(3) DURATION.—The program shall be con-
ducted for a period of 3 years. 
(f) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) REQUIRED PROCEDURES.—A participating 
State shall establish and implement procedures for 
conducting all elections by mail in the area with re-
spect to which it receives an implementation grant 
to conduct such elections, including the following: 
(A) A process for recording electronically 
each voter’s registration information and signa-
ture. 
(B) A process for mailing ballots to all eli-
gible voters. 
(C) The designation of places for the de-
posit of ballots cast in an election. 
(D) A process for ensuring the secrecy and 
integrity of ballots cast in the election. 
(E) Procedures and penalties for pre-
venting election fraud and ballot tampering, in-
cluding procedures for the verification of the 
signature of the voter accompanying the ballot 
through comparison of such signature with the 
signature of the voter maintained by the State 
in accordance with subparagraph (A). 
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(F) Procedures for verifying that a ballot 
has been received by the appropriate authority. 
(G) Procedures for obtaining a replace-
ment ballot in the case of a ballot which is de-
stroyed, spoiled, lost, or not received by the 
voter. 
(H) A plan for training election workers in 
signature verification techniques. 
(I) Plans and procedures to ensure that 
voters who are blind, visually-impaired, or oth-
erwise disabled have the opportunity to partici-
pate in elections conducted by mail and to en-
sure compliance with the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002. Such plans and procedures shall 
be developed in consultation with disabled and 
other civil rights organizations, voting rights 
groups, State election officials, voter protection 
groups, and other interested community organi-
zations. 
(J) Plans and procedures to ensure the 
translation of ballots and voting materials in 
accordance with section 203 of the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa–1a)). 
(g) BEST PRACTICES, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND 
REPORTS.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Election Assistance 
Commission shall— 
(A) develop, periodically issue, and, as ap-
propriate, update best practices for conducting 
elections by mail; 
(B) provide technical assistance to partici-
pating States for the purpose of implementing 
procedures for conducting elections by mail; and 
(C) submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress— 
(i) annual reports on the implementa-
tion of such procedures by participating 
States during each year in which the pro-
gram is conducted; and 
(ii) upon completion of the program 
conducted under this section, a final report 
on 
the 
program, 
together 
with 
rec-
ommendations for such legislation or ad-
ministrative action as the Election Assist-
ance Commission determines to be appro-
priate. 
(2) CONSULTATION.—In developing, issuing, 
and updating best practices, developing materials to 
provide technical assistance to participating States, 
and developing the annual and final reports under 
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paragraph (1), the Election Assistance Commission 
shall consult with interested parties, including— 
(A) State and local election officials; 
(B) the United States Postal Service; 
(C) the Postal Regulatory Commission es-
tablished under section 501 of title 39, United 
States Code; and 
(D) voting rights groups, voter protection 
groups, groups representing the disabled, and 
other civil rights or community organizations. 
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 
(1) GRANTS.—There are authorized to be ap-
propriated to award grants under this section, for 
each of fiscal years 2007 through 2009, $6,000,000, 
to remain available without fiscal year limitation 
until expended. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.—There are authorized to 
be appropriated to administer the program under 
this section, $200,000 for the period of fiscal years 
2007 through 2009, to remain available without fis-
cal year limitation until expended. 
(i) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act 
may be construed to authorize or require conduct prohib-
ited under any of the following laws, or to supersede, re-
strict, or limit the application of such laws: 
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(1) The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 
U.S.C. 15301 et seq.). 
(2) The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 
1973 et seq.). 
(3) The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and 
Handicapped Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ee et seq.). 
(4) The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Ab-
sentee Voting Act(42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.). 
(5) The National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq.). 
(6) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.). 
(7) The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
701 et seq.). 
SEC. 5. STUDY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF MAIL-IN VOTING 
FOR ELECTIONS. 
(a) STUDY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of 
the United States (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Comptroller General’’) shall conduct a study evalu-
ating the benefits of broader implementation of mail- 
in voting in elections, taking into consideration the 
annual reports submitted by the Election Assistance 
Commission under section 4(g)(1)(C)(i) before No-
vember 1, 2009. 
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(2) SPECIFIC
ISSUES
STUDIED.—The study 
conducted under paragraph (1) shall include a com-
parison of traditional voting methods and mail-in 
voting with respect to— 
(A) the likelihood of voter fraud and mis-
conduct; 
(B) the accuracy of voter rolls; 
(C) the accuracy of election results; 
(D) voter participation in urban and rural 
communities and by minorities, language mi-
norities (as defined in section 203 of the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa–1a)), 
and individuals with disabilities and by individ-
uals who are homeless or who frequently change 
their official residences; 
(E) public confidence in the election sys-
tem; 
(F) the residual vote rate, including such 
rate based on voter age, education, income, 
race, or ethnicity or whether a voter lives in an 
urban or rural community, is disabled, or is a 
language minority (as so defined); and 
(G) cost savings. 
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(3) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the study 
under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall 
consult with interested parties, including— 
(A) State and local election officials; 
(B) the United States Postal Service; 
(C) the Postal Regulatory Commission es-
tablished under section 501 of title 39, United 
States Code; and 
(D) voting rights groups, voter protection 
groups, groups representing the disabled, and 
other civil rights or community organizations. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than November 1, 2009, the 
Comptroller General shall prepare and submit to the ap-
propriate committees of Congress a report on the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with such rec-
ommendations for legislation or administrative action as 
the Comptroller General determines to be appropriate. 
Æ 
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