‘‘(A) an annual review of the effectiveness of
voting assistance programs; and
‘‘(B) an annual review of the compliance with
voting assistance programs of that armed force.
‘‘(2) Upon the completion of each annual review
under paragraph (1), each Inspector General specified in
that paragraph shall submit to the Inspector General of
the Department of Defense a report on the results of each
such review. Such report shall be submitted in time each
year to be reflected in the report of the Inspector General
of the Department of Defense under paragraph (3).
‘‘(3) Not later than March 31 each year, the Inspec-
tor General of the Department of Defense shall submit
to Congress a report on—
‘‘(A) the effectiveness during the preceding cal-
endar year of voting assistance programs; and
‘‘(B) the level of compliance during the pre-
ceding calendar year with voting assistance pro-
grams of each of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and
Marine Corps.
‘‘(d) INSPECTOR GENERAL ASSESSMENTS.—(1) The
Inspector General of the Department of Defense shall pe-
riodically conduct at Department of Defense installations
unannounced assessments of the compliance at those in-
stallations with—
‘‘(A) the requirements of the Uniformed and
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C.
1973ff et seq.);
‘‘(B) Department of Defense regulations re-
garding that Act and the Federal Voting Assistance
Program carried out under that Act; and
‘‘(C) other requirements of law regarding voting
by members of the armed forces.
‘‘(2) The Inspector General shall conduct an assess-
ment under paragraph (1) at not less than 10 Department
of Defense installations each calendar year.
‘‘(3) Each assessment under paragraph (1) shall in-
clude a review of such compliance—
‘‘(A) within units to which are assigned, in the
aggregate, not less than 20 percent of the personnel
assigned to duty at that installation;
‘‘(B) within a representative survey of members
of the armed forces assigned to that installation and
their dependents; and
‘‘(C) within unit voting assistance officers to
measure program effectiveness.
‘‘(e) REGULAR MILITARY DEPARTMENT ASSESS-
MENTS.—The Secretary of each military department shall
include in the set of issues and programs to be reviewed
during any management effectiveness review or inspection
at the installation level an assessment of compliance with
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff et seq.) and with Department of De-
fense regulations regarding the Federal Voting Assistance
Program.
‘‘(f) VOTING ASSISTANCE OFFICERS.—(1) Voting as-
sistance officers shall be appointed or assigned under De-
partment of Defense regulations. Commanders at all levels
are responsible for ensuring that unit voting officers are
trained and equipped to provide information and assist-
ance to members of the armed forces on voting matters.
Performance evaluation reports pertaining to a member
who has been assigned to serve as a voting assistance offi-
cer shall comment on the performance of the member as
a voting assistance officer. The Secretary of each military
department shall certify to Congress that (at a minimum)
a voting assistance officer has been appointed or assigned
for each military installation and major command under
the jurisdiction of the department and that a replacement
will be appointed if the original officer is no longer able
to serve.
‘‘(2) Under regulations and procedures prescribed by
the Secretary, a member of the armed forces appointed
or assigned to duty as a voting assistance officer shall,
to the maximum extent practicable, be given the time and
resources needed to perform the member’s duties as a vot-
ing assistance officer during the period in advance of a
general election when members and their dependents are
preparing and submitting absentee ballots.
‘‘(3) As part of each assessment prepared by the Sec-
retary of a military department under subsection (e), the
Secretary shall—
‘‘(A) specify the number of members of the
armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary
who are appointed or assigned to duty as voting as-
sistance officers;
‘‘(B) specify the ratio of voting assistance offi-
cers to active duty members of the armed forces
under the jurisdiction of the Secretary;
‘‘(C) indicate whether this number and ratio
comply with the requirements of the Federal Voting
Assistance Program; and
‘‘(D) describe the training such members re-
ceive to perform their duties as voting assistance of-
ficers.
‘‘(g) REGISTRATION AND VOTING INFORMATION FOR
MEMBERS AND DEPENDENTS.—(1) The Secretary of each
military department, using a variety of means including
both print and electronic media, shall, to the maximum
extent practicable, ensure that members of the armed
forces and their dependents who are qualified to vote have
ready access to information regarding voter registration
requirements and deadlines (including voter registration),
absentee ballot application requirements and deadlines,
and the availability of voting assistance officers to assist
members and dependents to understand and comply with
these requirements.
‘‘(2) The Secretary of each military department shall
make the national voter registration form prepared for
purposes of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absen-
tee Voting Act by the Federal Election Commission avail-
able so that each person who enlists, reenlists, or volun-
tarily extends an enlistment or who completes a perma-
nent change of station in an active or reserve component
of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps shall re-
ceive such form at the time of the enlistment, reenlist-
ment, extension, or completion of the permanent change
of station, or as soon thereafter as practicable.
‘‘(3) Where practicable, a special day or days shall
be designated at each military installation for the purpose
of informing members of the armed forces and their de-
pendents of election timing, registration requirements, and
voting procedures.
‘‘(h) DELIVERY
OF MAIL FROM OVERSEAS PRE-
CEDING FEDERAL ELECTIONS.—(1) During the four
months preceding a general Federal election month, the
Secretary of Defense shall periodically conduct surveys of
all overseas locations and vessels at sea with military units
responsible for collecting mail for return shipment to the
United States and all port facilities in the United States
and overseas where military-related mail is collected for
shipment to overseas locations or to the United States.
The purpose of each survey shall be to determine if voting
materials are awaiting shipment at any such location and,
if so, the length of time that such materials have been
held at that location. During the fourth and third months
before a general Federal election month, such surveys
shall be conducted biweekly. During the second and first
months before a general Federal election month, such sur-
veys shall be conducted weekly.
‘‘(2) The Secretary shall ensure that voting materials
are transmitted expeditiously by military postal authorities
at all times. The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent
practicable, implement measures to ensure that a post-
mark or other official proof of mailing date is provided
on each absentee ballot collected at any overseas location
or vessel at sea whenever the Department of Defense is
responsible for collecting mail for return shipment to the
United States. The Secretary shall submit to Congress a
report describing the measures to be implemented to en-
sure the timely transmittal and postmarking of voting ma-
terials and identifying the persons responsible for imple-
menting such measures.
‘‘(3) The Secretary of each military department, uti-
lizing the voting assistance officer network established for
each military installation, shall, to the maximum extent
practicable, provide notice to members of the armed forces
stationed at that installation of the last date before a gen-
eral Federal election for which absentee ballots mailed
from a postal facility located at that installation can rea-
sonably be expected to be timely delivered to the appro-
priate State and local election officials.
‘‘(4) In this section, the term ‘general Federal elec-
tion month’ means November in an even-numbered year.’’.
(2) The table of sections at the beginning of such
chapter is amended by adding at the end the following
new item:
‘‘1566. Voting assistance: compliance assessments; assistance.’’.
(b) INITIAL REPORT.—The first report under section
1566(c)(3) of title 10, United States Code, as added by
subsection (a), shall be submitted not later than March
31, 2003.
SEC. 602. DESIGNATION OF SINGLE STATE OFFICE TO PRO-
VIDE INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION AND
ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR ALL VOTERS IN
STATE.
Section 102 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before
‘‘Each State’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(b) DESIGNATION OF SINGLE STATE OFFICE TO
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION AND ABSEN-
TEE
BALLOT
PROCEDURES
FOR
ALL
VOTERS
IN
STATE.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall designate
a single office which shall be responsible for pro-
viding information regarding voter registration pro-
cedures and absentee ballot procedures (including
procedures relating to the use of the Federal write-
in absentee ballot) to all absent uniformed services
voters and overseas voters who wish to register to
vote or vote in any jurisdiction in the State.
‘‘(2) RECOMMENDATION
REGARDING
USE
OF
OFFICE
TO
ACCEPT
AND
PROCESS
MATERIALS.—
Congress recommends that the State office des-
ignated under paragraph (1) be responsible for car-
rying out the State’s duties under this Act, including
accepting valid voter registration applications, absen-
tee ballot applications, and absentee ballots (includ-
ing Federal write-in absentee ballots) from all absent
uniformed services voters and overseas voters who
wish to register to vote or vote in any jurisdiction
in the State.’’.
SEC. 603. REPORT ON ABSENTEE BALLOTS TRANSMITTED
AND RECEIVED AFTER GENERAL ELECTIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102 of the Uniformed and
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff–
1), as amended by section 602, is amended by adding at
the end the following new subsection:
‘‘(c) REPORT ON NUMBER OF ABSENTEE BALLOTS
TRANSMITTED AND RECEIVED.—Not later than 90 days
after the date of each regularly scheduled general election
for Federal office, each State and unit of local government
which administered the election shall (through the State,
in the case of a unit of local government) submit a report
to the Election Assistance Commission (established under
the Help America Vote Act of 2001) on the number of
absentee ballots transmitted to absent uniformed services
voters and overseas voters for the election and the number
of such ballots which were returned by such voters and
cast in the election, and shall make such report available
to the general public.’’.
(b) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARDIZED FORMAT FOR
REPORTS.—The Election Assistance Commission, working
with the Election Assistance Commission Board of Advi-
sors and the Election Assistance Commission Standards
Board, shall develop a standardized format for the reports
submitted by States and units of local government under
section 102(c) of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens
Absentee Voting Act (as added by subsection (a)), and
shall make the format available to the States and units
of local government submitting such reports.
SEC. 604. SIMPLIFICATION OF VOTER REGISTRATION AND
ABSENTEE 
BALLOT 
APPLICATION 
PROCE-
DURES FOR ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES
AND OVERSEAS VOTERS.
(a) REQUIRING STATES TO ACCEPT OFFICIAL FORM
FOR SIMULTANEOUS VOTER REGISTRATION AND ABSEN-
TEE BALLOT APPLICATION; DEADLINE FOR PROCESSING
APPLICATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 102(a) of the Uni-
formed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff–1), as amended by section 602,
is amended—
(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as
follows:
‘‘(2) accept and process, with respect to any
election for Federal office, any otherwise valid voter
registration application and absentee ballot applica-
tion from an absent uniformed services voter or
overseas voter, if the application is received by the
appropriate State election official not less than 30
days before the election;’’;
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (3) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(4) use the official post card form (prescribed
under section 101) for simultaneous voter registra-
tion application and absentee ballot application.’’.
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS.—Section
101(b)(2) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)(2) is
amended by striking ‘‘as recommended in section
104’’ and inserting ‘‘as required under section
102(4)’’.
(b) USE OF SINGLE APPLICATION FOR ALL SUBSE-
QUENT ELECTIONS.—Section 104 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1973ff–3) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘SEC. 104. USE OF SINGLE APPLICATION FOR ALL SUBSE-
QUENT ELECTIONS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If a State accepts and processes
an official post card form (prescribed under section 101)
submitted by an absent uniformed services voter or over-
seas voter for simultaneous voter registration and absen-
tee ballot application (in accordance with section
102(a)(4)) and the voter requests that the application be
considered an application for an absentee ballot for each
subsequent election for Federal office held in the State
during that year, the State shall provide an absentee ballot
to the voter for each subsequent election for Federal office
held in the State during that year.
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION FOR VOTERS CHANGING REGISTRA-
TION.—Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a
voter registered to vote in a State for any election held
after the voter notifies the State that the voter no longer
wishes to be registered to vote in the State or after the
State determines that the voter has registered to vote in
another State.
‘‘(c) REVISION OF OFFICIAL POST CARD FORM.—
The Presidential designee shall revise the official post card
form (prescribed under section 101) to enable a voter
using the form to—
‘‘(1) request an absentee ballot for each election
for Federal office held in a State during a year; or
‘‘(2) request an absentee ballot for only the
next scheduled election for Federal office held in a
State.
‘‘(d) NO EFFECT ON VOTER REMOVAL PROGRAMS.—
Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent a
State from removing any voter from the rolls of registered
voters in the State under any program or method per-
mitted under section 8 of the National Voter Registration
Act of 1993.’’.
SEC. 605. ADDITIONAL DUTIES OF PRESIDENTIAL DES-
IGNEE UNDER UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS
CITIZENS ABSENTEE VOTING ACT.
(a) EDUCATING ELECTION OFFICIALS ON RESPON-
SIBILITIES UNDER ACT.—Section 101(b)(1) of the Uni-
formed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42
U.S.C. 1973ff(b)(1)) is amended by striking the semicolon
at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘, and ensuring
that such officials are aware of the requirements of this
Act;’’.
(b) DEVELOPMENT OF STANDARD OATH FOR USE
WITH MATERIALS.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 101(b) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)) is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (5);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (6) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(7) prescribe a standard oath for use with any
document under this title affirming that a material
misstatement of fact in the completion of such a
document may constitute grounds for a conviction
for perjury.’’.
(2) REQUIRING
STATES
TO
USE
STANDARD
OATH.—Section 102(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1973ff–1(b)), as amended by sections 603 and
605(a), is amended—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (3);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
paragraph (4) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(5) if the State requires an oath or affirmation
to accompany any document under this title, use the
standard oath prescribed by the Presidential des-
ignee under section 101(b)(7).’’.
(c) PROVIDING BREAKDOWN BETWEEN OVERSEAS
VOTERS AND ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS IN
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF VOTER PARTICIPATION.—Sec-
tion 101(b)(6) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973ff(b)(6)) is
amended by inserting after ‘‘participation’’ the following:
‘‘(listed separately for overseas voters and absent uni-
formed services voters)’’.
TITLE VII—REDUCED POSTAGE
RATES FOR OFFICIAL ELEC-
TION MAIL
SEC. 701. REDUCED POSTAGE RATES FOR OFFICIAL ELEC-
TION MAIL.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3629 of title 39, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 3629. Reduced rates for official election mail
‘‘(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title,
the rate of postage for any first-class mail matter shall,
in the case of official election mail, be equal to 50 percent
of the regular first-class rate, subject to subsection (c).
‘‘(b) For purposes of this section, the term ‘official
election mail’ means any mailing by a State or local elec-
tion official that—
‘‘(1) is mailed in the course of official business;
‘‘(2) consists of voter registration or election in-
formation or assistance prepared and mailed in a
nonpartisan manner; and
100
‘‘(3) bears such logo or other markings as the
Postal Service may require.
Such term does not include any mailing that includes any
mail matter intended to promote government action unre-
lated to the conduct of an election.
‘‘(c) Nothing in this section shall, with respect to any
official election mail, be considered to make unavailable—
‘‘(1) any free mailing privilege under section
3406 or any other provision of law for which such
mail otherwise qualifies; or
‘‘(2) any reduced rate of postage under section
3626 or any other provision of law for which such
mail otherwise qualifies, if lower than the rate that
would otherwise apply under subsection (a).’’.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections
for chapter 36 of title 39, United States Code, is amended
by striking the item relating to section 3629 and inserting
the following:
‘‘3629. Reduced rates for official election mail.’’.
101
TITLE VIII—TRANSITION
PROVISIONS
Subtitle A—Transfer to Commis-
sion of Functions Under Certain
Laws
SEC. 801. FEDERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACT OF 1971.
(a) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE OF ELEC-
TION ADMINISTRATION OF FEDERAL ELECTION COMMIS-
SION.—There are transferred to the Election Assistance
Commission established under section 201 all functions
which the Office of the Election Administration, estab-
lished within the Federal Election Commission, exercised
before the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 311(a) of
the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 (2 U.S.C.
438(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (8), by inserting ‘‘and’’ at the
end;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and
inserting a period; and
(3) by striking paragraph (10) and the second
and third sentences.
SEC. 802. NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT OF 1993.
(a) TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS.—There are trans-
ferred to the Election Assistance Commission established
102
under section 201 all functions which the Federal Election
Commission exercised under the National Voter Registra-
tion Act of 1993 before the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 9(a) of the
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C.
1973gg–7(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘Federal Election
Commission’’ and inserting ‘‘Election Assistance Commis-
sion’’.
SEC. 803. TRANSFER OF PROPERTY, RECORDS, AND PER-
SONNEL.
(a) PROPERTY AND RECORDS.—The contracts, liabil-
ities, records, property, and other assets and interests of,
or made available in connection with, the offices and func-
tions of the Federal Election Commission which are trans-
ferred by this subtitle are transferred to the Election As-
sistance Commission for appropriate allocation.
(b) PERSONNEL.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The personnel employed in
connection with the offices and functions of the Fed-
eral Election Commission which are transferred by
this subtitle are transferred to the Election Assist-
ance Commission.
(2) EFFECT.—Any full-time or part-time per-
sonnel employed in permanent positions shall not be
separated or reduced in grade or compensation be-
103
cause of the transfer under this subsection during
the 1-year period beginning on the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.
SEC. 804. EFFECTIVE DATE; TRANSITION.
(a) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This title and the amend-
ments made by this title shall take effect upon the ap-
pointment of all members of the Election Assistance Com-
mission under section 203.
(b) TRANSITION.—With the consent of the entity in-
volved, the Election Assistance Commission is authorized
to utilize the services of such officers, employees, and
other personnel of the entities from which functions have
been transferred to the Election Assistance Commission
under this title or the amendments made by this title for
such period of time as may reasonably be needed to facili-
tate the orderly transfer of such functions.
Subtitle B—Coverage of Commis-
sion Under Certain Laws and
Programs
SEC. 811. TREATMENT OF COMMISSION PERSONNEL UNDER
CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE LAWS.
(a) 
COVERAGE
UNDER
HATCH
ACT.—Section
7323(b)(2)(B)(i)(I) of title 5, United States Code, is
amended by inserting ‘‘or the Election Assistance Com-
mission’’ after ‘‘Commission’’.
104
(b) EXCLUSION FROM SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERV-
ICE.—Section 3132(a)(1)(C) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘or the Election Assist-
ance Commission’’ after ‘‘Commission’’.
SEC. 812. COVERAGE UNDER INSPECTOR GENERAL ACT OF
1978.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 8G(a)(2) of the Inspector
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. App.) is amended by in-
serting ‘‘, the Election Assistance Commission,’’ after
‘‘Federal Election Commission,’’.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by
subsection (a) shall take effect 180 days after the ap-
pointment of all members of the Election Assistance
Commission under section 203.
TITLE IX—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 901. STATE DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ‘‘State’’ includes the District
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam,
American Samoa, and the United States Virgin Islands.
SEC. 902. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS TO PROTECT IN-
TEGRITY OF ELECTION PROCESS.
(a) CLARIFICATION OF ABILITY OF ELECTION OFFI-
CIALS TO REMOVE REGISTRANTS FROM OFFICIAL LIST
OF VOTERS ON GROUNDS OF CHANGE OF RESIDENCE.—
105
Section 8(b)(2) of the National Voter Registration Act of
1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(b)(2)) is amended by striking
the period at the end and inserting the following: ‘‘, ex-
cept that nothing in this paragraph may be construed to
prohibit a State from using the procedures described in
subsections (c) and (d) to remove an individual from the
official list of eligible voters if the individual has not
voted or appeared to vote in 2 or more consecutive gen-
eral elections for Federal office and has not notified the
applicable registrar (in person or in writing) or responded
to a notice sent by the applicable registrar during the pe-
riod in which such elections are held that the individual
intends to remain registered in the registrar’s jurisdic-
tion.’’.
(b) PROHIBITING EFFORTS BY POLL WORKERS TO
COERCE VOTERS TO CAST VOTES FOR EVERY OFFICE
ON BALLOT.—Section 594 of title 18, United States
Code, is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘Whoever’’ and inserting ‘‘(a)
Whoever’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section:
‘‘(b) For purposes of subsection (a), a poll worker
who urges or encourages a voter who has not cast a vote
for each office listed on the ballot to return to the voting
106
booth to cast votes for every office, or who otherwise in-
timidates, harasses, or coerces the voter to vote for each
such office (or who attempts to intimidate, harass, or co-
erce the voter to vote for each such office), shall be con-
sidered to have intimidated, threatened, or coerced (or to
have attempted to intimidate, threaten, or coerce) the
voter for the purpose of interfering with the voter’s right
to vote as the voter may choose. Nothing in this sub-
section shall prohibit a poll worker from providing infor-
mation to a voter who requests assistance.’’.
SEC. 903. NO EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act and no ac-
tion taken pursuant to this Act shall supersede, restrict,
or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the Voting
Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, or the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
(b) NO CONDUCT AUTHORIZED WHICH IS PROHIB-
ITED UNDER OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in this Act au-
thorizes or requires any conduct which is prohibited by
the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the National Voter Reg-
istration Act of 1993, or the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990.
(c) APPLICATION
TO
STATES, LOCAL
GOVERN-
MENTS, AND COMMISSION.—Except as specifically pro-
107
vided in the case of the National Voter Registration Act
of 1993, nothing in this Act may be construed to affect
the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Na-
tional Voter Registration Act of 1993, or the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990 to any State, unit of local
government, or other person, or to grant to the Election
Assistance Commission the authority to carry out activi-
ties inconsistent with such Acts.
Æ