I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 829
To direct the Federal Election Commission to set uniform national standards
for Federal election procedures, change the Federal election day, and
for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 1, 2001
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to
the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Com-
mittee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall with-
in the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To direct the Federal Election Commission to set uniform
national standards for Federal election procedures,
change the Federal election day, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Election
Standards Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. UNIFORM NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR FEDERAL
ELECTION PROCEDURES.
(a) UNIFORM STANDARDS.—Title III of the Federal
Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 431 et seq.)
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 323. UNIFORM ELECTION PROCEDURES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall provide
required uniform national standards regarding procedures
for elections for Federal office that—
‘‘(1) minimize delay, error, or confusion in vot-
ing and in voter registration;
‘‘(2) eliminate fraud in the voting process;
‘‘(3) increase the accuracy and reliability of
vote counts and counting procedure;
‘‘(4) reduce the number of uncounted and dis-
carded ballots;
‘‘(5) encourage voter registration and voter
turnout;
‘‘(6) ensure accessibility to registration facilities
and polling places for all voters; and
‘‘(7) promote public confidence in the accuracy
and reliability of the election process.
‘‘(b) STANDARDS.—The standards under subsection
(a) shall include procedures regarding—
‘‘(1) the type of ballots used;
‘‘(2) vote counting;
‘‘(3) use of counting machines;
‘‘(4) accuracy and security of elections and vote
counts;
‘‘(5) voter registration; and
‘‘(6) verification and maintenance of voter rolls.
‘‘(c) STUDY OF STATE PROCEDURES.—For purposes
of determining standards under subsection (a), the Com-
mission shall study and periodically review (not less often
than once every 6 months following an election for Federal
office) State election regulations and procedures.
‘‘(d) ENFORCEMENT.—Standards established under
this section shall only be enforceable under section 309(e).
‘‘(e) REGULATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1,
2002, the Commission shall promulgate regulations
to carry out the provisions of this section based on
an initial study and analysis of election and vote
counting procedures utilized in each State.
‘‘(2) STATE
COMPLIANCE.—The Commission
may—
‘‘(A) prescribe a reasonable period of time
for States to comply with the uniform national
standards established under this section; and
‘‘(B) establish a process for a State to re-
quest a waiver of compliance with a standard or
an extension of time to comply with a standard,
based on a showing that the State cannot rea-
sonably comply with such standard.’’.
(b) ENFORCEMENT.—
(1) CIVIL PENALTIES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Section 309 of the Fed-
eral Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
437g) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing:
‘‘(e) The Attorney General may bring a civil action
in an appropriate district court for such declaratory or in-
junctive relief as is necessary to carry out the require-
ments under section 323.’’.
(B) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section
309(a)(1) of the Federal Election Campaign
Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C. 437g(a)(1)) is amended
by striking ‘‘Any person’’ and inserting ‘‘Except
as provided in section 323, any person’’.
(2) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 29 of title 18,
United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
‘‘SEC. 612. NONCOMPLIANCE WITH UNIFORM NATIONAL
ELECTION STANDARDS.
‘‘It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly con-
duct an election for Federal office (within the meaning
of section 301 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971), or to knowingly interfere with such election, so that
the election is in violation of the uniform national stand-
ards established by the Federal Election Commission
under section 323 of such Act. Any person who violates
this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned
not more than 3 years, or both.’’.
(B) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—The
table of sections for chapter 29 of title 18,
United States Code, is amended by inserting at
the end the following:
‘‘Sec. 612. Noncompliance with uniform national election stand-
ards.’’.
(c) COMPLIANCE GRANT PROGRAM.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Election Com-
mission is authorized to make grants to States to
provide for the cost of implementing the uniform na-
tional standards for elections established under sec-
tion 323 of the Federal Election Campaign Act of
1971.
(2) USE OF FUNDS.—A State may use a grant
received under paragraph (1) for costs in relation to