SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF STATES AND POLITICAL SUB-
DIVISIONS SUBJECT TO PRECLEARANCE FOR 
COVERED PRACTICES. 
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et 
seq.) is further amended by inserting after section 4 the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 4A. DETERMINATION OF STATES AND POLITICAL 
SUBDIVISIONS SUBJECT TO PRECLEARANCE 
FOR COVERED PRACTICES. 
‘‘(a) PRACTICE-BASED PRECLEARANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State and each polit-
ical subdivision shall— 
‘‘(A) identify any newly enacted or adopted 
law, regulation, or policy that includes a voting 
qualification or prerequisite to voting, or a 
standard, practice, or procedure with respect to 
voting, that is a covered practice described in 
subsection (b); and 
‘‘(B) ensure that no such covered practice 
is implemented unless or until the State or po-
litical subdivision, as the case may be, complies 
with subsection (c). 
‘‘(2) DETERMINATIONS
OF
CHARACTERISTICS 
OF VOTING-AGE POPULATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—As early as prac-
ticable during each calendar year, the Attorney
General, in consultation with the Director of 
the Bureau of the Census and the heads of 
other relevant offices of the government, shall 
make the determinations required by this sec-
tion regarding voting-age populations and the 
characteristics of such populations, and shall 
publish a list of the States and political subdivi-
sions to which a voting-age population char-
acteristic described in subsection (b) applies. 
‘‘(B) PUBLICATION IN THE FEDERAL REG-
ISTER.—A determination or certification of the 
Attorney General under this paragraph shall be 
effective upon publication in the Federal Reg-
ister. 
‘‘(b) COVERED PRACTICES.—To assure that the right 
of citizens of the United States to vote is not denied or 
abridged on account of race, color, or membership in a 
language minority group as a result of the implementation 
of certain qualifications or prerequisites to voting, or 
standards, practices, or procedures with respect to voting 
newly adopted in a State or political subdivision, the fol-
lowing shall be covered practices subject to the require-
ments described in subsection (a): 
‘‘(1) CHANGES
TO
METHOD
OF
ELECTION.— 
Any change to the method of election—
‘‘(A) to add seats elected at-large in a 
State or political subdivision where— 
‘‘(i) two or more racial groups or lan-
guage minority groups each represent 20 
percent or more of the political subdivi-
sion’s voting-age population; or 
‘‘(ii) a single language minority group 
represents 20 percent or more of the vot-
ing-age population on Indian lands located 
in whole or in part in the political subdivi-
sion; or 
‘‘(B) to convert one or more seats elected 
from a single-member district to one or more 
at-large seats or seats from a multi-member 
district in a State or political subdivision 
where— 
‘‘(i) two or more racial groups or lan-
guage minority groups each represent 20 
percent or more of the political subdivi-
sion’s voting-age population; or 
‘‘(ii) a single language minority group 
represents 20 percent or more of the vot-
ing-age population on Indian lands located 
in whole or in part in the political subdivi-
sion.
‘‘(2) CHANGES
TO
JURISDICTION
BOUND-
ARIES.—Any change or series of changes within a 
year to the boundaries of a jurisdiction that reduces 
by 3 or more percentage points the proportion of the 
jurisdiction’s voting-age population that is comprised 
of members of a single racial group or language mi-
nority group in a State or political subdivision 
where— 
‘‘(A) two or more racial groups or lan-
guage minority groups each represent 20 per-
cent or more of the political subdivision’s vot-
ing-age population; or 
‘‘(B) a single language minority group rep-
resents 20 percent or more of the voting-age 
population on Indian lands located in whole or 
in part in the political subdivision. 
‘‘(3) CHANGES
THROUGH
REDISTRICTING.— 
Any change to the boundaries of election districts in 
a State or political subdivision where any racial 
group or language minority group that is not the 
largest racial group or language minority group in 
the jurisdiction and that represents 15 percent or 
more of the State or political subdivision’s voting- 
age population experiences a population increase of 
at least 20 percent of its voting-age population, over
the preceding decade (as calculated by the Bureau 
of the Census under the most recent decennial cen-
sus), in the jurisdiction. 
‘‘(4) CHANGES IN DOCUMENTATION OR QUALI-
FICATIONS TO VOTE.—Any change to requirements 
for documentation or proof of identity to vote or reg-
ister to vote that will exceed or be more stringent 
than such requirements under State law on the day 
before the date of enactment of the John R. Lewis 
Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021; and fur-
ther, if a State has in effect a requirement that an 
individual present identification as a condition of re-
ceiving and casting a ballot in an election for Fed-
eral office, if the State does not permit the indi-
vidual to meet the requirement and cast a ballot in 
the election in the same manner as an individual 
who presents identification— 
‘‘(A) in the case of an individual who de-
sires to vote in person, by presenting the appro-
priate State or local election official with a 
sworn written statement, signed by the indi-
vidual under penalty of perjury, attesting to the 
individual’s identity and attesting that the indi-
vidual is eligible to vote in the election; and
‘‘(B) in the case of an individual who de-
sires to vote by mail, by submitting with the 
ballot the statement described in subparagraph 
(A). 
‘‘(5) CHANGES TO MULTILINGUAL VOTING MA-
TERIALS.—Any change that reduces multilingual 
voting materials or alters the manner in which such 
materials are provided or distributed, where no simi-
lar reduction or alteration occurs in materials pro-
vided in English for such election. 
‘‘(6) CHANGES THAT REDUCE, CONSOLIDATE, 
OR RELOCATE VOTING LOCATIONS, OR REDUCE VOT-
ING
OPPORTUNITIES.—Any change that reduces, 
consolidates, or relocates voting locations, including 
early, absentee, and election-day voting locations, or 
reduces days or hours of in-person voting on any 
Sunday during a period occurring prior to the date 
of an election during which voters may cast ballots 
in such election, or prohibits the provision of food or 
non-alcoholic drink to persons waiting to vote in an 
election except where the provision would violate 
prohibitions on expenditures to influence voting— 
‘‘(A) in one or more census tracts wherein 
two or more language minority groups or racial 
groups each represent 20 percent or more of
the voting-age population of the political sub-
division; or 
‘‘(B) on Indian lands wherein at least 20 
percent of the voting-age population belongs to 
a single language minority group. 
‘‘(7) NEW LIST MAINTENANCE PROCESS.—Any 
change to the maintenance of voter registration lists 
that adds a new basis for removal from the list of 
active registered voters or that incorporates new 
sources of information in determining a voter’s eligi-
bility to vote, wherein such a change would have a 
statistically significant disparate impact on the re-
moval from voter rolls of members of racial groups 
or language minority groups that constitute greater 
than 5 percent of the voting-age population— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a political subdivision 
imposing such change if— 
‘‘(i) two or more racial groups or lan-
guage minority groups each represent 20 
percent or more of the voting-age popu-
lation of the political subdivision; or 
‘‘(ii) a single language minority group 
represents 20 percent or more of the vot-
ing-age population on Indian lands located
in whole or in part in the political subdivi-
sion; or 
‘‘(B) in the case of a State imposing such 
change, if two or more racial groups or lan-
guage minority groups each represent 20 per-
cent or more of the voting-age population of— 
‘‘(i) the State; or 
‘‘(ii) a political subdivision in the 
State, except that the requirements under 
subsections (a) and (c) shall apply only 
with respect to each such political subdivi-
sion. 
‘‘(c) PRECLEARANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Whenever a State or polit-
ical subdivision with respect to which the require-
ments set forth in subsection (a) are in effect shall 
enact, adopt, or seek to implement any covered prac-
tice described under subsection (b), such State or 
subdivision may institute an action in the United 
States District Court for the District of Columbia 
for a declaratory judgment that such covered prac-
tice neither has the purpose nor will have the effect 
of denying or abridging the right to vote on account 
of race, color, or membership in a language minority 
group, and unless and until the court enters such
judgment such covered practice shall not be imple-
mented. Notwithstanding the previous sentence, such 
covered practice may be implemented without such 
proceeding if the covered practice has been sub-
mitted by the chief legal officer or other appropriate 
official of such State or subdivision to the Attorney 
General and the Attorney General has not inter-
posed an objection within 60 days after such submis-
sion, or upon good cause shown, to facilitate an ex-
pedited approval within 60 days after such submis-
sion, the Attorney General has affirmatively indi-
cated that such objection will not be made. Neither 
an affirmative indication by the Attorney General 
that no objection will be made, nor the Attorney 
General’s failure to object, nor a declaratory judg-
ment entered under this section shall bar a subse-
quent action to enjoin implementation of such cov-
ered practice. In the event the Attorney General af-
firmatively indicates that no objection will be made 
within the 60-day period following receipt of a sub-
mission, the Attorney General may reserve the right 
to reexamine the submission if additional informa-
tion comes to the Attorney General’s attention dur-
ing the remainder of the 60-day period which would 
otherwise require objection in accordance with this
section. Any action under this section shall be heard 
and determined by a court of three judges in accord-
ance with the provisions of section 2284 of title 28, 
United States Code, and any appeal shall lie to the 
Supreme Court. 
‘‘(2) DENYING OR ABRIDGING THE RIGHT TO 
VOTE.—Any covered practice described in subsection 
(b) that has the purpose of or will have the effect 
of diminishing the ability of any citizens of the 
United States on account of race, color, or member-
ship in a language minority group, to elect their pre-
ferred candidates of choice denies or abridges the 
right to vote within the meaning of paragraph (1) of 
this subsection. 
‘‘(3) PURPOSE DEFINED.—The term ‘purpose’ 
in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection shall in-
clude any discriminatory purpose. 
‘‘(4) PURPOSE OF PARAGRAPH (2).—The pur-
pose of paragraph (2) of this subsection is to protect 
the ability of such citizens to elect their preferred 
candidates of choice. 
‘‘(d) ENFORCEMENT.—The Attorney General or any 
aggrieved citizen may file an action in a Federal district 
court to compel any State or political subdivision to satisfy 
the obligations set forth in this section. Such actions shall
be heard and determined by a court of three judges under 
section 2284 of title 28, United States Code. In any such 
action, the court shall provide as a remedy that any voting 
qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, prac-
tice, or procedure with respect to voting, that is the sub-
ject of the action under this subsection be enjoined unless 
the court determines that— 
‘‘(1) the voting qualification or prerequisite to 
voting, or standard, practice, or procedure with re-
spect to voting, is not a covered practice described 
in subsection (b); or 
‘‘(2) the State or political subdivision has com-
plied with subsection (c) with respect to the covered 
practice at issue. 
‘‘(e) COUNTING OF RACIAL GROUPS AND LANGUAGE 
MINORITY GROUPS.—For purposes of this section, the cal-
culation of the population of a racial group or a language 
minority group shall be carried out using the methodology 
in the guidance promulgated in the Federal Register on 
February 9, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 7470). 
‘‘(f) SPECIAL RULE.—For purposes of determina-
tions under this section, any data provided by the Bureau 
of the Census, whether based on estimation from sample 
or actual enumeration, shall not be subject to challenge 
or review in any court.
‘‘(g) MULTILINGUAL VOTING MATERIALS.—In this 
section, the term ‘multilingual voting materials’ means 
registration or voting notices, forms, instructions, assist-
ance, or other materials or information relating to the 
electoral process, including ballots, provided in the lan-
guage or languages of one or more language minority 
groups.’’. 
SEC. 7. PROMOTING TRANSPARENCY TO ENFORCE THE 
VOTING RIGHTS ACT. 
(a) TRANSPARENCY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Voting Rights Act of 
1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.) is amended by in-
serting after section 5 the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 6. TRANSPARENCY REGARDING CHANGES TO PRO-
TECT VOTING RIGHTS. 
‘‘(a) NOTICE OF ENACTED CHANGES.— 
‘‘(1) NOTICE OF CHANGES.—If a State or polit-
ical subdivision makes any change in any qualifica-
tion or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, 
or procedure with respect to voting in any election 
for Federal office that will result in the qualification 
or prerequisite, standard, practice, or procedure 
being different from that which was in effect as of 
180 days before the date of the election for Federal 
office, the State or political subdivision shall provide
reasonable public notice in such State or political 
subdivision and on the website of the State or polit-
ical subdivision, of a concise description of the 
change, 
including 
the 
difference 
between 
the 
changed qualification or prerequisite, standard, prac-
tice, or procedure and the prerequisite, standard, 
practice, or procedure which was previously in effect. 
The public notice described in this paragraph, in 
such State or political subdivision and on the website 
of a State or political subdivision, shall be in a for-
mat that is reasonably convenient and accessible to 
persons with disabilities who are eligible to vote, in-
cluding persons who have low vision or are blind. 
‘‘(2) DEADLINE FOR NOTICE.—A State or polit-
ical subdivision shall provide the public notice re-
quired under paragraph (1) not later than 48 hours 
after making the change involved. 
‘‘(b) TRANSPARENCY REGARDING POLLING PLACE 
RESOURCES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to identify any 
changes that may impact the right to vote of any 
person, prior to the 30th day before the date of an 
election for Federal office, each State or political 
subdivision with responsibility for allocating reg-
istered voters, voting machines, and official poll
workers to particular precincts and polling places 
shall provide reasonable public notice in such State 
or political subdivision and on the website of a State 
or political subdivision, of the information described 
in paragraph (2) for precincts and polling places 
within such State or political subdivision. The public 
notice described in this paragraph, in such State or 
political subdivision and on the website of a State or 
political subdivision, shall be in a format that is rea-
sonably convenient and accessible to persons with 
disabilities who are eligible to vote, including persons 
who have low vision or are blind. 
‘‘(2) INFORMATION DESCRIBED.—The informa-
tion described in this paragraph with respect to a 
precinct or polling place is each of the following: 
‘‘(A) The name or number. 
‘‘(B) In the case of a polling place, the lo-
cation, including the street address, and wheth-
er such polling place is accessible to persons 
with disabilities. 
‘‘(C) The voting-age population of the area 
served by the precinct or polling place, broken 
down by demographic group if such breakdown 
is reasonably available to such State or political 
subdivision.
‘‘(D) The number of registered voters as-
signed to the precinct or polling place, broken 
down by demographic group if such breakdown 
is reasonably available to such State or political 
subdivision. 
‘‘(E) The number of voting machines as-
signed, including the number of voting ma-
chines accessible to persons with disabilities 
who are eligible to vote, including persons who 
have low vision or are blind. 
‘‘(F) The number of official paid poll 
workers assigned. 
‘‘(G) The number of official volunteer poll 
workers assigned. 
‘‘(H) In the case of a polling place, the 
dates and hours of operation. 
‘‘(3) UPDATES IN INFORMATION REPORTED.— 
If a State or political subdivision makes any change 
in any of the information described in paragraph 
(2), the State or political subdivision shall provide 
reasonable public notice in such State or political 
subdivision and on the website of a State or political 
subdivision, of the change in the information not 
later than 48 hours after the change occurs or, if 
the change occurs fewer than 48 hours before the
date of the election for Federal office, as soon as 
practicable after the change occurs. The public no-
tice described in this paragraph and published on 
the website of a State or political subdivision shall 
be in a format that is reasonably convenient and ac-
cessible to persons with disabilities who are eligible 
to vote, including persons who have low vision or are 
blind. 
‘‘(c) TRANSPARENCY OF CHANGES RELATING TO DE-
MOGRAPHICS AND ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.— 
‘‘(1) 
REQUIRING
PUBLIC
NOTICE
OF 
CHANGES.—Not later than 10 days after making 
any change in the constituency that will participate 
in an election for Federal, State, or local office or 
the boundaries of a voting unit or electoral district 
in an election for Federal, State, or local office (in-
cluding 
through 
redistricting, 
reapportionment, 
changing from at-large elections to district-based 
elections, or changing from district-based elections 
to at-large elections), a State or political subdivision 
shall provide reasonable public notice in such State 
or political subdivision and on the website of a State 
or political subdivision, of the demographic and elec-
toral data described in paragraph (3) for each of the 
geographic areas described in paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) GEOGRAPHIC AREAS DESCRIBED.—The ge-
ographic areas described in this paragraph are as 
follows: 
‘‘(A) The State as a whole, if the change 
applies statewide, or the political subdivision as 
a whole, if the change applies across the entire 
political subdivision. 
‘‘(B) If the change includes a plan to re-
place or eliminate voting units or electoral dis-
tricts, each voting unit or electoral district that 
will be replaced or eliminated. 
‘‘(C) If the change includes a plan to es-
tablish new voting units or electoral districts, 
each such new voting unit or electoral district. 
‘‘(3) DEMOGRAPHIC AND ELECTORAL DATA.— 
The demographic and electoral data described in this 
paragraph with respect to a geographic area de-
scribed in paragraph (2) are each of the following: 
‘‘(A) The voting-age population, broken 
down by demographic group. 
‘‘(B) If it is reasonably available to the 
State or political subdivision involved, an esti-
mate of the population of the area which con-
sists of citizens of the United States who are 18
years of age or older, broken down by demo-
graphic group. 
‘‘(C) The number of registered voters, bro-
ken down by demographic group if such break-
down is reasonably available to the State or po-
litical subdivision involved. 
‘‘(D)(i) If the change applies to a State, 
the actual number of votes, or (if it is not rea-
sonably practicable for the State to ascertain 
the actual number of votes) the estimated num-
ber of votes received by each candidate in each 
statewide election held during the 5-year period 
which ends on the date the change involved is 
made; and 
‘‘(ii) if the change applies to only one polit-
ical subdivision, the actual number of votes, or 
(if it is not reasonably practicable for the polit-
ical subdivision to ascertain the actual number 
of votes) in each subdivision-wide election held 
during the 5-year period which ends on the date 
the change involved is made. 
‘‘(4) VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE BY SMALLER JU-
RISDICTIONS.—Compliance with this subsection shall 
be voluntary for a political subdivision of a State un-
less the subdivision is one of the following:
‘‘(A) A county or parish. 
‘‘(B) A municipality with a population 
greater than 10,000, as determined by the Bu-
reau of the Census under the most recent de-
cennial census. 
‘‘(C) A school district with a population 
greater than 10,000, as determined by the Bu-
reau of the Census under the most recent de-
cennial census. For purposes of this subpara-
graph, the term ‘school district’ means the geo-
graphic area under the jurisdiction of a local 
educational agency (as defined in section 9101 
of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
Act of 1965). 
‘‘(d) RULES REGARDING FORMAT
OF INFORMA-
TION.—The Attorney General may issue rules specifying 
a reasonably convenient and accessible format that States 
and political subdivisions shall use to provide public notice 
of information under this section. 
‘‘(e) NO DENIAL OF RIGHT TO VOTE.—The right to 
vote of any person shall not be denied or abridged because 
the person failed to comply with any change made by a 
State or political subdivision to a voting qualification, pre-
requisite, standard, practice, or procedure if the State or
political subdivision involved did not meet the applicable 
requirements of this section with respect to the change. 
‘‘(f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘demographic group’ means each 
group which section 2 protects from the denial or 
abridgement of the right to vote on account of race 
or color, or in contravention of the guarantees set 
forth in section 4(f)(2); 
‘‘(2) the term ‘election for Federal office’ means 
any general, special, primary, or runoff election held 
solely or in part for the purpose of electing any can-
didate for the office of President, Vice President, 
Presidential elector, Senator, Member of the House 
of Representatives, or Delegate or Resident Commis-
sioner to the Congress; and 
‘‘(3) the term ‘persons with disabilities’, means 
individuals with a disability, as defined in section 3 
of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 3(a) 
of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10302(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘in accordance with section 6’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a)(1) shall apply with respect to changes which 
are made on or after the expiration of the 60-day period 
which begins on the date of the enactment of this Act.
SEC. 8. AUTHORITY TO ASSIGN OBSERVERS. 
(a) CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY IN POLITICAL 
SUBDIVISIONS SUBJECT
TO PRECLEARANCE.—Section 
8(a)(2)(B) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10305(a)(2)(B)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) in the Attorney General’s judgment, 
the assignment of observers is otherwise nec-
essary to enforce the guarantees of the 14th or 
15th Amendment or any provision of this Act 
or any other Federal law protecting the right of 
citizens of the United States to vote; or’’. 
(b) ASSIGNMENT OF OBSERVERS TO ENFORCE BI-
LINGUAL ELECTION REQUIREMENTS.—Section 8(a) of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 10305(a)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of paragraph 
(1); 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(3) the Attorney General certifies with respect 
to a political subdivision that— 
‘‘(A) the Attorney General has received 
written meritorious complaints from residents, 
elected officials, or civic participation organiza-
tions that efforts to violate section 203 are like-
ly to occur; or
‘‘(B) in the Attorney General’s judgment, 
the assignment of observers is necessary to en-
force the guarantees of section 203;’’; and 
(3) by moving the margin for the continuation 
text following paragraph (3), as added by paragraph 
(2) of this subsection, 2 ems to the left. 
(c) TRANSFERRAL OF AUTHORITY OVER OBSERVERS 
TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.— 
(1) 
ENFORCEMENT
PROCEEDINGS.—Section 
3(a) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10302(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘United States 
Civil Service Commission in accordance with section 
6’’ and inserting ‘‘Attorney General in accordance 
with section 8’’. 
(2) OBSERVERS; 
APPOINTMENT
AND
COM-
PENSATION.—Section 8 of the Voting Rights Act of 
1965 (52 U.S.C. 10305) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2), in the matter fol-
lowing subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘Director 
of the Office of Personnel Management shall as-
sign as many observers for such subdivision as 
the Director’’ and inserting ‘‘Attorney General 
shall assign as many observers for such subdivi-
sion as the Attorney General’’; and
(B) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Director 
of the Office of Personnel Management’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Attorney General’’. 
(3) TERMINATION OF CERTAIN APPOINTMENTS 
OF
OBSERVERS.—Section 13(a)(1) of the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10309(a)(1)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘notifies the Director of the Of-
fice of Personnel Management,’’ and inserting ‘‘de-
termines,’’. 
SEC. 9. CLARIFICATION OF AUTHORITY TO SEEK RELIEF. 
(a) POLL TAX.—Section 10(b) of the Voting Rights 
Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10306(b)) is amended by striking 
‘‘the Attorney General is authorized and directed to insti-
tute forthwith in the name of the United States such ac-
tions’’ and inserting ‘‘an aggrieved person or (in the name 
of the United States) the Attorney General may institute 
such actions’’. 
(b) CAUSE OF ACTION.—Section 12(d) of the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10308(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Whenever any person has en-
gaged’’ and all that follows through ‘‘in the name of 
the United States’’ and inserting ‘‘(1) Whenever 
there are reasonable grounds to believe that any per-
son has implemented or will implement any voting 
qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard,
practice, or procedure that would (A) deny any cit-
izen the right to vote in violation of the 14th, 15th, 
19th, 24th, or 26th Amendments, or (B) would vio-
late this Act (except for section 4A) or any other 
Federal law that prohibits discrimination on the 
basis of race, color, or membership in a language 
minority group in the voting process, an aggrieved 
person or (in the name of the United States) the At-
torney General may institute’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘, and including an order di-
rected to the State and State or local election offi-
cials to require them (1) to permit persons listed 
under chapters 103 to 107 of this title to vote and 
(2) to count such votes’’. 
(c) JUDICIAL RELIEF.—Section 204 of the Voting 
Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10504) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Whenever the Attorney General has reason to 
believe’’ and all that follows through ‘‘as he deems appro-
priate’’ and inserting ‘‘Whenever there are reasonable 
grounds to believe that a State or political subdivision has 
engaged or is about to engage in any act or practice pro-
hibited by a provision of title II, an aggrieved person or 
(in the name of the United States) the Attorney General 
may institute an action in a district court of the United 
States, for a restraining order, a preliminary or perma-
nent injunction, or such other order as may be appro-
priate’’. 
(d) ENFORCEMENT
OF
TWENTY-SIXTH
AMEND-
MENT.—Section 301(a)(1) of the Voting Rights Act of 
1965 (52 U.S.C. 10701) is amended by striking ‘‘The At-
torney General is directed to institute’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘Constitution of the United States’’ and inserting 
‘‘An aggrieved person or (in the name of the United 
States) the Attorney General may institute an action in 
a district court of the United States, for a restraining 
order, a preliminary or permanent injunction, or such 
other order as may be appropriate to implement the twen-
ty-sixth amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States’’. 
SEC. 10. PREVENTIVE RELIEF. 
Section 12(d) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 
U.S.C. 10308(d)), as amended by section 9, is further 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2)(A) In considering any motion for preliminary re-
lief in any action for preventive relief described in this sub-
section, the court shall grant the relief if the court deter-
mines that the complainant has raised a serious question 
as to whether the challenged voting qualification or pre-
requisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure vio-
lates this Act or the Constitution and, on balance, the
hardship imposed on the defendant by the grant of the 
relief will be less than the hardship which would be im-
posed on the plaintiff if the relief were not granted. 
‘‘(B) In making its determination under this para-
graph with respect to a change in any voting qualification, 
prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure 
with respect to voting, the court shall consider all relevant 
factors and give due weight to the following factors, if they 
are present: 
‘‘(i) Whether the qualification, prerequisite, 
standard, practice, or procedure in effect prior to the 
change was adopted as a remedy for a Federal court 
judgment, consent decree, or admission regarding— 
‘‘(I) discrimination on the basis of race or 
color in violation of the 14th or 15th Amend-
ment; 
‘‘(II) a violation of the 19th, 24th, or 26th 
Amendments; 
‘‘(III) a violation of this Act; or 
‘‘(IV) voting discrimination on the basis of 
race, color, or membership in a language minor-
ity group in violation of any other Federal or 
State law. 
‘‘(ii) Whether the qualification, prerequisite, 
standard, practice, or procedure in effect prior to the
change served as a ground for the dismissal or set-
tlement of a claim alleging— 
‘‘(I) discrimination on the basis of race or 
color in violation of the 14th or 15th Amend-
ment; 
‘‘(II) a violation of the 19th, 24th, or 26th 
Amendment; 
‘‘(III) a violation of this Act; or 
‘‘(IV) voting discrimination on the basis of 
race, color, or membership in a language minor-
ity group in violation of any other Federal or 
State law. 
‘‘(iii) Whether the change was adopted fewer 
than 180 days before the date of the election with 
respect to which the change is to take or takes ef-
fect. 
‘‘(iv) Whether the defendant has failed to pro-
vide timely or complete notice of the adoption of the 
change as required by applicable Federal or State 
law. 
‘‘(3) A jurisdiction’s inability to enforce its voting or 
election laws, regulations, policies, or redistricting plans, 
standing alone, shall not be deemed to constitute irrep-
arable harm to the public interest or to the interests of 
a defendant in an action arising under the Constitution
or any Federal law that prohibits discrimination on the 
basis of race, color, or membership in a language minority 
group in the voting process, for the purposes of deter-
mining whether a stay of a court’s order or an interlocu-
tory appeal under section 1253 of title 28, United States 
Code, is warranted.’’. 
SEC. 11. RELIEF FOR VIOLATIONS OF VOTING RIGHTS 
LAWS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) RELIEF
FOR
VIOLATIONS
OF
VOTING 
RIGHTS LAWS.—In this section, the term ‘‘prohibited 
act or practice’’ means— 
(A) any act or practice— 
(i) that creates an undue burden on 
the fundamental right to vote in violation 
of the 14th Amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States or violates the 
Equal Protection Clause of the 14th 
Amendment to the Constitution of the 
United States; or 
(ii) that is prohibited by the 15th, 
19th, 24th, or 26th Amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States, section 
2004 of the Revised Statutes (52 U.S.C. 
10101), the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52
U.S.C. 10301 et seq.), the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20501 et seq.), the Uniformed and Over-
seas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 
U.S.C. 20301 et seq.), the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20901 et 
seq.), the Voting Accessibility for the El-
derly and Handicapped Act (52 U.S.C. 
20101 et seq.), or section 2003 of the Re-
vised Statutes (52 U.S.C. 10102); and 
(B) any act or practice in violation of any 
Federal law that prohibits discrimination with 
respect to voting, including the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et 
seq.). 
(2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to diminish the authority 
or scope of authority of any person to bring an ac-
tion under any Federal law. 
(3) ATTORNEY’S FEES.—Section 722(b) of the 
Revised Statutes (42 U.S.C. 1988(b)) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘a provision described in section 2(a) of 
the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act 
of 2021,’’ after ‘‘title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 
1964,’’.
(b) GROUNDS FOR EQUITABLE RELIEF.—In any ac-
tion for equitable relief pursuant to a law listed under sub-
section (a), proximity of the action to an election shall not 
be a valid reason to deny such relief, or stay the operation 
of or vacate the issuance of such relief, unless the party 
opposing the issuance or continued operation of relief 
meets the burden of proving by clear and convincing evi-
dence that the issuance of the relief would be so close in 
time to the election as to cause irreparable harm to the 
public interest or that compliance with such relief would 
impose serious burdens on the party opposing relief. 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In considering whether to 
grant, deny, stay, or vacate any order of equitable 
relief, the court shall give substantial weight to the 
public’s interest in expanding access to the right to 
vote. A State’s generalized interest in enforcing its 
enacted laws shall not be a relevant consideration in 
determining whether equitable relief is warranted. 
(2) PRESUMPTIVE SAFE HARBOR.—Where equi-
table relief is sought either within 30 days of the 
adoption or reasonable public notice of the chal-
lenged policy or practice, or more than 45 days be-
fore the date of an election to which the relief being 
sought will apply, proximity to the election will be
presumed not to constitute a harm to the public in-
terest or a burden on the party opposing relief. 
(c) GROUNDS FOR STAY OR VACATUR IN FEDERAL 
CLAIMS INVOLVING VOTING RIGHTS.— 
(1) PROSPECTIVE
EFFECT.—In reviewing an 
application for a stay or vacatur of equitable relief 
granted pursuant to a law listed in subsection (a), 
a court shall give substantial weight to the reliance 
interests of citizens who acted pursuant to such 
order under review. In fashioning a stay or vacatur, 
a reviewing court shall not order relief that has the 
effect of denying or abridging the right to vote of 
any citizen who has acted in reliance on the order. 
(2) WRITTEN
EXPLANATION.—No stay or 
vacatur under this subsection shall issue unless the 
reviewing court makes specific findings that the pub-
lic interest, including the public’s interest in expand-
ing access to the ballot, will be harmed by the con-
tinuing operation of the equitable relief or that com-
pliance with such relief will impose serious burdens 
on the party seeking such a stay or vacatur such 
that those burdens substantially outweigh the bene-
fits to the public interest. In reviewing an applica-
tion for a stay or vacatur of equitable relief, findings
of fact made in issuing the order under review shall 
not be set aside unless clearly erroneous. 
SEC. 12. ENFORCEMENT OF VOTING RIGHTS BY ATTORNEY 
GENERAL. 
Section 12 of the Voting Rights Act (52 U.S.C. 
10308), as amended by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) VOTING RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT BY ATTORNEY 
GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In order to fulfill the At-
torney General’s responsibility to enforce the Voting 
Rights Act and other Federal civil rights statutes 
that protect the right to vote, the Attorney General 
(or upon designation by the Attorney General, the 
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights) is au-
thorized, before commencing a civil action, to issue 
a demand for inspection and information in writing 
to any State or political subdivision, or other govern-
mental representative or agent, with respect to any 
relevant documentary material that he has reason to 
believe is within their possession, custody, or control. 
A demand by the Attorney General under this sec-
tion may require— 
‘‘(A) the production of such documentary 
material for inspection and copying;
‘‘(B) answers in writing to written ques-
tions with respect to such documentary mate-
rial; or 
‘‘(C) both. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS
OF
AN
ATTORNEY
GENERAL 
DEMAND.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Any demand issued 
under paragraph (1), shall include a sworn cer-
tificate to identify the voting qualification or 
prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or 
procedure with respect to voting, or other vot-
ing related matter or issue, whose lawfulness 
the Attorney General is investigating and to 
identify the civil provisions of the Federal civil 
rights statute that protects the right to vote 
under which the investigation is being con-
ducted. The demand shall be reasonably cal-
culated to lead to the discovery of documentary 
material and information relevant to such civil 
rights investigation. Documentary material in-
cludes any material upon which relevant infor-
mation is recorded, and includes written or 
printed materials, photographs, tapes, or mate-
rials upon which information is electronically or 
magnetically recorded. Such demands are aimed
at the Attorney General having the ability to in-
spect and obtain copies of relevant materials (as 
well as obtain information) related to voting 
and are not aimed at the Attorney General tak-
ing possession of original records, particularly 
those that are required to be retained by State 
and local election officials under Federal or 
State law. 
‘‘(B) NO
REQUIREMENT
FOR
PRODUC-
TION.—Any demand issued under paragraph 
(1) may not require the production of any docu-
mentary material or the submission of any an-
swers in writing to written questions if such 
material or answers would be protected from 
disclosure under the standards applicable to 
discovery requests under the Federal Rules of 
Civil Procedure in an action in which the Attor-
ney General or the United States is a party. 
‘‘(C) DOCUMENTARY
MATERIAL.—If the 
demand issued under paragraph (1) requires 
the production of documentary material, it 
shall— 
‘‘(i) identify the class of documentary 
material to be produced with such definite-
ness and certainty as to permit such mate-
rial to be fairly identified; and 
‘‘(ii) prescribe a return date for pro-
duction of the documentary material at 
least twenty days after issuance of the de-
mand to give the State or political subdivi-
sion, or other governmental representative 
or agent, a reasonable period of time for 
assembling the documentary material and 
making it available for inspection and 
copying. 
‘‘(D) 
ANSWERS
TO
WRITTEN
QUES-
TIONS.—If the demand issued under paragraph 
(1) requires answers in writing to written ques-
tions, it shall— 
‘‘(i) set forth with specificity the writ-
ten question to be answered; and 
‘‘(ii) prescribe a date at least twenty 
days after the issuance of the demand for 
submitting answers in writing to the writ-
ten questions. 
‘‘(E) SERVICE.—A demand issued under 
paragraph (1) may be served by a United 
States marshal or a deputy marshal, or by cer-
tified mail, at any place within the territorial 
jurisdiction of any court of the United States. 
‘‘(3) RESPONSES TO AN ATTORNEY GENERAL 
DEMAND.—A State or political subdivision, or other 
governmental representative or agent, must, with re-
spect to any documentary material or any answer in 
writing produced under this subsection, provide a 
sworn certificate, in such form as the demand issued 
under paragraph (1) designates, by a person having 
knowledge of the facts and circumstances relating to 
such production or written answer, authorized to act 
on behalf of the State or political subdivision, or 
other governmental representative or agent, upon 
which the demand was served. The certificate— 
‘‘(A) shall state that— 
‘‘(i) all of the documentary material 
required by the demand and in the posses-
sion, custody, or control of the State or po-
litical subdivision, or other governmental 
representative or agent, has been produced; 
‘‘(ii) that with respect to every answer 
in writing to a written question, all infor-
mation required by the question and in the 
possession, custody, control, or knowledge 
of the State or political subdivision, or
other 
governmental 
representative 
or 
agent, has been submitted; or 
‘‘(iii) both; or 
‘‘(B) provide the basis for any objection to 
producing the documentary material or answer-
ing the written question. 
To the extent that any information is not furnished, 
the information shall be identified and reasons set 
forth with particularity regarding the reasons why 
the information was not furnished. 
‘‘(4) JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS.— 
‘‘(A) PETITION
FOR
ENFORCEMENT.— 
Whenever any State or political subdivision, or 
other governmental representative or agent, 
fails to comply with demand issued by the At-
torney General under paragraph (1), the Attor-
ney General may file, in a district court of the 
United States in which the State or political 
subdivision, or other governmental representa-
tive or agent, is located, a petition for a judicial 
order enforcing the Attorney General demand 
issued under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(B) PETITION TO MODIFY.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Any State or po-
litical subdivision, or other governmental
representative or agent, that is served with 
a demand issued by the Attorney General 
under paragraph (1) may file in the United 
States District Court for the District of 
Columbia a petition for an order of the 
court to modify or set aside the demand of 
the Attorney General. 
‘‘(ii) PETITION TO MODIFY.—Any pe-
tition to modify or set aside a demand of 
the Attorney General issued under para-
graph (1) must be filed within 20 days 
after the date of service of the Attorney 
General’s demand or at any time before 
the return date specified in the Attorney 
General’s demand, whichever date is ear-
lier. 
‘‘(iii) CONTENTS OF PETITION.—The 
petition shall specify each ground upon 
which the petitioner relies in seeking relief 
under clause (i), and may be based upon 
any failure of the Attorney General’s de-
mand to comply with the provisions of this 
section or upon any constitutional or other 
legal right or privilege of the State or po-
litical subdivision, or other governmental
representative or agent. During the pend-
ency of the petition in the court, the court 
may stay, as it deems proper, the running 
of the time allowed for compliance with the 
Attorney General’s demand, in whole or in 
part, except that the State or political sub-
division, or other governmental representa-
tive or agent, filing the petition shall com-
ply with any portions of the Attorney Gen-
eral’s demand not sought to be modified or 
set aside.’’. 
SEC. 13. DEFINITIONS. 
Title I of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10301) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 21. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this Act: 
‘‘(1) INDIAN.—The term ‘Indian’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 4 of the Indian Self- 
Determination and Education Assistance Act. 
‘‘(2) INDIAN LANDS.—The term ‘Indian lands’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) any Indian country of an Indian 
tribe, as such term is defined in section 1151 
of title 18, United States Code;
‘‘(B) any land in Alaska that is owned, 
pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settle-
ment Act, by an Indian tribe that is a Native 
village (as such term is defined in section 3 of 
such Act), or by a Village Corporation that is 
associated with the Indian tribe (as such term 
is defined in section 3 of such Act); 
‘‘(C) any land on which the seat of govern-
ment of the Indian tribe is located; and 
‘‘(D) any land that is part or all of a tribal 
designated statistical area associated with the 
Indian tribe, or is part or all of an Alaska Na-
tive village statistical area associated with the 
tribe, as defined by the Bureau of the Census 
for the purposes of the most recent decennial 
census. 
‘‘(3) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘Indian tribe’ or 
‘tribe’ has the meaning given the term ‘Indian tribe’ 
in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and 
Education Assistance Act. 
‘‘(4) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘Tribal 
Government’ means the recognized governing body 
of an Indian Tribe. 
‘‘(5) VOTING-AGE
POPULATION.—The term 
‘voting-age population’ means the numerical size of
the population within a State, within a political sub-
division, or within a political subdivision that con-
tains Indian lands, as the case may be, that consists 
of persons age 18 or older, as calculated by the Bu-
reau of the Census under the most recent decennial 
census.’’. 
SEC. 14. ATTORNEYS’ FEES. 
Section 14(c) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 
U.S.C. 10310(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) The term ‘prevailing party’ means a party to an 
action that receives at least some of the benefit sought 
by such action, states a colorable claim, and can establish 
that the action was a significant cause of a change to the 
status quo.’’. 
SEC. 15. OTHER TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMEND-
MENTS. 
(a) ACTIONS COVERED UNDER SECTION 3.—Section 
3(c) of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 
10302(c)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘any proceeding instituted by 
the Attorney General or an aggrieved person under 
any statute to enforce’’ and inserting ‘‘any action 
under any statute in which a party (including the 
Attorney General) seeks to enforce’’; and
(2) by striking ‘‘at the time the proceeding was 
commenced’’ and inserting ‘‘at the time the action 
was commenced’’. 
(b) CLARIFICATION OF TREATMENT OF MEMBERS OF 
LANGUAGE MINORITY GROUPS.—Section 4(f) of such Act 
(52 U.S.C. 10303(f)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking the second 
sentence; and 
(2) by striking paragraphs (3) and (4). 
(c) PERIOD DURING WHICH CHANGES IN VOTING 
PRACTICES ARE SUBJECT
TO PRECLEARANCE UNDER 
SECTION 5.—Section 5 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 10304) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘based upon 
determinations made under the first sentence of sec-
tion 4(b) are in effect’’ and inserting ‘‘are in effect 
during a calendar year’’; 
(2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘November 1, 
1964’’ and all that follows through ‘‘November 1, 
1972’’ and inserting ‘‘the applicable date of cov-
erage’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(e) The term ‘applicable date of coverage’ means, 
with respect to a State or political subdivision—
‘‘(1) June 25, 2013, if the most recent deter-
mination for such State or subdivision under section 
4(b) was made on or before December 31, 2021; or 
‘‘(2) the date on which the most recent deter-
mination for such State or subdivision under section 
4(b) was made, if such determination was made 
after December 31, 2021.’’. 
SEC. 16. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act or any amendment made 
by this Act, or the application of such a provision or 
amendment to any person or circumstance, is held to be 
unconstitutional or is otherwise enjoined or unenforceable, 
the remainder of this Act and amendments made by this 
Act, and the application of the provisions and amendment 
to any person or circumstance, and any remaining provi-
sion of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, shall not be af-
fected by the holding. 
SEC. 17. GRANTS TO ASSIST WITH NOTICE REQUIREMENTS 
UNDER THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall make 
grants each fiscal year to small jurisdictions who submit 
applications under subsection (b) for purposes of assisting 
such small jurisdictions with compliance with the require-
ments of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to submit or pub-
lish notice of any change to a qualification, prerequisite, 
standard, practice or procedure affecting voting. 
(b) APPLICATION.—To be eligible for a grant under 
this section, a small jurisdiction shall submit an applica-
tion to the Attorney General in such form and containing 
such information as the Attorney General may require re-
garding the compliance of such small jurisdiction with the 
provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. 
(c) SMALL JURISDICTION DEFINED.—For purposes 
of this section, the term ‘‘small jurisdiction’’ means any 
political subdivision of a State with a population of 10,000 
or less. 
Passed the House of Representatives August 24, 
2021. 
Attest: 
Clerk.