(9) Congress should counter discrimination in
voting by removing barriers to the exercise of the
constitutionally protected right to vote.
(10) There is a concern that persons with dis-
abilities and impairments face difficulties in voting.
(11) There are practices designed to purge ille-
gal voters from voter rolls which result in the elimi-
nation of legal voters as well.
(12) State governments have already begun to
examine ways to improve the administration of elec-
tions and to modernize mechanisms and machinery
for voting.
(13) Congress has an obligation to ensure that
the necessary resources are available to States and
localities to ensure the equal protection of voting
rights and to ensure the integrity of and full partici-
pation of all Americans in the democratic elections
process.
TITLE 
I—REQUIREMENTS 
FOR
EQUAL PROTECTION OF VOT-
ING RIGHTS
SEC. 101. REQUIREMENTS FOR EQUAL PROTECTION OF
VOTING RIGHTS.
Part E of title I of Public Law 90–351 (42 U.S.C.
3750 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subpart:
‘‘Subpart 4—Requirements For Equal Protection of
Voting Rights
‘‘CHAPTER A—VOTING RIGHTS IN FEDERAL
ELECTIONS
‘‘SEC. 531. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROTECTION OF VOTING
RIGHTS.
‘‘(a) VOTING SYSTEMS.—To carry out section 5 of
the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, each voting system used in an election for
Federal office shall meet the following requirements:
‘‘(1) The system shall permit the voter to verify
the votes selected by the voter on a ballot before the
ballot is cast and tabulated, and shall provide the
voter with the opportunity to correct any error be-
fore the ballot is cast and tabulated.
‘‘(2) If the voter selects votes for more than one
candidate for a single office, the system shall notify
the voter before the ballot is cast and tabulated of
the effect of casting multiple votes for the office, and
shall provide the voter with the opportunity to cor-
rect the ballot before the ballot is cast and tab-
ulated.
‘‘(3) If the voter selects votes for fewer than the
number of candidates for which votes may be cast,
the system shall notify the voter before the ballot is
cast and tabulated of the effect of undervoting, and
shall provide the voter with the opportunity to cor-
rect the ballot before the ballot is cast and tab-
ulated.
‘‘(4) The system shall produce an auditable
record for each ballot cast.
‘‘(5) The system shall be accessible for individ-
uals with disabilities and other individuals with spe-
cial needs, including providing nonvisual accessibility
for the blind and visually impaired which provides
the same opportunity for access and participation
(including privacy and independence) as for other
voters, and shall provide alternative language acces-
sibility for individuals with limited proficiency in the
English language.
‘‘(6) The voting system’s error rate shall be as
close to zero as practicable when the system is prop-
erly used.
‘‘(b) PROVISIONAL VOTING.—To carry out section 5
of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, if the name of an individual who claims
to be a registrant eligible to vote at a polling place in an
election for Federal office does not appear on the official
list of registrants eligible to vote at the polling place, or
it is otherwise asserted by an election official that the indi-
vidual is not eligible to vote at the polling place—
‘‘(1) an election official at the polling place
shall notify the individual that the individual may
cast a provisional ballot in the election;
‘‘(2) the individual shall be permitted to cast a
vote at that polling place upon written affirmation
by the individual before an election official at that
polling place that the individual is so eligible;
‘‘(3) an election official at the polling place
shall transfer the ballot cast by the individual to an
appropriate State or local election official for prompt
verification of the claim made by the individual in
the affirmation required under paragraph (2);
‘‘(4) if the appropriate State or local election
official verifies the claim made by the individual in
the affirmation, the individual’s vote shall be tab-
ulated; and
‘‘(5) the appropriate State or local election offi-
cial shall notify the individual in writing of the dis-
position of the individual’s claim and the treatment
of the individual’s vote.
‘‘(c) SAMPLE BALLOT.—
‘‘(1) MAILINGS TO VOTERS.—To carry out sec-
tion 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, not later than 10 days
prior to the date of an election for Federal office,
each individual who is registered to vote in such
election shall be mailed a sample version of the bal-
lot which will be used for the election by the appro-
priate election official, together with—
‘‘(A) information regarding the date of the
election and the hours during which polling
places will be open;
‘‘(B) instructions on how to cast a vote on
the ballot; and
‘‘(C) general information on voting rights
under Federal and applicable State laws and in-
structions on how to contact the appropriate of-
ficials if these rights are alleged to be violated.
‘‘(2) PUBLICATION AND POSTING.—The sample
version of the ballot which will be used for an elec-
tion for Federal office and which is mailed under
paragraph (1) shall be published in a newspaper of
general circulation in the applicable geographic area
not later than 10 days prior to the date of the elec-
tion, and shall be posted publicly at each polling
place on the date of the election.
‘‘SEC. 532. REQUIRING STATES TO MEET REQUIREMENTS.
‘‘To carry out section 5 of the fourteenth amendment
to the Constitution of the United States, each State shall
meet the requirements of section 531 with respect to elec-
tions for Federal office held in the State beginning not
later than the regularly scheduled general election for Fed-
eral office held in the State in 2004.
‘‘SEC. 533. REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS OF MEETING RE-
QUIREMENTS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall
make payments to each State to reimburse the State for
the costs incurred by the State in meeting the require-
ments of section 531.
‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—The Attorney General shall
make the payments required under this section in accord-
ance with such requirements as the Attorney General may
by regulation establish, including requirements relating to
preparing revised technical specifications and guidelines at
such times as the Attorney General considers appropriate.
‘‘CHAPTER B—VOTING RIGHTS IN STATE AND
LOCAL ELECTIONS
‘‘SEC. 541. EQUAL PROTECTION OF VOTING RIGHTS FOR
STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS.
‘‘(a) VOTING SYSTEMS.—To carry out section 5 of
the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, the Attorney General shall provide reim-
bursement to each State (in accordance with section 542)
which protects voting rights by ensuring that each voting
system used for elections for State and local office meets
the following requirements:
‘‘(1) The system shall permit the voter to verify
the votes selected by the voter on a ballot before the
ballot is cast and tabulated, and shall provide the
voter with the opportunity to correct any error be-
fore the ballot is cast and tabulated.
‘‘(2) If the voter selects votes for more than one
candidate for a single office, the system shall notify
the voter before the ballot is cast and tabulated of
the effect of casting multiple votes for the office, and
shall provide the voter with the opportunity to cor-
rect the ballot before the ballot is cast and tab-
ulated.
‘‘(3) If the voter selects votes for fewer than the
number of candidates for which votes may be cast,
the system shall notify the voter before the ballot is
cast and tabulated of the effect of undervoting, and
shall provide the voter with the opportunity to cor-
rect the ballot before the ballot is cast and tab-
ulated.
‘‘(4) The system shall produce an auditable
record for each ballot cast.
‘‘(5) The system shall be accessible for individ-
uals with disabilities and other individuals with spe-
cial needs, including providing nonvisual accessibility
for the blind and visually impaired which provides
the same opportunity for access and participation
(including privacy and independence) as for other
voters, and shall provide alternative language acces-
sibility for individuals with limited proficiency in the
English language.
‘‘(6) The voting system’s error rate shall be as
close to zero as practicable when the system is prop-
erly used.
‘‘(b) PROVISIONAL VOTING.—To carry out section 5
of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, the Attorney General shall provide reim-
bursement to each State (in accordance with section 542)
which protects voting rights by ensuring that if the name
of an individual who claims to be a registrant eligible to
vote at a polling place in an election for State or local
office does not appear on the official list of registrants
eligible to vote at the polling place, or it is otherwise as-
serted by an election official that the individual is not eligi-
ble to vote at the polling place—
‘‘(1) an election official at the polling place
shall notify the individual that the individual may
cast a provisional ballot in the election;
‘‘(2) the individual shall be permitted to cast a
vote at that polling place upon written affirmation
by the individual before an election official at that
polling place that the individual is so eligible;
‘‘(3) an election official at the polling place
shall transfer the ballot cast by the individual to an
appropriate State or local election official for prompt
verification of the claim made by the individual in
the affirmation required under paragraph (2);
‘‘(4) if the appropriate State or local election
official verifies the claim made by the individual in
the affirmation, the individual’s vote shall be tab-
ulated; and
‘‘(5) the appropriate State or local election offi-
cial shall notify the individual in writing of the dis-
position of the individual’s claim and the treatment
of the individual’s vote.
‘‘(c) SAMPLE BALLOT.—
‘‘(1) MAILINGS TO VOTERS.—To carry out sec-
tion 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, the Attorney General shall
provide reimbursement to each State (in accordance
with section 542) which protects voting rights by en-
suring that each individual who is registered to vote
in an election for State or local office is mailed a
sample version of the ballot which will be used for
the election by the appropriate election official (not
later than 10 days prior to the date of the election),
together with—
‘‘(A) information regarding the date of the
election and the hours during which polling
places will be open;
‘‘(B) instructions on how to cast a vote on
the ballot; and
‘‘(C) general information on voting rights
under Federal and applicable State laws and in-
structions on how to contact the appropriate of-
ficials if these rights are alleged to be violated.
‘‘(2) PUBLICATION
AND
POSTING.—To carry
out section 5 of the fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, the Attorney Gen-
eral shall provide reimbursement to each State (in
accordance with section 542) which protects voting
rights by ensuring that the sample version of the
ballot which will be used for an election for State or
local office and which is mailed under paragraph (1)
is published in a newspaper of general circulation in
the applicable geographic area not later than 10
days prior to the date of the election, and is posted
publicly at each polling place on the date of the elec-
tion.
‘‘SEC. 542. REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS OF CARRYING OUT
ACTIVITIES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall
make payments to each State to reimburse the State for
the costs incurred by the State in carrying out the activi-
ties described in section 541.
‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—The Attorney General shall
make the payments required under this section in accord-
ance with such requirements as the Attorney General may
by regulation establish, including requirements relating to
the timing of payments, the submission of claims by
States, and the review of such claims by the Attorney Gen-
eral.
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General
such sums as may be necessary for making payments
under this section.
‘‘SEC. 543. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ATTORNEY GENERAL.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall be
responsible for carrying out this chapter, in accordance
with such regulations as the Attorney General may issue.
‘‘(b) ENFORCEMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General may
bring a civil action in an appropriate district court
for such relief (including declaratory or injunctive
relief) as may be necessary to carry out this chapter.
‘‘(2) RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.—The rem-
edies established by this subsection are in addition
to all other rights and remedies provided by law.
‘‘(c) ACTION THROUGH ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GEN-
ERAL FOR CIVIL RIGHTS.—The Attorney General shall
issue regulations pursuant to this section, and shall other-
wise carry out this chapter, through the Assistant Attor-
ney General for the Civil Rights Division.
‘‘SEC. 544. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS AND GUIDELINES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To carry out section 5 of the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, in accordance with the requirements of this chap-
ter, and in consultation with the Office of Election Admin-
istration of the Federal Election Commission, the Office
of Civil Rights of the Department of Justice shall
develop—
‘‘(1) technical specifications with respect to the
voting system activities described in section 541(a);
‘‘(2) guidelines with respect to the provisional
voting activities described in section 541(b); and
‘‘(3) guidelines with respect to the sample ballot
activities described in section 541(c).
‘‘(b) DEADLINE FOR INITIAL SPECIFICATIONS AND
GUIDELINES.—The Office of Civil Rights shall develop the
initial set of technical specifications and guidelines under
subsection (a) not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
‘‘(c) PROVISION OF CONTINUING INFORMATION.—
After preparing the initial set of technical specifications
and guidelines under subsection (a), the Office of Civil
Rights shall continue to provide information to assist the
Attorney General in carrying out this chapter, including
preparing revised technical specifications and guidelines at
such times as the Attorney General considers appropriate.
‘‘CHAPTER C—DEFINITIONS
‘‘SEC. 551. DEFINITIONS.
‘‘In this subpart, the following definitions shall apply:
‘‘(1) The term ‘election’ means a general, spe-
cial, primary, or runoff election, or a convention or
caucus of a political party which has authority to
nominate a candidate for elected office.
‘‘(2) The term ‘State’ means each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth
of Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the
United States Virgin Islands.’’.
TITLE 
II—EARLY 
BIRD 
AND
GOOD CITIZEN GRANT PRO-
GRAM
SEC. 201. EARLY BIRD AND GOOD CITIZEN GRANT PRO-
GRAM.
Part E of title I of Public Law 90–351 (42 U.S.C.
3750 et seq.), as amended by section 101, is amended by
adding at the end the following new subpart:
‘‘Subpart 5—Early Bird and Good Citizen Grant
Program
‘‘SEC. 571. ESTABLISHMENT OF EARLY BIRD AND GOOD CIT-
IZEN GRANT PROGRAM.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to section 5 of the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, there is established a grant program to provide
equal protection of voting rights, under which the Attor-
ney General, subject to the general policies and criteria
for the approval of applications established under section
573 and in consultation with the Assistant Attorney Gen-
eral for the Civil Rights Division, is authorized to make
grants to States and localities to pay the Federal share
of the costs of the activities described in section 572.
‘‘(b) ACTION THROUGH OFFICE OF JUSTICE PRO-
GRAMS AND ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR CIVIL
RIGHTS.—In carrying out this subpart, the Attorney Gen-
eral shall act through the Assistant Attorney General for
the Office of Justice Programs and the Assistant Attorney
General for the Civil Rights Division.
‘‘SEC. 572. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.
‘‘A State or locality may use grant payments received
under this subpart—
‘‘(1) to improve, acquire, or replace voting
equipment or technology and improve the accessi-
bility of polling places, including providing physical
access for persons with disabilities and to other indi-
viduals with special needs and nonvisual access for
voters with visual impairments, and assistance to
voters with limited proficiency in the English lan-
guage;
‘‘(2) to implement new election administration
procedures to increase voter participation and reduce
disenfranchisement, such as ‘same-day’ voter reg-
istration procedures;
‘‘(3) to educate voters concerning voting proce-
dures, voting rights or voting technology, and to
train election personnel; or
‘‘(4) upon completion of the final report under
section 303(c)(2) of the Equal Protection of Voting
Rights Act of 2001, to implement recommendations
contained 
in 
such 
report 
under 
section
303(c)(2)(B)(ii) of such Act.
‘‘SEC. 573. GENERAL POLICIES AND CRITERIA FOR THE AP-
PROVAL OF APPLICATIONS OF STATES AND
LOCALITIES; 
REQUIREMENTS 
OF 
STATE
PLANS.
‘‘(a) GENERAL POLICIES.—The Attorney General
shall establish general policies with respect to the approval
of applications of States and localities, the awarding of
grants, and the use of assistance made available under this
subpart.
‘‘(b) CRITERIA.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General shall
establish criteria with respect to the approval of ap-
plications of States and localities submitted under
section 574, including the requirements for State
plans under paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS OF STATE PLANS.—Attor-
ney General shall not approve an application of a
State unless the State plan of that State provides
for each of the following:
‘‘(A) 
Uniform 
and 
nondiscriminatory
standards within the State for the equal protec-
tion of voting rights which meet the require-
ments for voting systems, provisional voting,
and sample ballots described in section 531.
‘‘(B) Accuracy of the records of eligible
voters in the State to ensure that legally reg-
istered voters appear in such records and pre-
vent any purging of such records to remove ille-
gal voters that results in the elimination of
legal voters as well.
‘‘(C) Uniform and nondiscriminatory vot-
ing standards that ensure—
‘‘(i) ease and convenience of voting for
all voters, including accuracy, non-intimi-
dation, and nondiscrimination;
‘‘(ii) conditions for nonvisual access
and other access for voters with special
needs that provide the same opportunity
for access and participation, including pri-
vacy and independence;
‘‘(iii) compliance with the Voting Ac-
cessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped
Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ee et seq.);
‘‘(iv) compliance with the Voting
Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa et
seq.), including sections 203 and 4(f)(4);
‘‘(v) compliance with the National
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C.
1973gg et seq.); and
‘‘(vi) overseas voters and absent uni-
formed service voters (as such terms are
defined in section 107 of the Uniformed
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff–6)) have a meaningful
opportunity to exercise their voting rights
as citizens of the United States.
‘‘(D) Voter education programs regarding
the right to vote and methodology and proce-
dures for participating in elections and training
programs for election personnel and volunteers,
including procedures to carry out subparagraph
(E).
‘‘(E) An effective method of notifying vot-
ers at polling places on the day of election of