I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 254 
To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections and establish 
polling place hours. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 7, 2009 
Mr. ISRAEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on House Administration 
A BILL 
To change the date for regularly scheduled Federal elections 
and establish polling place hours. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Weekend Voting Act’’. 
SEC. 2. CHANGE IN CONGRESSIONAL ELECTION DAY TO 
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. 
Section 25 of the Revised Statutes (2 U.S.C. 7) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 25. The first Saturday and Sunday after the 
first Friday in November, in every even numbered year, 
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are established as the days for the election, in each of the 
States and Territories of the United States, of Represent-
atives and Delegates to the Congress commencing on the 
3d day of January thereafter.’’. 
SEC. 3. CHANGE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DAY TO SAT-
URDAY AND SUNDAY. 
Section 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘Tuesday next after the first Monday’’ and 
inserting ‘‘first Saturday and Sunday after the first Fri-
day’’. 
SEC. 4. POLLING PLACE HOURS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) 
PRESIDENTIAL
GENERAL
ELECTION.— 
Chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(A) by redesignating section 1 as section 
1A; and 
(B) by inserting before section 1A the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 1. Polling place hours 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CONTINENTAL
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term ‘continental United States’ means a State 
(other than Alaska and Hawaii) and the District of 
Columbia. 
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‘‘(2) PRESIDENTIAL GENERAL ELECTION.—The 
term ‘Presidential general election’ means the elec-
tion for electors of President and Vice President. 
‘‘(b) POLLING PLACE HOURS.— 
‘‘(1) POLLING PLACES IN THE CONTINENTAL 
UNITED STATES.—Each polling place in the conti-
nental United States shall be open, with respect to 
a Presidential general election, beginning on Satur-
day at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time and ending 
on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard time. 
‘‘(2) POLLING
PLACES
OUTSIDE
THE
CONTI-
NENTAL UNITED STATES.—Each polling place not 
located in the continental United States shall be 
open, with respect to a Presidential general election, 
beginning on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. local time and 
ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. local time. 
‘‘(3) EARLY
CLOSING.—A polling place may 
close between the hours of 10:00 p.m. local time on 
Saturday and 6:00 a.m. local time on Sunday as 
provided by the law of the State in which the polling 
place is located.’’. 
(2) CONGRESSIONAL
GENERAL
ELECTION.— 
Section 25 of the Revised Statutes of the United 
States (2 U.S.C. 7) is amended— 
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(A) by redesignating section 25 as section 
25A; and 
(B) by inserting before section 25A the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SEC. 25. POLLING PLACE HOURS. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CONTINENTAL
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term ‘continental United States’ means a State 
(other than Alaska and Hawaii) and the District of 
Columbia. 
‘‘(2) CONGRESSIONAL
GENERAL
ELECTION.— 
The term ‘congressional general election’ means the 
general election for the office of Senator or Rep-
resentative in, or Delegate or Resident Commis-
sioner to, the Congress. 
‘‘(b) POLLING PLACE HOURS.— 
‘‘(1) POLLING
PLACES
INSIDE
THE
CONTI-
NENTAL UNITED STATES.—Each polling place in the 
continental United States shall be open, with respect 
to a congressional general election, beginning on 
Saturday at 10:00 a.m. eastern standard time and 
ending on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. eastern standard 
time. 
‘‘(2) POLLING
PLACES
OUTSIDE
THE
CONTI-
NENTAL UNITED STATES.—Each polling place not 
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