172 
‘‘(ii) to submit an application for an 
absentee ballot through the use of an auto-
mated telephone-based system, subject to 
the same terms and conditions applicable 
under this paragraph to the services made 
available online. 
‘‘(B) TREATMENT
OF
WEBSITES.—The 
State shall be considered to meet the require-
ments of subparagraph (A)(i) if the website of 
the appropriate State or local election official 
allows an application for an absentee ballot to 
be completed and submitted online and if the 
website permits the individual— 
‘‘(i) to print the application so that 
the individual may complete the application 
and return it to the official; or 
‘‘(ii) request that a paper copy of the 
application be transmitted to the individual 
by mail or electronic mail so that the indi-
vidual may complete the application and 
return it to the official. 
‘‘(C) ENSURING
DELIVERY
PRIOR
TO 
ELECTION.—If an individual who is eligible to 
vote in an election for Federal office submits an 
application for an absentee ballot in the elec-
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173 
tion, the appropriate State or local election offi-
cial shall ensure that the ballot and relating 
voting materials are received by the individual 
prior to the date of the election so long as the 
individual’s application is received by the offi-
cial not later than 5 days (excluding Saturdays, 
Sundays, and legal public holidays) before the 
date of the election, except that nothing in this 
paragraph shall preclude a State or local juris-
diction from allowing for the acceptance and 
processing of absentee ballot applications sub-
mitted or received after such required period. 
‘‘(D) APPLICATION
FOR
ALL
FUTURE 
ELECTIONS.—At the option of an individual, a 
State shall treat the individual’s application to 
vote by absentee ballot by mail in an election 
for Federal office as an application for an ab-
sentee ballot by mail in all subsequent Federal 
elections held in the State. 
‘‘(3) 
SAME-DAY
PROCESSING.—The 
United 
States Postal Service shall ensure, to the maximum 
extent practicable, that ballots are processed and 
cleared from any postal facility or post office on the 
same day the ballots are received at such a facility 
or post office. 
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174 
‘‘(d) ACCESSIBILITY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DIS-
ABILITIES.—The State shall ensure that all absentee bal-
lot applications, absentee ballots, and related voting mate-
rials in elections for Federal office are accessible to indi-
viduals with disabilities in a manner that provides the 
same opportunity for access and participation (including 
with privacy and independence) as for other voters. 
‘‘(e) UNIFORM DEADLINE
FOR ACCEPTANCE
OF 
MAILED BALLOTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State may not refuse to 
accept or process a ballot submitted by an individual 
by mail with respect to an election for Federal office 
in the State on the grounds that the individual did 
not meet a deadline for returning the ballot to the 
appropriate State or local election official if— 
‘‘(A) the ballot is postmarked or otherwise 
indicated by the United States Postal Service to 
have been mailed on or before the date of the 
election, or has been signed by the voter on or 
before the date of the election; and 
‘‘(B) the ballot is received by the appro-
priate election official prior to the expiration of 
the 10-day period which begins on the date of 
the election. 
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175 
‘‘(2) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed to prohibit a State 
from having a law that allows for counting of ballots 
in an election for Federal office that are received 
through the mail after the date that is 10 days after 
the date of the election. 
‘‘(f) ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF RETURNING BAL-
LOTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to permitting 
an individual to whom a ballot in an election was 
provided under this section to return the ballot to an 
election official by mail, the State shall permit the 
individual to cast the ballot by delivering the ballot 
at such times and to such locations as the State may 
establish, including— 
‘‘(A) permitting the individual to deliver 
the ballot to a polling place on any date on 
which voting in the election is held at the poll-
ing place; and 
‘‘(B) permitting the individual to deliver 
the ballot to a designated ballot drop-off loca-
tion, a tribally designated building, or the office 
of a State or local election official. 
‘‘(2) PERMITTING
VOTERS
TO
DESIGNATE 
OTHER PERSON TO RETURN BALLOT.—The State— 
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176 
‘‘(A) shall permit a voter to designate any 
person to return a voted and sealed absentee 
ballot to the post office, a ballot drop-off loca-
tion, tribally designated building, or election of-
fice so long as the person designated to return 
the ballot does not receive any form of com-
pensation based on the number of ballots that 
the person has returned and no individual, 
group, or organization provides compensation 
on this basis; and 
‘‘(B) may not put any limit on how many 
voted and sealed absentee ballots any des-
ignated person can return to the post office, a 
ballot drop-off location, tribally designated 
building, or election office. 
‘‘(g) BALLOT PROCESSING AND SCANNING REQUIRE-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The State shall begin proc-
essing and scanning ballots cast by mail for tabula-
tion at least 14 days prior to the date of the election 
involved. 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed to permit a State to tabulate bal-
lots in an election before the closing of the polls on 
the date of the election. 
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177 
‘‘(h) PROHIBITING CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON AC-
CESS TO VOTING MATERIALS.— 
‘‘(1) DISTRIBUTION OF ABSENTEE BALLOT AP-
PLICATIONS BY THIRD PARTIES.—A State may not 
prohibit any person from providing an application 
for an absentee ballot in the election to any indi-
vidual who is eligible to vote in the election. 
‘‘(2) UNSOLICITED PROVISION OF VOTER REG-
ISTRATION
APPLICATIONS
BY
ELECTION
OFFI-
CIALS.—A State may not prohibit an election official 
from providing an unsolicited application to register 
to vote in an election for Federal office to any indi-
vidual who is eligible to register to vote in the elec-
tion. 
‘‘(i) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to affect the authority of States 
to conduct elections for Federal office through the use of 
polling places at which individuals cast ballots. 
‘‘(j) NO EFFECT ON BALLOTS SUBMITTED BY AB-
SENT MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS.—Nothing in 
this section may be construed to affect the treatment of 
any ballot submitted by an individual who is entitled to 
vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas 
Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.). 
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178 
‘‘(k) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for 
Federal office held in November 2022 and each succeeding 
election for Federal office.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 1201(c), section 
2001(c), and section 8001(c), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 307 and 308 as relating to sections 308 and 
309; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 306 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 307. Promoting ability of voters to vote by mail.’’. 
(c) DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVE VERIFICATION 
METHODS.— 
(1) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDS.—The Na-
tional Institute of Standards, in consultation with 
the Election Assistance Commission, shall develop 
standards for the use of alternative methods which 
could be used in place of signature verification re-
quirements for purposes of verifying the identifica-
tion of an individual voting by absentee ballot in 
elections for Federal office. 
(2) PUBLIC NOTICE AND COMMENT.—The Na-
tional Institute of Standards shall solicit comments 
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179 
from the public in the development of standards 
under paragraph (1). 
(3) DEADLINE.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the National 
Institute of Standards shall publish the standards 
developed under paragraph (1). 
SEC. 9002. ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACKING PROGRAM. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), 
as amended by section 1201(a), section 2001(a), section 
8001(a), and section 9001(a), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 308 and 309 as 
sections 309 and 310; and 
(2) by inserting after section 307 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 308. ABSENTEE BALLOT TRACKING PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) REQUIREMENT.—Each State shall carry out a 
program to track and confirm the receipt of absentee bal-
lots in an election for Federal office under which the State 
or local election official responsible for the receipt of voted 
absentee ballots in the election carries out procedures to 
track and confirm the receipt of such ballots, and makes 
information on the receipt of such ballots available to the 
individual who cast the ballot, by means of online access 
using the Internet site of the official’s office. 
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180 
‘‘(b) INFORMATION ON WHETHER VOTE WAS AC-
CEPTED.—The information referred to under subsection 
(a) with respect to the receipt of an absentee ballot shall 
include information regarding whether the vote cast on the 
ballot was accepted, and, in the case of a vote which was 
rejected, the reasons therefor. 
‘‘(c) USE OF TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER BY 
OFFICIALS WITHOUT INTERNET SITE.—A program estab-
lished by a State or local election official whose office does 
not have an Internet site may meet the requirements of 
subsection (a) if the official has established a toll-free tele-
phone number that may be used by an individual who cast 
an absentee ballot to obtain the information on the receipt 
of the voted absentee ballot as provided under such sub-
section. 
‘‘(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for 
Federal office held in November 2022 and each succeeding 
election for Federal office.’’. 
(b) REIMBURSEMENT
FOR COSTS INCURRED
BY 
STATES IN ESTABLISHING PROGRAM.—Subtitle D of title 
II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 
15401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new part: 
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181 
‘‘PART 7—PAYMENTS TO REIMBURSE STATES 
FOR COSTS INCURRED IN ESTABLISHING 
PROGRAM TO TRACK AND CONFIRM RE-
CEIPT OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS 
‘‘SEC. 297. PAYMENTS TO STATES. 
‘‘(a) PAYMENTS FOR COSTS OF PROGRAM.—In ac-
cordance with this section, the Commission shall make a 
payment to a State to reimburse the State for the costs 
incurred in establishing the absentee ballot tracking pro-
gram under section 308 (including costs incurred prior to 
the date of the enactment of this part). 
‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE AND COSTS.— 
‘‘(1) CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.—In order to 
receive a payment under this section, a State shall 
submit to the Commission a statement containing— 
‘‘(A) a certification that the State has es-
tablished an absentee ballot tracking program 
with respect to elections for Federal office held 
in the State; and 
‘‘(B) a statement of the costs incurred by 
the State in establishing the program. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The amount of a 
payment made to a State under this section shall be 
equal to the costs incurred by the State in estab-
lishing the absentee ballot tracking program, as set 
forth in the statement submitted under paragraph 
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182 
(1), except that such amount may not exceed the 
product of— 
‘‘(A) the number of jurisdictions in the 
State which are responsible for operating the 
program; and 
‘‘(B) $3,000. 
‘‘(3) LIMIT
ON
NUMBER
OF
PAYMENTS
RE-
CEIVED.—A State may not receive more than one 
payment under this part. 
‘‘SEC. 297A. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
‘‘(a) AUTHORIZATION.—There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commission for fiscal year 2022 and 
each succeeding fiscal year such sums as may be necessary 
for payments under this part. 
‘‘(b) CONTINUING AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Any 
amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under 
this section shall remain available until expended.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 1201(c), section 
2001(c), section 8001(c), and section 9001(b), is amend-
ed— 
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183 
(1) by adding at the end of the items relating 
to subtitle D of title II the following: 
‘‘PART 7—PAYMENTS TO REIMBURSE STATES FOR COSTS INCURRED IN ES-
TABLISHING PROGRAM TO TRACK AND CONFIRM RECEIPT OF ABSENTEE 
BALLOTS 
‘‘Sec. 297. Payments to States. 
‘‘Sec. 297A. Authorization of appropriations.’’; 
(2) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 308 and 309 as relating to sections 309 and 
310; and 
(3) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 307 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 308. Absentee ballot tracking program.’’. 
SEC. 9003. VOTING MATERIALS POSTAGE. 
(a) PREPAYMENT OF POSTAGE ON RETURN ENVE-
LOPES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 
et seq.), as amended by section 1201(a), section 
2001(a), section 8001(a), section 9001(a), and sec-
tion 9002(a), is amended— 
(A) by redesignating sections 309 and 310 
as sections 310 and 311; and 
(B) by inserting after section 308 the fol-
lowing new section: 
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184 
‘‘SEC. 309. PREPAYMENT OF POSTAGE ON RETURN ENVE-
LOPES FOR VOTING MATERIALS. 
‘‘(a) PROVISION OF RETURN ENVELOPES.—The ap-
propriate State or local election official shall provide a 
self-sealing return envelope with— 
‘‘(1) any voter registration application form 
transmitted to a registrant by mail; 
‘‘(2) any application for an absentee ballot 
transmitted to an applicant by mail; and 
‘‘(3) any blank absentee ballot transmitted to a 
voter by mail. 
‘‘(b) PREPAYMENT OF POSTAGE.—Consistent with 
regulations of the United States Postal Service, the State 
or the unit of local government responsible for the admin-
istration of the election involved shall prepay the postage 
on any envelope provided under subsection (a). 
‘‘(c) NO EFFECT ON BALLOTS OR BALLOTING MATE-
RIALS TRANSMITTED TO ABSENT MILITARY AND OVER-
SEAS VOTERS.—Nothing in this section may be construed 
to affect the treatment of any ballot or balloting materials 
transmitted to an individual who is entitled to vote by ab-
sentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 
Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.). 
‘‘(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take ef-
fect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this section, except that— 
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185 
‘‘(1) State and local jurisdictions shall make ar-
rangements with the United States Postal Service to 
pay for all postage costs that such jurisdictions 
would be required to pay under this section if this 
section took effect on the date of enactment; and 
‘‘(2) States shall take all reasonable efforts to 
provide self-sealing return envelopes as provided in 
this section.’’. 
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents of such Act, as amended by section 1201(c), 
section 2001(c), section 8001(c), and section 
9001(b), is amended— 
(A) by redesignating the items relating to 
sections 309 and 310 as relating to sections 
310 and 311; and 
(B) by inserting after the item relating to 
section 308 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 309. Prepayment of postage on return envelopes for voting materials.’’. 
(b) ROLE OF UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Chapter 34 of title 39, 
United States Code, is amended by adding after sec-
tion 3406 the following: 
‘‘§ 3407. Voting materials; restrictions on operational 
changes prior to elections 
‘‘(a) Any voter registration application, absentee bal-
lot application, or absentee ballot with respect to any elec-
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186 
tion for Federal office shall be carried in accordance with 
the service standards established for first-class mail, re-
gardless of the class of postage prepaid. 
‘‘(b) In the case of any election mail carried by the 
Postal Service that consists of a ballot, the Postal Service 
shall indicate on the ballot envelope, using a postmark or 
otherwise— 
‘‘(1) the fact that the ballot was carried by the 
Postal Service; and 
‘‘(2) the date on which the ballot was mailed. 
‘‘(c) During the 120-day period which ends on the 
date of an election for Federal office, the Postal Service 
may not carry out any new operational change that would 
restrict the prompt and reliable delivery of voting mate-
rials with respect to the election, including voter registra-
tion applications, absentee ballot applications, and absen-
tee ballots. This paragraph applies to operational changes 
which include removing or eliminating any mail collection 
box without immediately replacing it, and removing, de-
commissioning, or any other form of stopping the oper-
ation of mail sorting machines, other than for routine 
maintenance. 
‘‘(d) The Postal Service shall appoint an Election 
Mail Coordinator in every Postal Area and District to fa-
cilitate relevant information sharing with State, territorial, 
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187 
local, and tribal election officials in regards to the mailing 
of voter registration applications, absentee ballot applica-
tions, and absentee ballots. 
‘‘(e) As used in this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘absentee ballot’ means any ballot 
transmitted by a voter by mail in an election for 
Federal office, but does not include any ballot cov-
ered by section 3406; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘election for Federal office’ means 
a general, special, primary, or runoff election for the 
office of President or Vice President, or of Senator 
or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Com-
missioner to, the Congress. 
‘‘(f) Nothing in this section may be construed to af-
fect the treatment of any ballot or balloting materials 
transmitted to an individual who is entitled to vote by ab-
sentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens 
Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.).’’. 
(2) MAIL-IN
BALLOTS
AND
POSTAL
SERVICE 
BARCODE SERVICE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 3001 of title 
39, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(p) Any ballot sent within the United States for an 
election for Federal office is nonmailable and shall not be 
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221 
(1) by redesignating subsection (f) as sub-
section (g); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(f) MINIMUM NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR 
VOTERS AFFECTED BY POLLING PLACE CHANGES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If a State assigns an indi-
vidual who is a registered voter in a State to a poll-
ing place with respect to an election for Federal of-
fice which is not the same polling place to which the 
individual was previously assigned with respect to 
the most recent election for Federal office in the 
State in which the individual was eligible to vote— 
‘‘(A) the State shall notify the individual of 
the location of the polling place not later than 
7 days before the date of the election or the 
first day of an early voting period (whichever 
occurs first); or 
‘‘(B) if the State makes such an assign-
ment fewer than 7 days before the date of the 
election and the individual appears on the date 
of the election at the polling place to which the 
individual was previously assigned, the State 
shall make every reasonable effort to enable the 
individual to vote on the date of the election. 
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