I
106TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5678
To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform Time Act of 1966
to establish a single poll closing time for Presidential general elections.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
DECEMBER 15, 2000
Mr. MARKEY (for himself, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. DINGELL, Mr. LATOURETTE, Ms.
ESHOO, Mr. FROST, Mr. COX, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas,
Mr. BURR
of North Carolina, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. OLVER, Mr.
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. HORN, Mr. PHELPS, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of
California, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr.
BARTON of Texas, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. RILEY, and Mr. BURTON
of Indiana) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker,
in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the juris-
diction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To amend title 3, United States Code, and the Uniform
Time Act of 1966 to establish a single poll closing time
for Presidential general elections.
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 ‘‘Uniform Poll Closing
Act of 2000’’.
SEC. 2. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME FOR PRESIDENTIAL
GENERAL ELECTIONS.
Chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended
by—
(1) redesignating section 21 as section 22; and
(2) inserting after section 20 the following new
section:
‘‘‘SEC. 21. SINGLE POLL CLOSING TIME.
‘‘(a) Each polling place in each State shall close, with
respect to a Presidential general election, at 9:00 o’clock
post meridiem, eastern standard time. Any person who,
as determined under the law of the State involved, arrives
at a polling place after that time shall not be permitted
to vote in the Presidential general election.
‘‘(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a polling place
shall close, with respect to a Presidential general election,
as provided by the law of the State involved, in the case
of a polling place at which each person who is eligible to
vote has voted.
‘‘(c) Notwithstanding section 1 or any other provision
of law, in the case of the States of Alaska and Hawaii,
a State may open polling places with respect to a Presi-
dential general election during the day preceding the day
provided under such section in addition to the day pro-
vided under such section, so long as the State meets the
requirements of subsection (a) with respect to the day pro-
vided under such section.
‘‘(d) As used in this section, the term ‘Presidential
general election’ means the election for electors of Presi-
dent and Vice President.’’.
SEC. 3. EXTENDED DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME IN PACIFIC
TIME 
ZONE 
IN 
PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION
YEARS.
Section 3 of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15
U.S.C. 260a) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subsection:
‘‘(d)(1) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this sec-
tion, in each year in which a Presidential general election
takes place, the period of time during which the standard
time shall be advanced with respect to the Pacific time
zone shall end at 2:00 o’clock ante meridiem on the first
Sunday after the date of that election.
‘‘(2) As used in this subsection, the term ‘Presi-
dential general election’ means the election for electors of
President and Vice President.’’.
SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.
(a) AMENDMENTS
TO TITLE 3, UNITED STATES
CODE.—The table of sections for chapter 1 of title 3,
United States Code, is amended—
(1) by redesignating the item relating to section
21 as the item relating to section 22; and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 20 the following new item:
‘‘21. Single poll closing time in continental United States.’’.
(b) AMENDMENTS
TO
UNIFORM
TIME
ACT
OF
1966.—Section 3(a) of the Uniform Time Act of 1966 (15
U.S.C. 260a(a)) is amended by striking out ‘‘2 o’clock
antemeridian’’ each place it appears and inserting in lieu
thereof ‘‘2:00 o’clock ante meridiem’’.
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