[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 254 Introduced in House (IH)]







111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 254

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 2009

  Mr. Israel introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                   Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


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

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Weekend Voting Act''.

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

    Section 25 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 7) is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``Sec. 25. The first Saturday and Sunday after the first Friday in 
November, in every even numbered year, are established as the days for 
the election, in each of the States and Territories of the United 
States, of Representatives and Delegates to the Congress commencing on 
the 3d day of January thereafter.''.

SEC. 3. CHANGE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DAY TO SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

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

SEC. 4. POLLING PLACE HOURS.

    (a) In General.--
            (1) Presidential general election.--Chapter 1 of title 3, 
        United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating section 1 as section 1A; and
                    (B) by inserting before section 1A the following:
``Sec. 1. Polling place hours
    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Continental united states.--The term `continental 
        United States' means a State (other than Alaska and Hawaii) and 
        the District of Columbia.
            ``(2) Presidential general election.--The term 
        `Presidential general election' means the election for electors 
        of President and Vice President.
    ``(b) Polling Place Hours.--
            ``(1) Polling places in the continental united states.--
        Each polling place in the continental United States shall be 
        open, with respect to a Presidential general election, 
        beginning on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time and 
        ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time.
            ``(2) Polling places outside the continental united 
        states.--Each polling place not located in the continental 
        United States shall be open, with respect to a Presidential 
        general election, beginning on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local 
        time and ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. local time.
            ``(3) Early closing.--A polling place may close between the 
        hours of 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. local 
        time on Sunday as provided by the law of the State in which the 
        polling place is located.''.
            (2) Congressional general election.--Section 25 of the 
        Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 7) is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating section 25 as section 25A; and
                    (B) by inserting before section 25A the following:

``SEC. 25. POLLING PLACE HOURS.

    ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Continental united states.--The term `continental 
        United States' means a State (other than Alaska and Hawaii) and 
        the District of Columbia.
            ``(2) Congressional general election.--The term 
        `congressional general election' means the general election for 
        the office of Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or 
        Resident Commissioner to, the Congress.
    ``(b) Polling Place Hours.--
            ``(1) Polling places inside the continental united 
        states.--Each polling place in the continental United States 
        shall be open, with respect to a congressional general 
        election, beginning on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard 
        time and ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time.
            ``(2) Polling places outside the continental united 
        states.--Each polling place not located in the continental 
        United States shall be open, with respect to a congressional 
        general election, beginning on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local 
        time and ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. local time.
            ``(3) Early closing.--A polling place may close between the 
        hours of 10:00 p.m. local time on Saturday and 6:00 a.m. local 
        time on Sunday as provided by the law of the State in which the 
        polling place is located.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) The table of sections for chapter 1 of title 3, United 
        States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to 
        section 1 and inserting the following:

``1. Polling place hours.
``1A. Time of appointing electors.''.
            (2) Sections 871(b) and 1751(f) of title 18, United States 
        Code, are each amended by striking ``title 3, United States 
        Code, sections 1 and 2'' and inserting ``sections 1A and 2 of 
        title 3''.
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