sults of any election which is subject to an audit 
under this subtitle prior to— 
‘‘(A) the completion of the audit (and, if 
required, any additional audit conducted under 
section 323(e)(1)) and the announcement and 
submission of the results of each such audit to 
the Commission for publication of the informa-
tion required under this section; and 
‘‘(B) the completion of any procedure es-
tablished by the State pursuant to section 
323(e)(2) to resolve discrepancies and ensure 
the accuracy of results. 
‘‘(2) DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION OF AUDITS 
OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS.—In the case of an 
election for electors for President and Vice President 
which is subject to an audit under this subtitle, the 
State shall complete the audits and announce and 
submit the results to the Commission for publication 
of the information required under this section in 
time for the State to certify the results of the elec-
tion and provide for the final determination of any 
controversy or contest concerning the appointment 
of such electors prior to the deadline described in 
section 6 of title 3, United States Code. 
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‘‘SEC. 326. PAYMENTS TO STATES. 
‘‘(a) PAYMENTS FOR COSTS OF CONDUCTING AU-
DITS.—In accordance with the requirements and proce-
dures of this section, the Commission shall make a pay-
ment to a State to cover the costs incurred by the State 
in carrying out this subtitle with respect to the elections 
that are the subject of the audits conducted under this 
subtitle. 
‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE AND ANTICI-
PATED COSTS.— 
‘‘(1) CERTIFICATION REQUIRED.—In order to 
receive a payment under this section, a State shall 
submit to the Commission, in such form as the Com-
mission may require, a statement containing— 
‘‘(A) a certification that the State will con-
duct the audits required under this subtitle in 
accordance with all of the requirements of this 
subtitle; 
‘‘(B) a notice of the reasonable costs in-
curred or the reasonable costs anticipated to be 
incurred by the State in carrying out this sub-
title with respect to the elections involved; and 
‘‘(C) such other information and assur-
ances as the Commission may require. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF PAYMENT.—The amount of a 
payment made to a State under this section shall be 
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equal to the reasonable costs incurred or the reason-
able costs anticipated to be incurred by the State in 
carrying out this subtitle with respect to the elec-
tions involved, as set forth in the statement sub-
mitted under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) TIMING OF NOTICE.—The State may not 
submit a notice under paragraph (1) until can-
didates have been selected to appear on the ballot 
for all of the elections for Federal office which will 
be the subject of the audits involved. 
‘‘(c) TIMING OF PAYMENTS.—The Commission shall 
make the payment required under this section to a State 
not later than 30 days after receiving the notice submitted 
by the State under subsection (b). 
‘‘(d) RECOUPMENT OF OVERPAYMENTS.—No pay-
ment may be made to a State under this section unless 
the State agrees to repay to the Commission the excess 
(if any) of— 
‘‘(1) the amount of the payment received by the 
State under this section with respect to the elections 
involved; over 
‘‘(2) the actual costs incurred by the State in 
carrying out this subtitle with respect to the elec-
tions involved. 
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‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
is authorized to be appropriated to the Commission for 
fiscal year 2020 and each succeeding fiscal year 
$100,000,000 for payments under this section. 
‘‘SEC. 327. EXCEPTION FOR ELECTIONS SUBJECT TO RE-
COUNT UNDER STATE LAW PRIOR TO CER-
TIFICATION. 
‘‘(a) EXCEPTION.—This subtitle does not apply to 
any election for which a recount under State law will com-
mence prior to the certification of the results of the elec-
tion, including but not limited to a recount required auto-
matically because of the margin of victory between the 2 
candidates receiving the largest number of votes in the 
election, but only if each of the following applies to the 
recount: 
‘‘(1) The recount commences prior to the deter-
mination and announcement by the Election Auditor 
under section 323(a)(1) of the precincts in the State 
in which it will administer the audits under this sub-
title. 
‘‘(2) If the recount would apply to fewer than 
100 percent of the ballots cast in the election— 
‘‘(A) the number of ballots counted will be 
at least as many as would be counted if an 
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audit were conducted with respect to the elec-
tion in accordance with this subtitle; and 
‘‘(B) the selection of the precincts in which 
the recount will be conducted will be made in 
accordance with the random selection proce-
dures applicable under section 324. 
‘‘(3) The recount for the election meets the re-
quirements of section 323(f) (relating to public ob-
servation). 
‘‘(4) The State meets the requirements of sec-
tion 325 (relating to the publication of results and 
the delay in the certification of results) with respect 
to the recount. 
‘‘(b) CLARIFICATION OF EFFECT ON OTHER RE-
QUIREMENTS.—Nothing in this section may be construed 
to waive the application of any other provision of this Act 
to any election (including the requirement set forth in sec-
tion 301(a)(2) that the voter-verified paper ballots serve 
as the vote of record and shall be counted by hand in all 
audits and recounts, including audits and recounts de-
scribed in this subtitle). 
‘‘SEC. 328. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
‘‘This subtitle shall apply with respect to elections for 
Federal office held in 2020 or any succeeding year.’’. 
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SEC. 202. AVAILABILITY OF ENFORCEMENT UNDER HELP 
AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002. 
Section 401 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 21111) is amended by striking ‘‘sections 301, 
302, and 303’’ and inserting ‘‘title III’’. 
SEC. 203. GUIDANCE ON BEST PRACTICES FOR ALTER-
NATIVE AUDIT MECHANISMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than May 1, 2019, the 
Director of the National Institute for Standards and Tech-
nology shall establish guidance for States that wish to es-
tablish alternative audit mechanisms under section 322(b) 
of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (as added by section 
201). Such guidance shall be based upon scientifically and 
statistically reasonable assumptions for the purpose of cre-
ating an alternative audit mechanism that will be con-
sistent with the principles for approval described in section 
322(b)(2) of such Act (as so added). 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection (a) 
$100,000, to remain available until expended. 
SEC. 204. CLERICAL AMENDMENT. 
The table of contents of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 is amended by adding at the end of the items 
relating to title III the following: 
‘‘Subtitle C—Mandatory Manual Audits 
‘‘Sec. 321. Requiring audits of results of elections. 
‘‘Sec. 322. Number of ballots counted under audit. 
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‘‘Sec. 323. Process for administering audits. 
‘‘Sec. 324. Selection of precincts. 
‘‘Sec. 325. Publication of results. 
‘‘Sec. 326. Payments to States. 
‘‘Sec. 327. Exception for elections subject to recount under State law prior to 
certification. 
‘‘Sec. 328. Effective date.’’. 
TITLE III—OTHER REFORMS TO 
PROMOTE 
INTEGRITY 
OF 
ELECTIONS 
Subtitle A—Integrity of Election 
Administration 
SEC. 301. PROHIBITION ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY 
CHIEF STATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION 
OFFICIALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 319 the following new 
section: 
‘‘CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY CHIEF STATE ELECTION 
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS 
‘‘SEC. 319A. (a) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful 
for a chief State election administration official to take 
an active part in political management or in a political 
campaign with respect to any election for Federal office 
over which such official has supervisory authority. 
‘‘(b) CHIEF STATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION OF-
FICIAL.—The term ‘chief State election administration of-
ficial’ means the highest State official with responsibility 
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for the administration of Federal elections under State 
law. 
‘‘(c) ACTIVE PART IN POLITICAL MANAGEMENT OR 
IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.—The term ‘active part in po-
litical management or in a political campaign’ means— 
‘‘(1) serving as a member of an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate for Federal office; 
‘‘(2) the use of official authority or influence 
for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the 
result of an election for Federal office; 
‘‘(3) the solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of a 
contribution from any person on behalf of a can-
didate for Federal office; and 
‘‘(4) any other act which would be prohibited 
under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 7323(b) of 
title 5, United States Code, if taken by an individual 
to whom such paragraph applies (other than any 
prohibition on running for public office). 
‘‘(d) EXCEPTION FOR CAMPAIGNS OF OFFICIAL OR 
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—This section does not apply 
to a chief State election administration official with 
respect to an election for Federal office in which the 
official or an immediate family member of the offi-
cial is a candidate. 
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‘‘(2) IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.— 
In paragraph (1), the term ‘immediate family mem-
ber’ means, with respect to a candidate, a father, 
mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, 
wife, father-in-law, or mother-in-law.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to elections for 
Federal office held after December 2016. 
SEC. 302. MANDATORY TRAINING FOR POLL WORKERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 304 and 305 as 
sections 305 and 306; and 
(2) by inserting after section 303 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 304. MANDATORY TRAINING FOR POLL WORKERS. 
‘‘(a) TRAINING IN APPLICABLE ELECTION LAWS AND 
PROCEDURES REQUIRED FOR ALL POLL WORKERS.—A 
State may not assign an individual to serve as an election 
official at a polling place for an election for Federal office, 
including a location serving as a polling place on a day 
other than the date of the election, unless the State cer-
tifies to the Commission that the individual has received 
training in the election administration laws and proce-
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dures applicable in the jurisdiction in which the polling 
place is located. 
‘‘(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Each State shall be re-
quired to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) 
for the regularly scheduled general election for Federal of-
fice occurring in November 2016 and for any subsequent 
election for Federal office.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 304 and 305 as relating to sections 305 and 
306; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 303 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 304. Mandatory training for poll workers.’’. 
SEC. 303. DUE PROCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS 
PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED FROM LIST OF 
ELIGIBLE VOTERS. 
(a) INTERNET POSTING OF LIST OF INDIVIDUALS 
PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED FROM LIST.—Section 8 of 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20507) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (j) as sub-
section (k); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (i) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
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‘‘(j) ADDITIONAL DUE PROCESS REQUIREMENTS 
FOR INDIVIDUALS PROPOSED TO BE REMOVED FROM 
LIST OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS.— 
‘‘(1) INTERNET POSTING OF NAMES.—On an 
ongoing basis, the chief State election official shall 
post on the Internet a list showing the name and ad-
dress of each individual whom the State intends to 
remove from the official list of eligible voters in elec-
tions for Federal office in the State, together with 
instructions on how an individual may challenge the 
proposed removal of the individual’s name from the 
list. 
‘‘(2) REQUIRING
OPPORTUNITY
TO
CORRECT 
RECORD.—The State may not remove any individual 
from the official list of eligible voters in elections for 
Federal office in the State until the expiration of the 
60-day period which begins on the date the chief 
State election official posts the individual’s name 
and address on the Internet under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) PUBLICIZING INFORMATION ON DUE PROC-
ESS REQUIREMENTS.—The chief State election offi-
cial shall disseminate information to the general 
public regarding the Internet posting of names and 
addresses under paragraph (1) and the opportunity 
for individuals to correct records under paragraph 
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(2), including by sending information to media out-
lets in the State and by preparing information for 
distribution and display by offices of the State motor 
vehicle authority.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to elections for 
Federal office held during 2018 or any succeeding year. 
SEC. 304. MANDATORY RESPONSE BY ATTORNEY GENERAL 
TO ALLEGATIONS OF VOTER INTIMIDATION 
OR SUPPRESSION BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OF-
FICERS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFI-
CIALS. 
(a) MANDATORY RESPONSE TO ALLEGATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 
receiving an allegation described in subsection (b) 
from any person, the Attorney General shall— 
(A) initiate an investigation of the allega-
tion; or 
(B) provide the person with a written 
statement that the Attorney General will not in-
vestigate the allegation, and include in the 
statement the Attorney General’s reasons for 
not investigating the allegation. 
(2) SPECIAL
RULE
FOR
ALLEGATIONS
RE-
CEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS OF ELECTION.—If the At-
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torney General receives an allegation described in 
subsection (b) during the 30-day period which ends 
on the date of an election for Federal office, the At-
torney General shall meet the requirements of para-
graph (1) not later than 48 hours after receiving the 
allegation. 
(b) ALLEGATIONS DESCRIBED.—An allegation de-
scribed in this subsection is— 
(1) an allegation that a law enforcement officer 
or other official of a State or local government has 
intimidated, threatened, or coerced, or attempted to 
intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any individual for 
voting, or for attempting to vote, in an election for 
Federal office; or 
(2) an allegation that an election official of a 
State or local government has engaged or has at-
tempted to engage in voter suppression activity. 
Subtitle B—Removing Barriers to 
Voting 
SEC. 311. REQUIREMENTS FOR COUNTING PROVISIONAL 
BALLOTS; ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIFORM AND 
NONDISCRIMINATORY STANDARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 302 of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082) is amended— 
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(1) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (f); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing new subsections: 
‘‘(d) STATEWIDE COUNTING OF PROVISIONAL BAL-
LOTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of subsection 
(a)(4), notwithstanding the precinct or polling place 
at which a provisional ballot is cast within the State, 
the appropriate election official shall count each vote 
on such ballot for each election in which the indi-
vidual who cast such ballot is eligible to vote. 
‘‘(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection shall 
apply with respect to elections held on or after Janu-
ary 1, 2017. 
‘‘(e) UNIFORM
AND NONDISCRIMINATORY STAND-
ARDS.— 
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF STANDARDS BY COM-
MISSION.—The Commission shall establish uniform 
and nondiscriminatory standards for the issuance, 
handling, and counting of provisional ballots, con-
sistent with the requirements of this section. 
‘‘(2) COMPLIANCE
WITH
STANDARDS.—Each 
State shall comply with the standards established by 
the Commission under this subsection. 
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‘‘(3) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection shall 
apply with respect to elections held on or after Janu-
ary 1, 2017.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT RELATING TO EF-
FECTIVE DATE.—Section 302(f) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21082(f)), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended 
by striking ‘‘Each State’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as pro-
vided in subsections (d)(2) and (e)(3), each State’’. 
SEC. 312. PROHIBITING IMPOSITION OF CONDITIONS ON 
VOTING BY MAIL. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—Title III of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as amended 
by section 201, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subtitle: 
‘‘Subtitle D—Other Requirements 
To Remove Barriers to Voting 
‘‘SEC. 331. PROHIBITING IMPOSITION OF CONDITIONS ON 
VOTING BY MAIL. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If an individual in a State is eli-
gible to cast a vote in an election for Federal office, the 
State may not impose any additional conditions or require-
ments on the eligibility of the individual to cast the vote 
in such election by mail (including by absentee ballot), ex-
cept as required under subsection (b) and except to the 
extent that the State imposes a deadline for requesting 
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the ballot and related voting materials from the appro-
priate State or local election official and for returning the 
ballot to the appropriate State or local election official. 
‘‘(b) REQUIRING
SIGNATURE
VERIFICATION.—A 
State may not accept and process an absentee ballot sub-
mitted by any individual with respect to an election for 
Federal office unless the State verifies the identification 
of the individual by comparing the individual’s signature 
on the absentee ballot with the individual’s signature on 
the official list of registered voters in the State, in accord-
ance with such procedures as the State may adopt. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 
2018.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING
AMENDMENTS
RELATING
TO 
ADOPTION OF VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE BY ELECTION AS-
SISTANCE COMMISSION.— 
(1) APPLICABILITY
OF
VOLUNTARY
GUID-
ANCE.—Section 311(a) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21101(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘subtitle A’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subtitle A and subtitle D’’. 
(2) DEADLINE FOR ADOPTION.—Section 311(b) 
of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21101(b)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of para-
graph (2); 
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(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) in the case of the recommendations with 
respect to subtitle D, June 30, 2017.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items 
relating to title III the following: 
‘‘Subtitle D—Other Requirements To Remove Barriers to Voting 
‘‘Sec. 331. Prohibiting imposition of conditions on voting by mail.’’. 
SEC. 313. MANDATORY AVAILABILITY OF EARLY VOTING. 
(a) MANDATORY AVAILABILITY.—Subtitle D of title 
III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by 
section 312(a), is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 332. MANDATORY AVAILABILITY OF EARLY VOTING. 
‘‘(a) REQUIRING AVAILABILITY OF VOTING PRIOR TO 
DATE OF ELECTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall allow indi-
viduals to vote in an election for Federal office dur-
ing an early voting period which occurs prior to the 
date of the election. 
‘‘(2) LENGTH
OF
PERIOD.—The early voting 
period required under this subsection with respect to 
an election shall consist of a period of not fewer 
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