C</quote>.</text>
</subsection><subsection id="id3353813F93C9434B8104F858EF24D0DE"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Clerical
amendment</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The table of
contents of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 is amended by adding after the
item relating to section 312 the following:</text>
<quoted-block id="id9F96DF4C210D4FBFADA6E5530866A786" style="OLC">
<toc>
<toc-entry level="subtitle">Subtitle C—Additional
requirements</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 321. Absentee voting.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 322. Allowance of voter registration
assistance.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 323. Instruction of poll
workers.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 324. Equitable allocation of voting
systems, poll workers, and election resources.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 325. Prohibition on campaign
activities by chief State election officials.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 326. Removal from voter registration
list.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 327. Access by accredited election
observers.</toc-entry>
<toc-entry level="section">Sec. 328. Early
voting.</toc-entry>
</toc>
<after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection></section></subtitle><subtitle id="idCD09922517964236A28B48BE05F71EA5"><enum>B</enum><header>Military and
overseas voting</header>
<section id="id43649FFE5BF44C499F8521D1C34C2C45"><enum>311.</enum><header>Prohibiting
refusal to accept voter registration and absentee ballot applications and
federal write-in absentee ballot for failure to meet nonessential
requirements</header>
<subsection id="idBF5CAFAAFB264526981DAB8E357CFC31"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Voter
Registration and Absentee Ballot Applications</header><text>Section 102 of the
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1) is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id48B840B68B4842DCBBF1AE21DA1D3111" style="OLC">
<subsection id="id6A364DD4F6C2464E938EB826F8DF206C"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Prohibiting
Refusal To Accept Applications for Failure To Meet Nonessential
Requirements</header><text>A State shall accept and process any otherwise valid
voter registration application or absentee ballot application (including the
official post card form prescribed under section 101) submitted in any manner
by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter that contains the
information required on the official post card form prescribed under section
101 (other than information which the Presidential designee, in consultation
with the Election Assistance Commission, determines, under regulations
promulgated by the Presidential designee, is not clearly necessary to prevent
fraud in the conduct of
elections).</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</subsection><subsection id="id6F5CC1A65A584F989458BE0E67F268EA"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Federal
Write-In Absentee Ballot</header><text>Section 103 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1973ff–2) is amended—</text>
<paragraph id="idB09C723E390B4E6CAEB6F20E22954771"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by redesignating
subsection (f) as subsection (g); and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph id="idC69BCEF3AB0240F1B395B673D2DE0669"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by inserting
after subsection (e) the following new subsection:</text>
<quoted-block display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id1FCA7E8491BA4EBE916E4AC1B29A2F1C" style="OLC">
<subsection id="idF416C01F4B1F416DB9112431C8007955"><enum>(f)</enum><header>Prohibiting
Refusal To Accept Ballot for Failure To Meet Nonessential
Requirements</header><text>A State shall accept and process any otherwise valid
Federal write-in absentee ballot submitted in any manner by an absent uniformed
services voter or overseas voter that contains the information required to be
submitted with such ballot by the Presidential designee (other than information
which the Presidential designee, in consultation with the Election Assistance
Commission, determines, under regulations promulgated by the Presidential
designee, is not clearly necessary to prevent fraud in the conduct of
elections).</text>
</subsection><after-quoted-block>.</after-quoted-block></quoted-block>
</paragraph></subsection></section><section id="id518FD9727D6548C2A3673C79C08A661C"><enum>312.</enum><header>Federal
write-in absentee ballots cast by overseas voters located in the United
States</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">Section 103(c) of the
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–2(c)) is
amended—</text>
<paragraph id="idE3A1B63D6DE9461EBC68B36DC75AC2D1"><enum>(1)</enum><text>by striking
paragraph (1), and</text>
</paragraph><paragraph commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline" id="id9F4EBED2BEB448258E8DB83682C3C121"><enum>(2)</enum><text>by redesignating
paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively.</text>
</paragraph></section></subtitle>