I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2778 

To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to permit a voting 

registrar to remove an individual from the official list of registered 

voters for elections for Federal office on the ground that the individual 

no longer resides in the registrar’s jurisdiction if the individual fails 

to vote in any election held during 2 consecutive Federal election cycles, 

the registrar sends a notice to the individual at the end of the second 

cycle, and the individual fails to respond to the notice within 60 days. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 7, 2005 

Mr. DENT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on House Administration 

A BILL 

To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to 

permit a voting registrar to remove an individual from 

the official list of registered voters for elections for Federal office on the ground that the individual no longer 

resides in the registrar’s jurisdiction if the individual 

fails to vote in any election held during 2 consecutive 

Federal election cycles, the registrar sends a notice to 

the individual at the end of the second cycle, and the 

individual fails to respond to the notice within 60 days. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
2 

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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Common Sense in 

3 Voter Registration Act of 2005’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PERMITTING REMOVAL OF INDIVIDUALS FAILING 

5 TO VOTE DURING 2 CONSECUTIVE ELECTION 

6 CYCLES AND FAILING TO RESPOND TO SUB7 SEQUENT NOTICE FROM REGISTRAR. 

8 (a) REMOVAL PERMITTED.—Section 8(d)(1)(B) of 

9 the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 

10 1973gg—6(d)(1)(B)) is amended to read as follows: 

11 ‘‘(B)(i) has not voted or appeared to vote (and, 

12 if necessary, correct the registrar’s record of the reg13 istrant’s address) in any election for public office 

14 held in the registrar’s jurisdiction during any period 

15 which begins on the day after the date of a regularly 

16 scheduled general election for Federal office and 

17 which ends on the date of the second regularly 

18 scheduled general election for Federal office held 

19 after such date; 

20 ‘‘(ii) has been mailed a notice described in para21 graph (2) by the appropriate voting registrar after 

22 the expiration of the period described in clause (i); 

23 and 

24 ‘‘(iii) has failed to respond to such notice prior 

25 to the expiration of the 60-day period which begins 

26 on the date such notice is mailed.’’. 
3 

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1 (b) CONTENTS OF NOTICE.—Section 8(d)(2)(A) of 

2 such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg—6(d)(2)(A)) is amended to 

3 read as follows: 

4 ‘‘(A) If the registrant did not change his or her 

5 residence, or changed residence but remained in the 

6 registrar’s jurisdiction, the registrant should return 

7 the card prior to the expiration of the 60-day period 

8 which begins on the date the notice is mailed. If the 

9 card is not returned prior to the expiration of such 

10 period, the registrant’s name will be removed from 

11 the list of registered voters.’’. 

12 SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

13 The amendments made by this Act shall apply with 

14 respect to regularly scheduled general elections for Fed15 eral office beginning with the election scheduled to be held 

16 in November 2006. 

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