To direct the Presidential designee under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to carry out pilot programs to permit States to test the feasibility of using alternative methods, including the use of advanced electronic technologies and the Internet, to enable absent uniformed services voters to register to vote and vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.

Summary: Directs the Presidential designee under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to carry out a series of pilot programs to test the feasibility of using alternative methods, including advanced electronic technologies and the Internet, to enable absent uniformed services voters to register to vote and vote in federal.

Specifies criteria for a state to be eligible to participate in such a pilot program.

SECTION 1. OPERATION OF PROGRAMS.

    (a) Programs Established.--The Presidential designee under the 
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (hereafter referred 
to as the ``Presidential designee'') shall carry out a series of pilot 
programs to test the feasibility of using alternative methods, 
including the use of advanced electronic technologies and the Internet, 
to enable absent uniformed services voters to register to vote and vote 
in elections for Federal office.
    (b) Agreements With Participating States.--To carry out a pilot 
program under this Act, the Presidential designee and the chief State 
election official of a participating State shall enter into an 
agreement which sets forth the following:
            (1) The specific alternative methods for enabling absent 
        uniformed services voters to register to vote and vote in 
        elections for Federal office in the State which will be tested 
        under the program.
            (2) The steps to be taken by the Presidential designee, the 
        chief State election official, and other election officials in 
        the State to enable these alternative methods to be tested 
        under the program.
            (3) The role to be played by the State advisory panel 
        described in section 2(b) in assisting the chief State election 
        official in carrying out the agreement.
            (4) The duration of the program.
            (5) Such other terms and conditions as may be agreed to by 
        the Presidential designee and the chief State election official 
        (consistent with the requirements of this Act).
    (c) Issues To Be Considered in Programs.--In carrying out a pilot 
program under this Act, the Presidential designee may consider the 
following issues:
            (1) The transmission of electronic voting material across 
        military networks.
            (2) Virtual private networks, cryptographic voting systems, 
        centrally controlled voting stations, and other information 
        security techniques.
            (3) The transmission of ballot representations and scanned 
        pictures in a secure manner.
            (4) Capturing, retaining, and comparing electronic and 
        physical ballot representations.
            (5) Utilization of voting stations at military bases.
            (6) Document delivery and upload systems.
            (7) The functional effectiveness of the application or 
        adoption of the pilot program to operational environments, 
        taking into account environmental and logistical obstacles and 
        State procedures.
    (d) Priority in Selection of Eligible States.--In selecting among 
States eligible to participate in a pilot program under this Act, the 
Presidential designee shall give priority to States with the greatest 
number of individuals eligible to register to vote and vote in 
elections for Federal office in the State who are absent uniformed 
services voters.
    (e) No Effect on Other Federal Election Laws.--The operation of a 
pilot program under this Act may not conflict with or substitute for 
existing Federal laws, regulations, or procedures with respect to the 
participation of absent uniformed services voters in elections for 
Federal office.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF STATES TO PARTICIPATE.

    (a) In General.--A State is eligible to participate in a pilot 
program under this Act if the chief State election official of the 
State submits to the Presidential designee, at such time and in such 
form as the Presidential designee may require, an application 
containing--
            (1) assurances that the State has established an advisory 
        panel described in subsection (b); and
            (2) such other information and assurances as the 
        Presidential designee may require.
    (b) State Advisory Panel.--
            (1) Panels described.--An advisory panel described in this 
        subsection is a panel established by the State to assist the 
        chief State election official in entering into and carrying out 
        an agreement with the Presidential designee under section 1(b), 
        consisting of representatives of the following:
                    (A) Local election officials in the State.
                    (B) Members of the uniformed services who are 
                residents of the State, including members of the 
                National Guard and Reserve Components thereof.
                    (C) The spouses and dependents of members of the 
                uniformed services who are residents of the State, 
                including members of the National Guard and Reserve 
                Components thereof.
                    (D) The committees of the State legislature with 
                jurisdiction over the election administration laws of 
                the State.
                    (E) Organizations promoting the integrity of the 
                voting process in the State.
            (2) Method of establishment.--The State shall establish the 
        advisory panel under this subsection in a manner which ensures 
        that the panel will be bipartisan in nature and will reflect 
        the various geographic regions of the State.

SEC. 3. REPORTS.

    The Presidential designee shall submit to Congress reports on the 
progress and outcomes of any pilot program conducted under this Act, 
and shall include in the reports such recommendations as the 
Presidential designee considers appropriate for further legislation and 
administrative action.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``absent uniformed services voter'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 107(1) of the Uniformed and 
        Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff-6(1));
            (2) the ``chief State election official'' of a State is the 
        individual designated by the State under section 10 of the 
        National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-8) to 
        be responsible for coordination of the State's responsibilities 
        under such Act; and
            (3) the term ``State'' includes the District of Columbia, 
        the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
        United States Virgin Islands.

SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act such 
sums as may be necessary, to remain available until expended.