244 
tribe’’ in section 4 of the Indian Self-Deter-
mination and Education Assistance Act (25 
U.S.C. 5304). 
(E) TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT.—The term 
‘‘Tribal Government’’ means the recognized 
governing body of an Indian Tribe. 
(7) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(A) ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The Attorney 
General may bring a civil action in an appro-
priate district court for such declaratory or in-
junctive relief as is necessary to carry out this 
subsection. 
(B) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.— 
(i) A person or Tribal Government 
who is aggrieved by a violation of this sub-
section may provide written notice of the 
violation to the chief election official of the 
State involved. 
(ii) An aggrieved person or Tribal 
Government may bring a civil action in an 
appropriate district court for declaratory 
or injunctive relief with respect to a viola-
tion of this subsection, if— 
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(I) that person or Tribal Govern-
ment provides the notice described in 
clause (i); and 
(II)(aa) in the case of a violation 
that occurs more than 120 days be-
fore the date of an election for Fed-
eral office, the violation remains and 
90 days or more have passed since the 
date on which the chief election offi-
cial of the State receives the notice 
under clause (i); or 
(bb) in the case of a violation 
that occurs 120 days or less before 
the date of an election for Federal of-
fice, the violation remains and 20 
days or more have passed since the 
date on which the chief election offi-
cial of the State receives the notice 
under clause (i). 
(iii) In the case of a violation of this 
section that occurs 30 days or less before 
the date of an election for Federal office, 
an aggrieved person or Tribal Government 
may bring a civil action in an appropriate 
district court for declaratory or injunctive 
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relief with respect to the violation without 
providing notice to the chief election offi-
cial of the State under clause (i). 
(b) BILINGUAL ELECTION REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10503) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(3)(C)), by striking ‘‘1990’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2020’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(c) PROVISION OF VOTING MATERIALS IN THE LAN-
GUAGE OF A MINORITY GROUP.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Whenever any State or po-
litical subdivision subject to the prohibition of sub-
section (b) of this section provides any registration 
or voting notices, forms, instructions, assistance, or 
other materials or information relating to the elec-
toral process, including ballots, it shall provide them 
in the language of the applicable minority group as 
well as in the English language. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(A) In the case of a minority group that 
is not American Indian or Alaska Native and 
the language of that minority group is oral or 
unwritten, the State or political subdivision 
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shall only be required to furnish, in the covered 
language, oral instructions, assistance, trans-
lation of voting materials, or other information 
relating to registration and voting. 
‘‘(B) In the case of a minority group that 
is American Indian or Alaska Native, the State 
or political subdivision shall only be required to 
furnish in the covered language oral instruc-
tions, assistance, or other information relating 
to registration and voting, including all voting 
materials, if the Tribal Government of that mi-
nority group has certified that the language of 
the applicable American Indian or Alaska Na-
tive language is presently unwritten or the 
Tribal Government does not want written trans-
lations in the minority language. 
‘‘(3) WRITTEN TRANSLATIONS FOR ELECTION 
WORKERS.—Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the 
State or political division may be required to provide 
written translations of voting materials, with the 
consent of any applicable Indian Tribe, to election 
workers to ensure that the translations from English 
to the language of a minority group are complete, 
accurate, and uniform.’’. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section and the amend-
ments made by this section shall apply with respect to the 
regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held 
in November 2026 and each succeeding election for Fed-
eral office. 
SEC. 1405. ENSURING EQUITABLE AND EFFICIENT OPER-
ATION OF POLLING PLACES. 
(a) 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 131(a), section 201(a), section 202(a), 
section 203(a)(1), section 204(a), section 801(a), section 
901(a), section 902(a), section 903(b), and section 904(a), 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 314 and 315 as 
sections 316 and 317, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 313 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 314. ENSURING EQUITABLE AND EFFICIENT OPER-
ATION OF POLLING PLACES. 
‘‘(a) PREVENTING UNREASONABLE WAITING TIMES 
FOR VOTERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall provide a 
sufficient number of voting systems, poll workers, 
and other election resources (including physical re-
sources) at a polling place used in any election for 
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Federal office, including a polling place at which in-
dividuals may cast ballots prior to the date of the 
election, to ensure— 
‘‘(A) a fair and equitable waiting time for 
all voters in the State; and 
‘‘(B) that no individual will be required to 
wait longer than 30 minutes to cast a ballot at 
the polling place. 
‘‘(2) CRITERIA.—In determining the number of 
voting systems, poll workers, and other election re-
sources provided at a polling place for purposes of 
paragraph (1), the State shall take into account the 
following factors: 
‘‘(A) The voting age population. 
‘‘(B) Voter turnout in past elections. 
‘‘(C) The number of voters registered. 
‘‘(D) The number of voters who have reg-
istered since the most recent Federal election. 
‘‘(E) Census data for the population served 
by the polling place, such as the proportion of 
the voting-age population who are under 25 
years of age or who are naturalized citizens. 
‘‘(F) The needs and numbers of voters 
with disabilities and voters with limited English 
proficiency. 
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‘‘(G) The type of voting systems used. 
‘‘(H) The length and complexity of initia-
tives, referenda, and other questions on the bal-
lot. 
‘‘(I) Such other factors, including relevant 
demographic factors relating to the population 
served by the polling place, as the State con-
siders appropriate. 
‘‘(3) RULE
OF
CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in 
this subsection may be construed to authorize a 
State to meet the requirements of this subsection by 
closing any polling place, prohibiting an individual 
from entering a line at a polling place, or refusing 
to permit an individual who has arrived at a polling 
place prior to closing time from voting at the polling 
place. 
‘‘(4) GUIDELINES.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Commission shall establish and publish guidelines to 
assist States in meeting the requirements of this 
subsection. 
‘‘(5) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection shall 
take effect upon the expiration of the 180-day period 
which begins on the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, without regard to whether or not the 
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251 
Commission has established and published guidelines 
under paragraph (4). 
‘‘(b) LIMITING VARIATIONS ON NUMBER OF HOURS 
OF OPERATION OF POLLING PLACES WITHIN A STATE.— 
‘‘(1) LIMITATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B) and paragraph (2), each 
State shall establish hours of operation for all 
polling places in the State on the date of any 
election for Federal office held in the State 
such that the polling place with the greatest 
number of hours of operation on such date is 
not in operation for more than 2 hours longer 
than the polling place with the fewest number 
of hours of operation on such date. 
‘‘(B) PERMITTING VARIANCE ON BASIS OF 
POPULATION.—Subparagraph 
(A) 
does 
not 
apply to the extent that the State establishes 
variations in the hours of operation of polling 
places on the basis of the overall population or 
the voting age population (as the State may se-
lect) of the unit of local government in which 
such polling places are located. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTIONS FOR POLLING PLACES WITH 
HOURS ESTABLISHED BY UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERN-
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MENT.—Paragraph (1) does not apply in the case of 
a polling place— 
‘‘(A) whose hours of operation are estab-
lished, in accordance with State law, by the unit 
of local government in which the polling place 
is located; or 
‘‘(B) which is required pursuant to an 
order by a court to extend its hours of oper-
ation beyond the hours otherwise established.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 131(c), section 201(d), 
section 202(c), section 203(a)(3), section 204(c), section 
801(c), section 901(c), section 902(c), section 903(b), and 
section 904(a), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 314 and 315 as relating to sections 315 and 
316, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 313 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 314. Ensuring equitable and efficient operation of polling places.’’. 
SEC. 1406. REQUIRING STATES TO PROVIDE SECURED 
DROP BOXES FOR VOTED ABSENTEE BAL-
LOTS IN ELECTIONS FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), 
as amended by section 131(a), section 201(a), section 
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253 
202(a), section 203(a)(1), section 204(a), section 801(a), 
section 901(a), section 902(a), section 903(b), section 
904(a), and section 1405(a), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 315 and 316 as 
sections 316 and 317, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 314 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 315. USE OF SECURED DROP BOXES FOR VOTED AB-
SENTEE BALLOTS. 
‘‘(a) REQUIRING USE OF DROP BOXES.—In each 
election jurisdiction in the State, each State shall provide 
in-person, secured, and clearly labeled drop boxes at which 
individuals may, at any time during the period described 
in subsection (b), drop off voted absentee ballots in an 
election for Federal office. 
‘‘(b) MINIMUM PERIOD FOR AVAILABILITY OF DROP 
BOXES.—The period described in this subsection is, with 
respect to an election, the period which begins 45 days 
before the date of the election and which ends at the time 
the polls close for the election in the election jurisdiction 
involved. 
‘‘(c) ACCESSIBILITY.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Each State shall ensure 
that the drop boxes provided under this section are 
accessible for use— 
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‘‘(A) by individuals with disabilities, as de-
termined in consultation with the protection 
and advocacy systems (as defined in section 102 
of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance 
and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
15002)) of the State; and 
‘‘(B) by individuals with limited proficiency 
in the English language. 
‘‘(2) DETERMINATION OF ACCESSIBILITY FOR 
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.—For purposes of 
this subsection, drop boxes shall be considered to be 
accessible for use by individuals with disabilities if 
the drop boxes meet such criteria as the Attorney 
General may establish for such purposes. 
‘‘(3) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—If a State pro-
vides a drop box under this section on the grounds 
of or inside a building or facility which serves as a 
polling place for an election during the period de-
scribed in subsection (b), nothing in this subsection 
may be construed to waive any requirements regard-
ing the accessibility of such polling place for the use 
of individuals with disabilities or individuals with 
limited proficiency in the English language. 
‘‘(d) NUMBER OF DROP BOXES.— 
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‘‘(1) FORMULA FOR DETERMINATION OF NUM-
BER.—The number of drop boxes provided under 
this section in an election jurisdiction with respect to 
an election shall be determined as follows: 
‘‘(A) In the case of an election jurisdiction 
in which the number of individuals who are 
residents of the election jurisdiction and who 
are registered to vote in the election is equal to 
or greater than 20,000, the number of drop 
boxes shall be a number equal to or greater 
than the number of such individuals divided by 
20,000 (rounded to the nearest whole number). 
‘‘(B) In the case of any other election ju-
risdiction, the number of drop boxes shall be 
equal to or greater than one. 
‘‘(2) TIMING.—For purposes of this subsection, 
the number of individuals who reside in an election 
jurisdiction and who are registered to vote in the 
election shall be determined as of the 90th day be-
fore the date of the election. 
‘‘(e) LOCATION OF DROP BOXES.—The State shall 
determine the location of drop boxes provided under this 
section in an election jurisdiction on the basis of criteria 
which ensure that the drop boxes are— 
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‘‘(1) available to all voters on a non-discrimina-
tory basis; 
‘‘(2) accessible to voters with disabilities (in ac-
cordance with subsection (c)); 
‘‘(3) accessible by public transportation to the 
greatest extent possible; 
‘‘(4) available during all hours of the day; and 
‘‘(5) sufficiently available in all communities in 
the election jurisdiction, including rural communities 
and on Tribal lands within the election jurisdiction 
(subject to subsection (f)). 
‘‘(f) RULES FOR DROP BOXES ON TRIBAL LANDS.— 
In making a determination of the number and location of 
drop boxes provided under this section on Tribal lands in 
an election jurisdiction, the appropriate State and local 
election officials shall— 
‘‘(1) consult with Tribal leaders prior to making 
the determination; and 
‘‘(2) take into account criteria such as the 
availability of direct-to-door residential mail delivery, 
the distance and time necessary to travel to the drop 
box locations (including in inclement weather), 
modes of transportation available, conditions of 
roads, and the availability (if any) of public trans-
portation. 
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‘‘(g) TIMING
OF SCANNING
AND PROCESSING
OF 
BALLOTS.—For purposes of section 306(e) (relating to 
the timing of the processing and scanning of ballots for 
tabulation), a vote cast using a drop box provided under 
this section shall be treated in the same manner as any 
other vote cast during early voting. 
‘‘(h) POSTING OF INFORMATION.—On or adjacent to 
each drop box provided under this section, the State shall 
post information on the requirements that voted absentee 
ballots must meet in order to be counted and tabulated 
in the election. 
‘‘(i) ELECTION JURISDICTION.—For purposes of this 
section, the term ‘election jurisdiction’ has the same mean-
ing given to the term ‘registrar’s jurisdiction’ under sec-
tion 8(j) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 
(52 U.S.C. 20507(j)). 
‘‘(j) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for 
Federal office held in November 2026 and each succeeding 
election for Federal office.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 131(c), section 201(d), 
section 202(c), section 203(a)(3), section 204(c), section 
801(c), section 901(c), section 902(c), section 903(b), sec-
tion 904(a), and section 1405(b), is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 315 and 316 as relating to sections 316 and 
317, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 314 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 315. Use of secured drop boxes for voted absentee ballots.’’. 
SEC. 1407. PROHIBITING STATES FROM RESTRICTING 
CURBSIDE VOTING. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), 
as amended by section 131(a), section 201(a), section 
202(a), section 203(a)(1), section 204(a), section 801(a), 
section 901(a), section 902(a), section 903(b), section 
904(a), section 1405(a), and section 1406(a), is amend-
ed— 
(1) by redesignating sections 316 and 317 as 
sections 317 and 318, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 315 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 316. PROHIBITING STATES FROM RESTRICTING 
CURBSIDE VOTING. 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—A State may not— 
‘‘(1) prohibit any jurisdiction administering an 
election for Federal office in the State from utilizing 
curbside voting as a method by which individuals 
may cast ballots in the election; or 
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‘‘(2) impose any restrictions which would ex-
clude any individual who is eligible to vote in such 
an election in a jurisdiction which utilizes curbside 
voting from casting a ballot in the election by the 
method of curbside voting. 
‘‘(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for 
Federal office held in November 2026 and each succeeding 
election for Federal office.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 131(c), section 201(d), 
section 202(c), section 203(a)(3), section 204(c), section 
801(c), section 901(c), section 902(c), section 903(b), sec-
tion 904(a), section 1405(b), and section 1406(b), is 
amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 316 and 317 as relating to sections 317 and 
318, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 315 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 316. Prohibiting States from restricting curbside voting.’’. 
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Subtitle B—Disaster and 
Emergency Contingency Plans 
SEC. 1411. REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL ELECTION CON-
TINGENCY PLANS IN RESPONSE TO NATURAL 
DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, each 
State and each jurisdiction in a State which is re-
sponsible for administering elections for Federal of-
fice shall establish and make publicly available a 
contingency plan to enable individuals to vote in 
elections for Federal office during a state of emer-
gency, public health emergency, or national emer-
gency which has been declared for reasons includ-
ing— 
(A) a natural disaster; or 
(B) an infectious disease. 
(2) UPDATING.—Each State and jurisdiction 
shall update the contingency plan established under 
this subsection not less frequently than every 5 
years. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS RELATING
TO SAFETY.—The 
contingency plan established under subsection (a) shall in-
clude initiatives to provide equipment and resources need-
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261 
ed to protect the health and safety of poll workers and 
voters when voting in person. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO RECRUITMENT OF 
POLL
WORKERS.—The contingency plan established 
under subsection (a) shall include initiatives by the chief 
State election official and local election officials to recruit 
poll workers from resilient or unaffected populations, 
which may include— 
(1) employees of other State and local govern-
ment offices; and 
(2) in the case in which an infectious disease 
poses significant increased health risks to elderly in-
dividuals, students of secondary schools and institu-
tions of higher education in the State. 
(d) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The Attorney Gen-
eral may bring a civil action against any State or ju-
risdiction in an appropriate United States District 
Court for such declaratory and injunctive relief (in-
cluding a temporary restraining order, a permanent 
or temporary injunction, or other order) as may be 
necessary to carry out the requirements of this sec-
tion. 
(2) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.— 
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