I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5678

To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966

to establish a single poll closing time for Presidential general elections.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DECEMBER 15, 2000

Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. LATOURETTE, Ms.

ESHOO, Mr. FROST, Mr. COX, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas,

Mr. BURR of North Carolina, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. OLVER, Mr.

HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HORN, Mr. PHELPS, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of

California, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr.

BARTON of Texas, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. RILEY, and Mr. BURTON

of Indiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on

Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,

in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform

Time Act of 1966 to establish a single poll closing time

for Presidential general elections.

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Uniform Poll Closing

5 Act of 2000’’.
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1 SEC. 2. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME FOR PRESIDENTIAL

2 GENERAL ELECTIONS.

3 Chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended

4 by—

5 (1) redesignating section 21 as section 22; and

6 (2) inserting after section 20 the following new

7 section:

8 ‘‘‘SEC. 21. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME.

9 ‘‘(a) Each polling place in each State shall close, with

10 respect to a Presidential general election, at 9:00 o’clock

11 post meridiem, eastern standard time. Any person who,

12 as determined under the law of the State involved, arrives

13 at a polling place after that time shall not be permitted

14 to vote in the Presidential general election.

15 ‘‘(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a polling place

16 shall close, with respect to a Presidential general election,

17 as provided by the law of the State involved, in the case

18 of a polling place at which each person who is eligible to

19 vote has voted.

20 ‘‘(c) Notwithstanding section 1 or any other provision

21 of law, in the case of the States of Alaska and Hawaii,

22 a State may open polling places with respect to a Presi23 dential general election during the day preceding the day

24 provided under such section in addition to the day pro25 vided under such section, so long as the State meets the
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1 requirements of subsection (a) with respect to the day pro2 vided under such section.

3 ‘‘(d) As used in this section, the term ‘Presidential

4 general election’ means the election for electors of Presi5 dent and Vice President.’’.

6 SEC. 3. EXTENDED DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IN PACIFIC

7 TIME ZONE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

8 YEARS.

9 Section 3 of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15

10 U.S.C. 260a) is amended by adding at the end the fol11 lowing new subsection:

12 ‘‘(d)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this sec13 tion, in each year in which a Presidential general election

14 takes place, the period of time during which the standard

15 time shall be advanced with respect to the Pacific time

16 zone shall end at 2:00 o’clock ante meridiem on the first

17 Sunday after the date of that election.

18 ‘‘(2) As used in this subsection, the term ‘Presi19 dential general election’ means the election for electors of

20 President and Vice President.’’.

21 SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

22 (a) AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 3, UNITED STATES

23 CODE.—The table of sections for chapter 1 of title 3,

24 United States Code, is amended—
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1 (1) by redesignating the item relating to section

2 21 as the item relating to section 22; and

3 (2) by inserting after the item relating to sec4 tion 20 the following new item:

‘‘21. Single poll closing time in continental United States.’’.

5 (b) AMENDMENTS TO UNIFORM TIME ACT OF

6 1966.—Section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15

7 U.S.C. 260a(a)) is amended by striking out ‘‘2 o’clock

8 antemeridian’’ each place it appears and inserting in lieu

9 thereof ‘‘2:00 o’clock ante meridiem’’.

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