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107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 1320

To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections and establish

polling place hours.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

AUGUST 2, 2001

Mr. KOHL (for himself and Mr. CORZINE) introduced the following bill; which

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

A BILL

To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections

and establish polling place hours.

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 ‘‘Weekend Voting Act’’.

5 SEC. 2. CHANGE IN CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION DAY TO

6 SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.

7 Section 25 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 7) is

8 amended to read as follows:

9 ‘‘SEC. 25. The first Saturday and Sunday after the

10 first Friday in November, in every even numbered year,
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1 are established as the days for the election, in each of the

2 States and Territories of the United States, of Represent3 atives and Delegates to the Congress commencing on the

4 3d day of January thereafter.’’.

5 SEC. 3. CHANGE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DAY TO SAT6 URDAY AND SUNDAY.

7 Section 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended

8 by striking ‘‘Tuesday next after the first Monday’’ and

9 inserting ‘‘first Saturday and Sunday after the first Fri10 day’’.

11 SEC. 4. POLLING PLACE HOURS IN CONTINENTAL UNITED

12 STATES.

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—

14 (1) PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION.—

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

16 amended—

17 (A) by redesignating section 1 as section

18 1A; and

19 (B) by inserting before section 1A the fol20 lowing:

21 ‘‘§ 1. Polling place hours in continental United States

22 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:

23 ‘‘(1) CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.—The

24 term ‘continental United States’ means a State
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1 (other than Alaska and Hawaii) and the District of

2 Columbia.

3 ‘‘(2) PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION.—The

4 term ‘Presidential general election’ means the elec5 tion for electors of President and Vice President.

6 ‘‘(b) POLLING PLACE HOURS.—

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each polling place in the

8 continental United States shall be open, with respect

9 to a Presidential general election, beginning on Sat10 urday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time and end11 ing on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time.

12 ‘‘(2) EARLY CLOSING.—A polling place may

13 close between the hours of 12:00 p.m. (midnight)

14 and 5:00 a.m. local time as provided by the law of

15 the State in which the polling place is located.’’.

16 (2) CONGRESSIONAL GENERAL ELECTION.—

17 Section 25 of the Revised Statutes of the United

18 States (2 U.S.C. 7) is amended—

19 (A) by redesignating section 25 as section

20 25A; and

21 (B) by inserting before section 15A the fol22 lowing:

23 ‘‘SEC. 25. POLLING PLACE HOURS IN THE CONTINENTAL

24 UNITED STATES.

25 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
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1 ‘‘(1) CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES.—The

2 term ‘continental United States’ means a State

3 (other than Alaska and Hawaii) and the District of

4 Columbia.

5 ‘‘(2) CONGRESSIONAL GENERAL ELECTION.—

6 The term ‘congressional general election’ means the

7 general election for the office of Senator or Rep8 resentative in, or Delegate or Resident Commis9 sioner to, the Congress.

10 ‘‘(b) POLLING PLACE HOURS.—

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each polling place in the

12 continental United States shall be open, with respect

13 to a congressional general election, beginning on

14 Saturday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time and

15 ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard

16 time.

17 ‘‘(2) EARLY CLOSING.—A polling place may

18 close between the hours of 12:00 p.m. (midnight)

19 and 5:00 a.m. local time as provided by the law of

20 the State in which the polling place is located.’’.

21 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—

22 (1) The table of sections for chapter 1 of title

23 3, United States Code, is amended by striking the

24 item relating to section 1 and inserting the fol25 lowing:
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‘‘1. Polling place hours in continental United States.

‘‘1A. Time of appointing electors.’’.

1 (2) Sections 871(b) and 1751(f) of title 18,

2 United States Code, are amended by striking ‘‘title

3 3, United States Code, sections 1 and 2’’ and insert4 ing ‘‘sections 1A and 2 of title 3’’.

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