I 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1579 
To amend title 3, United States Code, to extend the date provided for 
the meeting of electors of the President and Vice President in the 
States and the date provided for the joint session of Congress held 
for the counting of electoral votes, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 12, 2005 
Mr. PRICE of North Carolina introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on House Administration 
A BILL 
To amend title 3, United States Code, to extend the date 
provided for the meeting of electors of the President 
and Vice President in the States and the date provided 
for the joint session of Congress held for the counting 
of electoral votes, 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 ‘‘Count Every Vote Act 
of 2005’’.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF DATES PROVIDED FOR MEETING OF 
ELECTORS AND JOINT SESSION OF CON-
GRESS FOR COUNTING ELECTORAL VOTES. 
(a) MEETING OF ELECTORS IN STATES.—Section 7 
of title 3, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the 
first Monday after the second Wednesday in December 
next following their appointment’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘the first day (or, if such day is a Sunday, the 
second day) occurring after the January 1 that next fol-
lows their appointment’’. 
(b) ENSURING TIMELY DELIVERY OF CERTIFICATES 
AND VOTES BY STATES.— 
(1) CERTIFICATE OF APPOINTED ELECTORS.— 
Section 6 of such title is amended by striking ‘‘com-
municate by registered mail under the seal of the 
State to the Archivist of the United States’’ and in-
serting the following: ‘‘communicate to the Archivist 
of the United States, by the most expeditious meth-
od available (including overnight delivery or a secure 
form of electronic transmission) to ensure receipt 
not later than the second day that follows the date 
described in section 7,’’. 
(2) DISPOSITION OF CERTIFICATES BY ELEC-
TORS.—Section 11 of such title is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘by registered mail’’ each 
place it appears;
(B) by striking ‘‘The electors shall dis-
pose’’ and inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The 
electors shall dispose’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(b) METHOD OF DELIVERY AND TRANSMISSION.— 
The electors shall carry out the delivery and transmission 
requirements of this section by the most expeditious meth-
od available (including overnight delivery or a secure form 
of electronic transmission) to ensure receipt of the certifi-
cates and lists by the President of the Senate and the Ar-
chivist of the United States not later than the second day 
that follows the date described in section 7.’’. 
(3) FINAL DEADLINE FOR DELIVERY.—Section 
12 of such title is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the fourth Wednesday in 
December’’ and inserting ‘‘the second day that 
follows the date described in section 7’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘transmit same by reg-
istered mail to the President of the Senate at 
the seat of government’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: ‘‘transmit such certificate and list to the 
President of the Senate at the seat of govern-
ment by such method as may be necessary (in-
cluding overnight delivery or a secure form of
electronic transmission) to ensure that such cer-
tificate and list is received by the President of 
the Senate or the Archivist of the United States 
not later than the second day that follows the 
date described in section 7’’. 
(4) DEMAND
ON
DISTRICT
COURT
JUDGE.— 
Section 13 of such title is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the fourth Wednesday in 
December’’ and inserting ‘‘the second day that 
follows the date described in section 7’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘send a special messenger 
to’’ and inserting ‘‘immediately notify’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘shall forthwith transmit 
that list by the hand of the messenger to the 
seat of government’’ and inserting ‘‘shall take 
such action as may be necessary (including 
overnight delivery or a secure form of electronic 
transmission) to ensure that such certificate 
and list is received by the President of the Sen-
ate not later than 24 hours after receipt of the 
Archivist’s notice’’. 
(c) JOINT SESSION
FOR COUNTING ELECTORAL 
VOTES.—The first sentence of section 15 of such title is 
amended by striking ‘‘the sixth day of January succeeding 
every meeting of the electors’’ and inserting the following:
‘‘the second day (or, if such day is a Sunday, the third 
day) that follows the deadline for the receipt of certificates 
and votes by the President of the Senate or the Archivist 
of the United States under section 12’’. 
SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF SAFE HARBOR PERIOD FOR RESO-
LUTION OF CONTROVERSY OR CONTEST RE-
GARDING APPOINTMENT OF ELECTORS. 
Section 5 of title 3, United States Code, is amended 
by striking ‘‘six days’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘3 days’’. 
SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with 
respect to the Presidential election held in November 2008 
and each succeeding Presidential election. 
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