I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1398 
To provide funds to give States incentives to invest in practices and technology 
designed to expedite voting at the polls and simplify voter registration, 
improve voting system security, and promote automatic voter registration, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 7, 2017 
Mr. CONNOLLY (for himself and Mr. LANGEVIN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on House Administration 
A BILL 
To provide funds to give States incentives to invest in prac-
tices and technology designed to expedite voting at the 
polls and simplify voter registration, improve voting sys-
tem security, and promote automatic voter registration, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Fair, Accurate, Secure, and Timely Voting Act of 2017’’ 
or the ‘‘FAST Voting Act of 2017’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
TITLE I—IMPROVING VOTER PARTICIPATION 
Sec. 101. Incentives for States to invest in practices and technology designed 
to expedite voting at the polls and simplify voter registration. 
Sec. 102. Criteria for awarding grants. 
Sec. 103. Criteria for evaluating applications. 
Sec. 104. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE II—IMPROVING VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY 
Sec. 201. Incentives for States to improve voting system security. 
Sec. 202. Criteria for awarding grants. 
Sec. 203. Criteria for evaluating applications. 
Sec. 204. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE III—ENCOURAGING AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION 
Sec. 301. Incentives for States to implement automatic voter registration. 
Sec. 302. Applications. 
Sec. 303. Authorization of appropriations. 
TITLE IV—GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Sec. 401. Establishment of performance measures and targets. 
Sec. 402. Reporting requirements. 
Sec. 403. State defined. 
TITLE I—IMPROVING VOTER 
PARTICIPATION 
SEC. 101. INCENTIVES FOR STATES TO INVEST IN PRAC-
TICES AND TECHNOLOGY DESIGNED TO EX-
PEDITE VOTING AT THE POLLS AND SIM-
PLIFY VOTER REGISTRATION. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the amounts made 
available under section 104 for a fiscal year and not 
reserved under section (b) of section 104, the Elec-
tion Assistance Commission (hereafter in this title 
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referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’) shall award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to States in accord-
ance with section 103. 
(2) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—A State may not re-
ceive more than 1 grant under this section per grant 
period. 
(3) DURATION OF GRANTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A grant under this sec-
tion shall be awarded for a period of not more 
than 4 years. 
(B) CONTINUATION OF GRANTS.—A State 
that is awarded a grant under this section shall 
not receive grant funds under this section for 
the second or any subsequent year of the grant 
unless the State demonstrates to the Commis-
sion, at such time and in such manner as deter-
mined by the Commission, that the State is— 
(i) making progress in implementing 
the grant implementation plan described in 
section 102(b) at a rate that the Commis-
sion determines will result in the State 
fully implementing such plan during the 
remainder of the grant period; or 
(ii) making progress against the per-
formance measures established under sec-
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tion 401 at a rate that the Commission de-
termines will result in the State reaching 
its targets and achieving the objectives of 
the grant during the remainder of the 
grant period. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Each State that receives a 
grant under this title shall use the funds provided by the 
grant to carry out the State’s grant implementation plan 
described in section 102(b). 
SEC. 102. CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS. 
(a) APPLICATIONS.—Each State that desires to re-
ceive a grant under this title shall submit an application 
to the Commission at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Commission may reason-
ably require. At a minimum, each such application shall 
include each of the following: 
(1) A documentation of the State’s record in 
carrying out the following in the administration of 
elections for public office: 
(A) Providing various voter registration 
opportunities and record of providing electronic 
transfer of voter registration information from 
government agencies to election officials. 
(B) Providing early voting. 
(C) Providing absentee voting. 
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(D) Providing assistance to voters who do 
not speak English as a primary language. 
(E) Providing assistance to voters with dis-
abilities at and beyond the level required by 
Federal law. 
(F) Providing effective access to voting for 
members of the uniformed services at and be-
yond the level required by Federal law. 
(G) Providing formal training of election 
officials. 
(H) Auditing waiting times at polling 
places. 
(I) Allocating polling locations, equipment, 
and staff to match population distribution. 
(J) Responding to voting irregularities and 
concerns raised at polling stations. 
(K) Creating and adhering to contingency 
voting plans in the event of a natural or other 
disaster. 
(L) Any other performance measure estab-
lished under section 401 in providing various 
voter registration opportunities. 
(2) Evidence of established conditions of inno-
vation and reform in the administration of elections 
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for public office in the State and the State’s pro-
posed plan for implementing additional conditions. 
(3) Evidence of collaboration between relevant 
stakeholders in developing the grant implementation 
plan described in subsection (b). 
(4) Annual performance measures and targets 
for the activities carried out with the grant. 
(5) A description of the State’s plan to conduct 
a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of the ac-
tivities carried out with the grant. 
(6) The grant implementation plan described in 
subsection (b). 
(b) GRANT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—The grant im-
plementation plan described in this subsection is a plan 
developed by the State for using funds provided by the 
grant to improve the State’s performance on the perform-
ance measures established under section 401, including 
how the State will carry out some or all of the following: 
(1) Providing flexible registration opportunities, 
including online and same-day registration and reg-
istration updating. 
(2) Providing early voting, at a minimum of 9 
of the 10 calendar days preceding an election, at 
sufficient and flexible hours. 
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(3) Providing absentee voting, including no-ex-
cuse absentee voting. 
(4) Providing assistance to voters who do not 
speak English as a primary language beyond the 
minimum requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 
1965. 
(5) Providing assistance to voters with disabil-
ities, including visual impairment, at and beyond the 
level required by Federal law. 
(6) Providing effective access to voting for 
members of the uniformed services at and beyond 
the level required by Federal law. 
(7) Providing formal training of election offi-
cials, including State and county administrators and 
volunteers. 
(8) Auditing and reducing waiting times at poll-
ing places. 
(9) Allocating polling locations, equipment, and 
staff to match population distribution. 
(10) Responding to any reports of voting irreg-
ularities or concerns raised at polling places. 
(11) Creating contingency voting plans in the 
event of natural or other disaster. 
(12) Improving the wait times at the persist-
ently poorest performing polling stations. 
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SEC. 103. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING APPLICATIONS. 
(a) AWARD BASIS.—The Commission shall award 
grants to States under this title on a competitive basis, 
based on the quality of the State’s application submitted 
under section 102, including— 
(1) the State’s record in the areas described in 
paragraph (1) of section 102(a); 
(2) the State’s record of, and commitment to, 
establishing conditions for innovation and reform, as 
described in paragraph (2) of section 102(a); 
(3) the quality and likelihood of success of the 
State’s grant implementation plan described in sec-
tion 102(b) in showing improvement in the areas de-
scribed in paragraph (1) of section 102(a), including 
the State’s capacity to implement the plan and evi-
dence of collaboration as described in paragraph (3) 
of section 102(a); and 
(4) the State’s evaluation plan as described in 
paragraph (5) of section 102(a). 
(b) EXPLANATION.—The Commission shall publish 
an explanation of how the application review process under 
this paragraph will ensure an equitable and objective eval-
uation based on the criteria described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 104. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 
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2017 and each succeeding fiscal year to carry out this 
title. 
(b) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—From the amount 
made available to carry out this title for a fiscal year, the 
Commission may reserve not more than 10 percent of such 
amount to carry out activities related to— 
(1) technical assistance; and 
(2) outreach and dissemination. 
TITLE II—IMPROVING VOTING 
SYSTEM SECURITY 
SEC. 201. INCENTIVES FOR STATES TO IMPROVE VOTING 
SYSTEM SECURITY. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the amounts made 
available under section 204 for a fiscal year and not 
reserved under section (b) of section 204, the Elec-
tion Assistance Commission (hereafter in this title 
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’) shall award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to States in accord-
ance with section 203. 
(2) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—A State may not re-
ceive more than 1 grant under this section per grant 
period. 
(3) DURATION OF GRANTS.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—A grant under this sec-
tion shall be awarded for a period of not more 
than 4 years. 
(B) CONTINUATION OF GRANTS.—A State 
that is awarded a grant under this section shall 
not receive grant funds under this section for 
the second or any subsequent year of the grant 
unless the State demonstrates to the Commis-
sion, at such time and in such manner as deter-
mined by the Commission, that the State is— 
(i) making progress in implementing 
the grant implementation plan described in 
section 202(b) at a rate that the Commis-
sion determines will result in the State 
fully implementing such plan during the 
remainder of the grant period; or 
(ii) making progress against the per-
formance measures established under sec-
tion 401 at a rate that the Commission de-
termines will result in the State reaching 
its targets and achieving the objectives of 
the grant during the remainder of the 
grant period. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Each State that receives a 
grant under this title shall use the funds provided by the 
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grant to carry out the State’s grant implementation plan 
described in section 202(b). 
SEC. 202. CRITERIA FOR AWARDING GRANTS. 
(a) APPLICATIONS.—Each State that desires to re-
ceive a grant under this title shall submit an application 
to the Commission at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Commission may reason-
ably require. At a minimum, each such application shall 
include each of the following: 
(1) A documentation of the State’s record in 
carrying out the following in the administration of 
elections for public office: 
(A) Providing voting machines that are 
less than 10 years old. 
(B) Providing voting equipment that gen-
erates a verifiable paper trail at polling places. 
(C) Implementing strong chain of custody 
procedures for the physical security of voting 
equipment and paper records at all stages of 
the process. 
(D) Conducting pre-election testing on 
every voting machine and ensuring that paper 
ballots are available wherever electronic ma-
chines are used. 
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(E) Mandating post-election risk-limiting 
audits to confirm the validity of electronic re-
sults. 
(F) Keeping offline backups of voter reg-
istration lists. 
(G) Providing a secure voter registration 
database that logs requests submitted to the 
database. 
(H) Publishing and enforcing a policy de-
tailing use limitations and security safeguards 
to protect voters’ personal information in the 
voter registration process. 
(I) Providing secure processes and proce-
dures for reporting vote tallies. 
(J) Providing a secure platform for dis-
seminating vote totals. 
(K) Any other performance measure estab-
lished under section 401 in providing voting 
system security. 
(2) Evidence of established conditions of inno-
vation and reform in providing voting system secu-
rity and the State’s proposed plan for implementing 
additional conditions. 
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(3) Evidence of collaboration between relevant 
stakeholders in developing the grant implementation 
plan described in subsection (b). 
(4) Annual performance measures and targets 
for the activities carried out with the grant. 
(5) A description of the State’s plan to conduct 
a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of the ac-
tivities carried out with the grant. 
(6) The grant implementation plan described in 
subsection (b). 
(b) GRANT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.—The grant im-
plementation plan described in this subsection is a plan 
developed by the State for using funds provided by the 
grant to improve the State’s performance on the perform-
ance measures established under section 401, including 
how the State will carry out some or all of the following: 
(1) Providing voting machines that are less 
than 10 years old. 
(2) Updating voting equipment to provide a 
verifiable paper trail at polling stations. 
(3) Implementing strong chain of custody pro-
cedures for the physical security of voting equipment 
and paper records at all stages of the process. 
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(4) Conducting pre-election testing on every 
voting machine and ensuring paper ballots are avail-
able wherever electronic machines are used. 
(5) Mandating post-election risk-limiting audits 
to confirm the validity of electronic results. 
(6) Keeping offline backups of voter registra-
tion lists. 
(7) Providing a secure voter registration data-
base that logs requests submitted to the database. 
(8) Publishing and enforcing a policy detailing 
use limitations and security safeguards to protect 
voters’ personal information in the voter registration 
process. 
(9) Providing secure processes and procedures 
for reporting vote tallies. 
(10) Providing a secure platform for dissemi-
nating vote totals. 
SEC. 203. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING APPLICATIONS. 
(a) AWARD BASIS.—The Commission shall award 
grants to States under this title on a competitive basis, 
based on the quality of the State’s application submitted 
under section 202, including— 
(1) the State’s record in the areas described in 
paragraph (1) of section 202(a); 
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(2) the State’s record of, and commitment to, 
establishing conditions for innovation and reform, as 
described in paragraph (2) of section 202(a); 
(3) the quality and likelihood of success of the 
State’s grant implementation plan described in sec-
tion 202(b) in showing improvement in the areas de-
scribed in paragraph (1) of section 202(a), including 
the State’s capacity to implement the plan and evi-
dence of collaboration as described in paragraph (3) 
of section 202(a); and 
(4) the State’s evaluation plan as described in 
paragraph (5) of section 202(a). 
(b) EXPLANATION.—The Commission shall publish 
an explanation of how the application review process under 
this paragraph will ensure an equitable and objective eval-
uation based on the criteria described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 204. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 
2017 and each succeeding fiscal year to carry out this 
title. 
(b) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—From the amount 
made available to carry out this title for a fiscal year, the 
Commission may reserve not more than 10 percent of such 
amount to carry out activities related to— 
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(1) technical assistance; and 
(2) outreach and dissemination. 
TITLE III—ENCOURAGING AUTO-
MATIC VOTER REGISTRATION 
SEC. 301. INCENTIVES FOR STATES TO IMPLEMENT AUTO-
MATIC VOTER REGISTRATION. 
(a) GRANTS AUTHORIZED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—From the amounts made 
available under section 303 for a fiscal year and not 
reserved under section (b) of section 303, the Elec-
tion Assistance Commission (hereafter in this title 
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’) shall award 
grants, on a competitive basis, to States in accord-
ance with section 302. 
(2) NUMBER OF GRANTS.—A State may not re-
ceive more than 1 grant under this section per grant 
period. 
(3) DURATION OF GRANTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A grant under this sec-
tion shall be awarded for a period of not more 
than 4 years. 
(B) CONTINUATION OF GRANTS.—A State 
that is awarded a grant under this section shall 
not receive grant funds under this section for 
the second or any subsequent year of the grant 
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unless the State demonstrates to the Commis-
sion, at such time and in such manner as deter-
mined by the Commission, that the State is— 
(i) making progress in implementing 
the plan for the implementation of auto-
matic voter registration in the State, as de-
scribed in section 302(c), at a rate that the 
Commission determines will result in the 
State fully implementing such plan during 
the remainder of the grant period; or 
(ii) making progress against the per-
formance measures established under sec-
tion 401 at a rate that the Commission de-
termines will result in the State reaching 
its targets and achieving the objectives of 
the grant during the remainder of the 
grant period. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—Each State that receives a 
grant under this title shall use the funds provided by the 
grant to carry out the State’s plan for the implementation 
of automatic voter registration in the State, as described 
in section 302(c). 
SEC. 302. APPLICATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Each State that desires to receive 
a grant under this title shall submit an application to the 
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Commission at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Commission may reasonably re-
quire. At a minimum, each such application shall include 
the following: 
(1) A detailed plan for the implementation of 
automatic voter registration in the State. 
(2) Annual performance measures and targets 
for the activities carried out with the grant. 
(3) A description of the State’s plan to conduct 
a rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of the ac-
tivities carried out with the grant. 
(b) SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS.—The Commission 
shall award grants to States under this title on a competi-
tive basis, based on the quality of the State’s application 
submitted under subsection (a). 
(c) 
AUTOMATIC
VOTER
REGISTRATION
DE-
SCRIBED.—In this title, ‘‘automatic voter registration’’ 
means a system under which a State registers individuals 
to vote in elections for Federal office who are eligible to 
vote in such elections by electronically transferring the in-
formation necessary for registration from government 
agencies to election officials of the State so that, unless 
the individual affirmatively declines to be registered, the 
individual will be registered to vote in such elections. 
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SEC. 303. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 
2017 and each succeeding fiscal year to carry out this 
title. 
(b) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—From the amount 
made available to carry out this title for a fiscal year, the 
Commission may reserve not more than 10 percent of such 
amount to carry out activities related to— 
(1) technical assistance; and 
(2) outreach and dissemination. 
TITLE IV—GENERAL 
PROVISIONS 
SEC. 401. ESTABLISHMENT OF PERFORMANCE MEASURES 
AND TARGETS. 
Each State receiving a grant under this Act shall es-
tablish performance measures and targets, approved by 
the Election Assistance Commission (hereafter in this title 
referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’), for the programs and 
activities carried out with the funds provided by the grant. 
SEC. 402. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. 
Each State receiving a grant under this Act shall sub-
mit to the Commission, at such time and in such manner 
as the Commission may require, an annual report includ-
ing— 
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(1) data on the State’s progress in achieving 
the targets for the performance measures established 
under section 401; 
(2) a description of the challenges the State has 
faced in implementing the programs and activities 
funded by the grant and how it has addressed or 
plans to address those challenges; and 
(3) findings from the evaluation plan for the 
grant. 
SEC. 403. STATE DEFINED. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘State’’ means each of the sev-
eral States and the District of Columbia. 
Æ 
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