II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 144 

To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections and establish 

polling place hours. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 24, 2005 

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 amend16 ed— 

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 25A 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 each amended by striking 

3 ‘‘title 3, United States Code, sections 1 and 2’’ and 

4 inserting ‘‘sections 1A and 2 of title 3’’. 

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