I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3416 
To extend to individuals evacuated from their residences as a result of 
a major disaster the right to use the absentee balloting and registration 
procedures available to military and overseas voters under the Uniformed 
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, to direct the Election Assist-
ance Commission to make grants to States to respond to election admin-
istration needs which result from a major disaster, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 30, 2009 
Mr. DAVIS of Alabama introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To extend to individuals evacuated from their residences 
as a result of a major disaster the right to use the 
absentee balloting and registration procedures available 
to military and overseas voters under the Uniformed 
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, to direct 
the Election Assistance Commission to make grants to 
States to respond to election administration needs which 
result from a major disaster, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Disaster Assistance 
Voting Act of 2009’’. 
SEC. 2. APPLICABILITY OF PROTECTIONS FOR ABSENT 
MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS TO INDI-
VIDUALS 
EVACUATED 
AS 
A 
RESULT 
OF 
MAJOR DISASTER. 
(a) RIGHT OF EVACUEES TO USE ABSENTEE BAL-
LOTING AND REGISTRATION PROCEDURES AVAILABLE TO 
MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS.—In the case of any 
individual who is an eligible evacuee— 
(1) the individual shall be treated in the same 
manner as an absent uniformed services voter and 
overseas voter for purposes of the Uniformed and 
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (42 U.S.C. 
1973ff et seq.), other than section 103(b)(1) (42 
U.S.C. 1973ff–2(b)(1)); and 
(2) the individual shall be deemed to be an indi-
vidual who is entitled to vote by absentee ballot for 
purposes of the National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 and the Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the 
following definitions apply: 
(1) The term ‘‘eligible evacuee’’ means an indi-
vidual— 
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(A) who certifies to the appropriate State 
election official that the individual’s predisaster 
primary residence is rendered uninhabitable or 
inaccessible as a result of damage or evacuation 
caused by a major disaster; and 
(B) who provides the official with an affi-
davit stating that the individual intends to re-
turn to the place of residence where the indi-
vidual is otherwise qualified to vote after the 
election or elections involved. 
(2) The term ‘‘major disaster’’ has the meaning 
given such term under section 102 of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 
Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 
(3) 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. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply with 
respect to elections for Federal office held in calendar 
years beginning with 2010. 
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SEC. 3. GRANTS TO STATES FOR RESPONDING TO ELEC-
TION ADMINISTRATION NEEDS RESULTING 
FROM MAJOR NATURAL DISASTERS. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO MAKE GRANTS.—The Election 
Assistance Commission shall make a grant to each eligible 
State, in such amount as the Commission considers appro-
priate, for purposes of restoring and replacing supplies, 
materials, and equipment used in the administration of 
elections in the State which were damaged as a result of 
a major natural disaster, and for conducting voter out-
reach and education for voters displaced as a result of a 
major natural disaster, as determined on the basis of such 
criteria as the Commission may establish. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State is eligible to receive 
a grant under this section if it submits to the Com-
mission (at such time and in such form as the Com-
mission may require) a certification that supplies, 
materials, and equipment used in the administration 
of elections in the State were damaged as a result 
of a major natural disaster. 
(2) PREFERENCE FOR STATES USING FUNDS 
FOR SATELLITE VOTING SITES.—In determining the 
eligibility of States for receiving grants under this 
section and the amount of the grant awarded to a 
State, the Commission shall give preference to 
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States which will use the grant to operate voting 
sites for displaced voters which are located outside 
of the area which was affected by the major natural 
disaster. 
(c) DEFINITION.—In this section, 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. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2010 and 
each succeeding fiscal year such sums as may be necessary 
to carry out this section, to remain available until ex-
pended. 
SEC. 4. DELAY IN REMOVAL OF REGISTRANTS FROM OFFI-
CIAL LIST OF VOTERS ON GROUNDS OF 
CHANGE OF RESIDENCE. 
Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2)(B), by inserting after 
‘‘2 or more’’ the following: ‘‘(or, in the case of an 
individual who at any time after the applicable reg-
istrar sends the notice is an eligible evacuee under 
the Disaster Assistance Voting Act of 2009, 3 or 
more)’’; and 
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(2) in subsection (d)(1)(B)(ii), by inserting 
after ‘‘the second general election’’ the following: 
‘‘(or, in the case of an individual who at any time 
after the date of the notice is an eligible evacuee 
under the Disaster Assistance Voting Act of 2009, 
the third general election)’’. 
SEC. 5. NOTIFYING DISPLACED INDIVIDUALS OF AVAIL-
ABILITY OF PROTECTIONS. 
(a) INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING SERVICES
AT DES-
IGNATED STATE VOTER REGISTRATION AGENCIES.— 
Each motor vehicle authority in a State and each voter 
registration agency designated in a State under section 
7(a) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 shall 
take such steps as may be necessary to notify individuals 
to whom services are provided of the protections provided 
by section 2 and of the requirements for obtaining those 
protections, including the requirement to submit an affi-
davit stating that the individual intends to return to the 
place of residence where the individual is otherwise quali-
fied to vote. 
(b) APPLICANTS FOR HOUSING ASSISTANCE UNDER 
STAFFORD ACT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 408(b) of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
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ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(b)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) NOTIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF RIGHT 
TO USE CERTAIN ABSENTEE BALLOTING AND REG-
ISTRATION PROCEDURES.—The President shall no-
tify each individual and household who receives 
housing assistance under this section of the protec-
tions provided by section 2 of the Disaster Assist-
ance Voting Act of 2009 (relating to the right to 
register to vote and vote by absentee ballot in elec-
tions for Federal office) and of the requirements for 
obtaining those protections, including the require-
ment to submit an affidavit stating that the indi-
vidual intends to return to the place of residence 
where the individual is otherwise qualified to vote.’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by paragraph (1) shall apply with respect to assist-
ance received on or after the date of the enactment 
of this Act. 
Æ 
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