I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 12 
To modernize voter registration, promote access to voting for individuals 
with disabilities, protect the ability of individuals to exercise the right 
to vote in elections for Federal office, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 19, 2015 
Mr. LEWIS (for himself, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. HOYER, Mr. BRADY of Pennsyl-
vania, Mr. CONYERS, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. ADAMS, Mr. AGUILAR, Mr. 
ASHFORD, Ms. BASS, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BECERRA, Mr. BEYER, Mr. 
BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. BORDALLO, 
Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Ms. 
BROWNLEY of California, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. BUTTERFIELD, Mrs. CAPPS, 
Mr. CA´RDENAS, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, 
Ms. CASTOR of Florida, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Ms. CHU of California, 
Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Ms. CLARKE of New York, 
Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. COSTA, Mr. 
COURTNEY, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DANNY 
K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. DEGETTE, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. 
DESAULNIER, Mr. DEUTCH, Mrs. DINGELL, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. MI-
CHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. DUCKWORTH, Ms. EDWARDS, Mr. 
ELLISON, Ms. ESTY, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. FRANKEL of Flor-
ida, Ms. FUDGE, Mr. GALLEGO, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. AL 
GREEN of Texas, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. 
GUTIE´RREZ, Ms. HAHN, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HECK of Washington, Mr. 
HIGGINS, Mr. HONDA, Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. JACKSON
LEE, Mr. 
JEFFRIES, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JOHNSON of 
Georgia, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KEATING, Ms. KELLY of Illinois, Mr. KEN-
NEDY, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. KILMER, Mr. KIND, Mrs. KIRKPATRICK, Mr. 
LANGEVIN, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, 
Mrs. LAWRENCE, Ms. LEE, Mr. TED LIEU of California, Mr. LOEBSACK, 
Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. MICHELLE LUJAN 
GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. BEN RAY LUJA´N of New Mexico, Mr. 
LYNCH, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York, Mr. SEAN PATRICK 
MALONEY of New York, Ms. MATSUI, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCGOVERN, 
Mr. MCNERNEY, Mr. MEEKS, Ms. MENG, Ms. MOORE, Mr. MOULTON, 
Mr. MURPHY of Florida, Mr. NADLER, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. NEAL, 
Mr. NOLAN, Mr. NORCROSS, Ms. NORTON, Mr. O’ROURKE, Mr. PAL-
LONE, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. PETERS, Mr. 
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PIERLUISI, Ms. PINGREE, Ms. PLASKETT, Mr. POCAN, Mr. POLIS, Mr. 
PRICE of North Carolina, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. RANGEL, Miss RICE of New 
York, Mr. RICHMOND, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. RUIZ, Mr. RUPPERS-
BERGER, Mr. RUSH, Mr. SABLAN, Ms. LINDA T. SA´NCHEZ of California, 
Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. SARBANES, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, 
Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. SCOTT of Virginia, Mr. DAVID SCOTT 
of Georgia, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. SEWELL of Alabama, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. 
SIRES, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. 
SWALWELL of California, Mr. TAKAI, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. 
THOMPSON of California, Ms. TITUS, Mr. TONKO, Mrs. TORRES, Ms. 
TSONGAS, Mr. VAN
HOLLEN, Mr. VARGAS, Mr. VEASEY, Ms. 
VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Ms. MAXINE 
WATERS of California, Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN, Mr. WELCH, Ms. WIL-
SON of Florida, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. MCDERMOTT, and Ms. DELAURO) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on the Judici-
ary, Science, Space, and Technology, Veterans’ Affairs, Oversight and 
Government Reform, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To modernize voter registration, promote access to voting 
for individuals with disabilities, protect the ability of 
individuals to exercise the right to vote in elections for 
Federal office, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Voter Empowerment Act of 2015’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
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TITLE I—VOTER REGISTRATION MODERNIZATION 
Sec. 100. Short title. 
Subtitle A—Promoting Internet Registration 
Sec. 101. Requiring availability of internet for voter registration. 
Sec. 102. Use of Internet to update registration information. 
Sec. 103. Provision of election information by electronic mail to individuals reg-
istered to vote. 
Sec. 104. Clarification of requirement regarding necessary information to show 
eligibility to vote. 
Sec. 105. Effective date. 
Subtitle B—Automated Registration of Certain Individuals 
Sec. 111. Automated voter registration. 
Sec. 112. List maintenance, privacy, and security. 
Sec. 113. Promoting accuracy of statewide voter registration lists. 
Sec. 114. Definitions. 
Sec. 115. Effective date. 
Subtitle C—Other Initiatives To Promote Voter Registration 
Sec. 121. Same day registration. 
Sec. 122. Acceptance of voter registration applications from individuals under 
18 years of age. 
Sec. 123. Annual reports on voter registration statistics. 
Subtitle D—Availability of HAVA Requirements Payments 
Sec. 131. Availability of requirements payments under HAVA to cover costs of 
compliance with new requirements. 
Subtitle E—Prohibiting Interference With Voter Registration 
Sec. 141. Prohibiting hindering, interfering with, or preventing voter registra-
tion. 
Sec. 142. Establishment of best practices. 
TITLE II—ACCESS TO VOTING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH 
DISABILITIES 
Sec. 201. Requirements for States to promote access to voter registration and 
voting for individuals with disabilities. 
Sec. 202. Pilot programs for enabling individuals with disabilities to register to 
vote and vote privately and independently at residences. 
Sec. 203. Expansion and reauthorization of grant program to assure voting ac-
cess for individuals with disabilities. 
TITLE III—PROHIBITING VOTER CAGING 
Sec. 301. Voter caging and other questionable challenges prohibited. 
Sec. 302. Development and adoption of best practices for preventing voter cag-
ing. 
Sec. 303. Severability. 
TITLE IV—PROHIBITING DECEPTIVE PRACTICES 
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Sec. 401. Prohibition on deceptive practices in Federal elections. 
Sec. 402. Modification of penalty for voter intimidation. 
Sec. 403. Sentencing guidelines. 
Sec. 404. Reporting violations; corrective action. 
TITLE V—DEMOCRACY RESTORATION 
Sec. 501. Rights of citizens. 
Sec. 502. Enforcement. 
Sec. 503. Notification of restoration of voting rights. 
Sec. 504. Definitions. 
Sec. 505. Relation to other laws. 
Sec. 506. Federal prison funds. 
Sec. 507. Effective date. 
TITLE VI—ACCURACY, INTEGRITY, AND SECURITY OF ELECTIONS 
Sec. 600. Short title. 
Subtitle A—Promoting Accuracy, Integrity, and Security Through Voter- 
Verified Permanent Paper Ballot 
Sec. 601. Paper ballot and manual counting requirements. 
Sec. 602. Accessibility and ballot verification for individuals with disabilities. 
Sec. 603. Durability and readability requirements for ballots. 
Sec. 604. Effective date for new requirements. 
Subtitle B—Requirement for Mandatory Manual Audits by Hand Count 
Sec. 611. Mandatory manual audits. 
‘‘Subtitle C—Mandatory Manual Audits 
‘‘Sec. 321. Requiring audits of results of elections. 
‘‘Sec. 322. Number of ballots counted under audit. 
‘‘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. 
Sec. 612. Availability of enforcement under Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
Sec. 613. Guidance on best practices for alternative audit mechanisms. 
Sec. 614. Clerical amendment. 
TITLE VII—PROVISIONAL BALLOTS 
Sec. 701. Requirements for counting provisional ballots; establishment of uni-
form and nondiscriminatory standards. 
TITLE VIII—EARLY VOTING AND VOTING BY MAIL 
Sec. 801. Early voting and voting by mail. 
TITLE IX—ABSENT UNIFORMED SERVICES VOTERS AND 
OVERSEAS VOTERS 
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Sec. 901. Extending guarantee of residency for voting purposes to family mem-
bers of absent military personnel. 
Sec. 902. Pre-election reports on availability and transmission of absentee bal-
lots. 
Sec. 903. Enforcement. 
Sec. 904. Revisions to 45-day absentee ballot transmission rule. 
Sec. 905. Use of single absentee ballot application for subsequent elections. 
Sec. 906. Effective date. 
TITLE X—POLL WORKER RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING 
Sec. 1001. Leave to serve as a poll worker for Federal employees. 
Sec. 1002. Grants to States for poll worker recruitment and training. 
Sec. 1003. Model poll worker training program. 
Sec. 1004. State defined. 
TITLE XI—ENHANCEMENT OF ENFORCEMENT 
Sec. 1101. Enhancement of enforcement of Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
TITLE XII—FEDERAL ELECTION INTEGRITY 
Sec. 1201. Prohibition on campaign activities by chief State election adminis-
tration officials. 
TITLE XIII—OTHER ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENTS 
Sec. 1301. Treatment of universities as voter registration agencies. 
Sec. 1302. Minimum notification requirements for voters affected by polling 
place changes. 
Sec. 1303. Voter information response systems and hotline. 
Sec. 1304. Reauthorization of election assistance commission. 
Sec. 1305. Application of laws to Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. 
Sec. 1306. Repeal of exemption of Election Assistance Commission from certain 
government contracting requirements. 
Sec. 1307. No effect on other laws. 
TITLE I—VOTER REGISTRATION 
MODERNIZATION 
SEC. 100. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Voter Registration 
Modernization Act of 2015’’. 
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Subtitle A—Promoting Internet 
Registration 
SEC. 101. REQUIRING AVAILABILITY OF INTERNET FOR 
VOTER REGISTRATION. 
(a) REQUIRING AVAILABILITY
OF INTERNET
FOR 
REGISTRATION.—The National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 (52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.) is amended by inserting 
after section 6 the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 6A. INTERNET REGISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) REQUIRING AVAILABILITY OF INTERNET FOR 
ONLINE REGISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY
OF
ONLINE
REGISTRA-
TION.—Each State, acting through the chief State 
election official, shall ensure that the following serv-
ices are available to the public at any time on the 
official public websites of the appropriate State and 
local election officials in the State, in the same man-
ner and subject to the same terms and conditions as 
the services provided by voter registration agencies 
under section 7(a): 
‘‘(A) Online application for voter registra-
tion. 
‘‘(B) Online assistance to applicants in ap-
plying to register to vote. 
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‘‘(C) Online completion and submission by 
applicants of the mail voter registration applica-
tion form prescribed by the Election Assistance 
Commission pursuant to section 9(a)(2), includ-
ing assistance with providing a signature in 
electronic form as required under subsection 
(c). 
‘‘(D) Online receipt of completed voter reg-
istration applications. 
‘‘(b) ACCEPTANCE OF COMPLETED APPLICATIONS.— 
A State shall accept an online voter registration applica-
tion provided by an individual under this section, and en-
sure that the individual is registered to vote in the State, 
if— 
‘‘(1) the individual meets the same voter reg-
istration requirements applicable to individuals who 
register to vote by mail in accordance with section 
6(a)(1) using the mail voter registration application 
form prescribed by the Election Assistance Commis-
sion pursuant to section 9(a)(2); and 
‘‘(2) the individual provides a signature in elec-
tronic form in accordance with subsection (c) (but 
only in the case of applications submitted during or 
after the second year in which this section is in ef-
fect in the State). 
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‘‘(c) SIGNATURES IN ELECTRONIC FORM.—For pur-
poses of this section, an individual provides a signature 
in electronic form by— 
‘‘(1) executing a computerized mark in the sig-
nature field on an online voter registration applica-
tion; or 
‘‘(2) submitting with the application an elec-
tronic copy of the individual’s handwritten signature 
through electronic means. 
‘‘(d) CONFIRMATION AND DISPOSITION.— 
‘‘(1) CONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT.—Upon the 
online submission of a completed voter registration 
application by an individual under this section, the 
appropriate State or local election official shall send 
the individual a notice confirming the State’s receipt 
of the application and providing instructions on how 
the individual may check the status of the applica-
tion. 
‘‘(2) NOTICE OF DISPOSITION.—As soon as the 
appropriate State or local election official has ap-
proved or rejected an application submitted by an in-
dividual under this section, the official shall send the 
individual a notice of the disposition of the applica-
tion. 
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‘‘(3) METHOD OF NOTIFICATION.—The appro-
priate State or local election official shall send the 
notices required under this subsection by regular 
mail, and, in the case of an individual who has re-
quested that the State provide voter registration and 
voting information through electronic mail, by both 
electronic mail and regular mail. 
‘‘(e) PROVISION
OF SERVICES
IN NONPARTISAN 
MANNER.—The services made available under subsection 
(a) shall be provided in a manner that ensures that, con-
sistent with section 7(a)(5)— 
‘‘(1) the online application does not seek to in-
fluence an applicant’s political preference or party 
registration; and 
‘‘(2) there is no display on the website pro-
moting any political preference or party allegiance, 
except that nothing in this paragraph may be con-
strued to prohibit an applicant from registering to 
vote as a member of a political party. 
‘‘(f) PROTECTION OF SECURITY OF INFORMATION.— 
In meeting the requirements of this section, the State shall 
establish appropriate technological security measures to 
prevent to the greatest extent practicable any unauthor-
ized access to information provided by individuals using 
the services made available under subsection (a). 
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‘‘(g) USE OF ADDITIONAL TELEPHONE-BASED SYS-
TEM.—A State shall make the services made available on-
line under subsection (a) available through the use of an 
automated telephone-based system, subject to the same 
terms and conditions applicable under this section to the 
services made available online, in addition to making the 
services available online in accordance with the require-
ments of this section. 
‘‘(h) NONDISCRIMINATION
AMONG
REGISTERED 
VOTERS USING MAIL AND ONLINE REGISTRATION.—In 
carrying out this Act, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, 
or any other Federal, State, or local law governing the 
treatment of registered voters in the State or the adminis-
tration of elections for public office in the State, a State 
shall treat a registered voter who registered to vote online 
in accordance with this section in the same manner as the 
State treats a registered voter who registered to vote by 
mail.’’. 
(b) SPECIAL
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
INDIVIDUALS 
USING ONLINE REGISTRATION.— 
(1) TREATMENT AS INDIVIDUALS REGISTERING 
TO VOTE BY MAIL FOR PURPOSES OF FIRST-TIME 
VOTER
IDENTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
303(b)(1)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 21083(b)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 
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‘‘by mail’’ and inserting ‘‘by mail or online under 
section 6A of the National Voter Registration Act of 
1993’’. 
(2) REQUIRING
SIGNATURE
FOR
FIRST-TIME 
VOTERS IN JURISDICTION.—Section 303(b) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(b)) is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraph (5) as 
paragraph (6); and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (4) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) SIGNATURE
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
FIRST- 
TIME VOTERS USING ONLINE REGISTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—A State shall, in a 
uniform and nondiscriminatory manner, require 
an individual to meet the requirements of sub-
paragraph (B) if— 
‘‘(i) the individual registered to vote 
in the State online under section 6A of the 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993; 
and 
‘‘(ii) the individual has not previously 
voted in an election for Federal office in 
the State. 
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(3) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT
RELATING
TO 
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Section 303(d)(2)(A) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(d)(2)(A)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Each State’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as pro-
vided in subsection (b)(5), each State’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) TIMING OF REGISTRATION.—Section 8(a)(1) 
of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 
U.S.C. 20507(a)(1)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of sub-
paragraph (C); 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as 
subparagraph (E); and 
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (C) 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(D) in the case of online registration 
through the official public website of an election 
official under section 6A, if the valid voter reg-
istration application is submitted online not 
later than the lesser of 30 days, or the period 
provided by State law, before the date of the 
election (as determined by treating the date on 
which the application is sent electronically as 
the date on which it is submitted); and’’. 
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(2) INFORMING
APPLICANTS
OF
ELIGIBILITY 
REQUIREMENTS
AND
PENALTIES.—Section 8(a)(5) 
of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(5)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘and 7’’ and inserting ‘‘6A, and 7’’. 
SEC. 102. USE OF INTERNET TO UPDATE REGISTRATION IN-
FORMATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.— 
(1) UPDATES TO INFORMATION CONTAINED ON 
COMPUTERIZED
STATEWIDE
VOTER
REGISTRATION 
LIST.—Section 303(a) of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(a)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) USE OF INTERNET BY REGISTERED VOT-
ERS TO UPDATE INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The appropriate State 
or local election official shall ensure that any 
registered voter on the computerized list may at 
any time update the voter’s registration infor-
mation, including the voter’s address and elec-
tronic mail address, online through the official 
public website of the election official responsible 
for the maintenance of the list, so long as the 
voter attests to the contents of the update by 
providing a signature in electronic form in the 
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same manner required under section 6A(c) of 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. 
‘‘(B) PROCESSING OF UPDATED INFORMA-
TION BY ELECTION OFFICIALS.—If a registered 
voter updates registration information under 
subparagraph (A), the appropriate State or 
local election official shall— 
‘‘(i) revise any information on the 
computerized list to reflect the update 
made by the voter; and 
‘‘(ii) if the updated registration infor-
mation affects the voter’s eligibility to vote 
in an election for Federal office, ensure 
that the information is processed with re-
spect to the election if the voter updates 
the information not later than the lesser of 
7 days, or the period provided by State 
law, before the date of the election. 
‘‘(C) CONFIRMATION AND DISPOSITION.— 
‘‘(i) CONFIRMATION
OF
RECEIPT.— 
Upon the online submission of updated 
registration information by an individual 
under this paragraph, the appropriate 
State or local election official shall send 
the individual a notice confirming the 
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State’s receipt of the updated information 
and providing instructions on how the indi-
vidual may check the status of the update. 
‘‘(ii) NOTICE
OF
DISPOSITION.—As 
soon as the appropriate State or local elec-
tion official has accepted or rejected up-
dated information submitted by an indi-
vidual under this paragraph, the official 
shall send the individual a notice of the 
disposition of the update. 
‘‘(iii) METHOD
OF
NOTIFICATION.— 
The appropriate State or local election offi-
cial shall send the notices required under 
this subparagraph by regular mail, and, in 
the case of an individual who has re-
quested that the State provide voter reg-
istration and voting information through 
electronic mail, by both electronic mail and 
regular mail.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT
RELATING
TO 
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Section 303(d)(1)(A) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(d)(1)(A)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘subparagraph (B)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
paragraph (B) and subsection (a)(6)’’. 
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(b) ABILITY OF REGISTRANT TO USE ONLINE UP-
DATE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON RESIDENCE.—Sec-
tion 8(d)(2)(A) of the National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(d)(2)(A)) is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by inserting after ‘‘re-
turn the card’’ the following: ‘‘or update the reg-
istrant’s information on the computerized Statewide 
voter registration list using the online method pro-
vided under section 303(a)(6) of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002’’; and 
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘re-
turned,’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘returned or if 
the registrant does not update the registrant’s infor-
mation on the computerized Statewide voter reg-
istration list using such online method,’’. 
SEC. 103. PROVISION OF ELECTION INFORMATION BY 
ELECTRONIC MAIL TO INDIVIDUALS REG-
ISTERED TO VOTE. 
(a) INCLUDING OPTION ON VOTER REGISTRATION 
APPLICATION TO PROVIDE E–MAIL ADDRESS AND RE-
CEIVE INFORMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 9(b) of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20508(b)) is amended— 
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(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) shall include a space for the applicant to 
provide (at the applicant’s option) an electronic mail 
address, together with a statement that, if the appli-
cant so requests, instead of using regular mail the 
appropriate State and local election officials shall 
provide to the applicant, through electronic mail sent 
to that address, the same voting information (as de-
fined in section 302(b)(2) of the Help America Vote 
Act of 2002) which the officials would provide to the 
applicant through regular mail.’’. 
(2) PROHIBITING
USE
FOR
PURPOSES
UNRE-
LATED
TO
OFFICIAL
DUTIES
OF
ELECTION
OFFI-
CIALS.—Section 9 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 20508) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(c) PROHIBITING USE OF ELECTRONIC MAIL AD-
DRESSES FOR OTHER THAN OFFICIAL PURPOSES.—The 
chief State election official shall ensure that any electronic 
mail address provided by an applicant under subsection 
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(b)(5) is used only for purposes of carrying out official 
duties of election officials and is not transmitted by any 
State or local election official (or any agent of such an 
official, including a contractor) to any person who does 
not require the address to carry out such official duties 
and who is not under the direct supervision and control 
of a State or local election official.’’. 
(b) REQUIRING PROVISION
OF INFORMATION
BY 
ELECTION OFFICIALS.—Section 302(b) of the Help Amer-
ica Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) PROVISION OF OTHER INFORMATION BY 
ELECTRONIC MAIL.—If an individual who is a reg-
istered voter has provided the State or local election 
official with an electronic mail address for the pur-
pose of receiving voting information (as described in 
section 9(b)(5) of the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993), the appropriate State or local election 
official, through electronic mail transmitted not later 
than 7 days before the date of the election involved, 
shall provide the individual with information on how 
to obtain the following information by electronic 
means: 
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‘‘(A) The name and address of the polling 
place at which the individual is assigned to vote 
in the election. 
‘‘(B) The hours of operation for the polling 
place. 
‘‘(C) A description of any identification or 
other information the individual may be re-
quired to present at the polling place.’’. 
SEC. 104. CLARIFICATION OF REQUIREMENT REGARDING 
NECESSARY INFORMATION TO SHOW ELIGI-
BILITY TO VOTE. 
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: 
‘‘(j) REQUIREMENT FOR STATE TO REGISTER APPLI-
CANTS PROVIDING NECESSARY INFORMATION TO SHOW 
ELIGIBILITY TO VOTE.—For purposes meeting the re-
quirement of subsection (a)(1) that an eligible applicant 
is registered to vote in an election for Federal office within 
the deadlines required under such subsection, the State 
shall consider an applicant to have provided a ‘valid voter 
registration form’ if— 
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‘‘(1) the applicant has accurately completed the 
application form and attested to the statement re-
quired by section 9(b)(2); and 
‘‘(2) in the case of an applicant who registers 
to vote online in accordance with section 6A, the ap-
plicant provides a signature in accordance with sub-
section (c) of such section.’’. 
SEC. 105. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(b), the amendments made by this subtitle (other than the 
amendments made by section 104) shall take effect Janu-
ary 1, 2016. 
(b) WAIVER.—Subject to the approval of the Election 
Assistance Commission, if a State certifies to the Election 
Assistance Commission that the State will not meet the 
deadline referred to in subsection (a) because of extraor-
dinary circumstances and includes in the certification the 
reasons for the failure to meet the deadline, subsection 
(a) shall apply to the State as if the reference in such 
subsection to ‘‘January 1, 2016’’ were a reference to 
‘‘January 1, 2018’’. 
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Subtitle B—Automated 
Registration of Certain Individuals 
SEC. 111. AUTOMATED VOTER REGISTRATION. 
(a) COLLECTION
OF
INFORMATION
BY
SOURCE 
AGENCIES.— 
(1) DUTIES
OF
SOURCE
AGENCIES.—Each 
source agency in a State (as defined in subsection 
(e)) shall, with each application for services or as-
sistance by an individual, and with each recertifi-
cation, renewal, or change of address relating to 
such services or assistance— 
(A) notify each such individual of the sub-
stantive qualifications of an elector in the State, 
using language approved by the State’s chief 
election official; 
(B) notify each such individual that there 
is an opportunity to be registered to vote or up-
date voter registration, but that voter registra-
tion is voluntary, and that neither registering 
nor declining to register to vote will in any way 
affect the availability of services or benefits, nor 
be used for other purposes; 
(C) require that each such individual indi-
cate, after considering the substantive qualifica-
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tion of an elector in the State, whether or not 
the person wishes to be registered; 
(D) ensure that each such individual’s 
transaction with the agency cannot be com-
pleted until the individual has indicated whether 
he or she wishes to register to vote; and 
(E) for each such individual who consents 
to using the individual’s records with the source 
agency to enable the individual to register to 
vote under this section, collect a signed affirma-
tion of eligibility to register to vote in the State. 
(2) NO EFFECT ON RIGHT TO DECLINE VOTER 
REGISTRATION.—Nothing in this subtitle shall be 
construed to interfere with the right of any person 
to decline to be registered to vote for any reason. 
(b) TRANSFER OF INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS 
CONSENTING TO VOTER REGISTRATION.— 
(1) TRANSFER.—For each individual who noti-
fies the source agency that the individual consents to 
voter registration under this section, the source 
agency shall transfer to the chief State election offi-
cial of the State the following data, to the extent the 
data is available to the source agency: 
(A) The given name or names and sur-
name or surnames. 
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(B) Date of birth. 
(C) Residential address. 
(D) Mailing address. 
(E) Signature, in electronic form. 
(F) Date of the last change to the infor-
mation. 
(G) The motor vehicle driver’s license 
number. 
(H) The last four digits of the Social Secu-
rity number. 
(2) TIMING OF TRANSFER.—The source agency 
shall transfer the data described in paragraph (1) to 
the chief State election official on a daily basis. 
(3) FORMAT.—The data transferred under 
paragraph (1) shall be transferred in a format com-
patible with the Statewide computerized voter reg-
istration list under section 303 of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002. 
(4) PROHIBITING STORAGE OF INFORMATION.— 
Any information collected by the source agency 
under this section with respect to an individual who 
consents to register to vote under this section may 
not be stored by the source agency in any form after 
the information is transferred to the chief State elec-
tion official under paragraph (1). 
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(c) REGISTRATION OF INDIVIDUALS BY CHIEF STATE 
ELECTION OFFICIAL.— 
(1) COMPARISON WITH STATEWIDE VOTER REG-
ISTRATION LIST.—Upon receiving information from 
a source agency with respect to an individual under 
subsection (b), the chief State election official shall 
determine whether the individual is included in the 
computerized Statewide voter registration list estab-
lished and maintained under section 303 of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083). 
(2) REGISTRATION
OF
INDIVIDUALS
NOT
ON 
STATEWIDE LIST.—If an individual for whom infor-
mation is received from a source agency under sub-
section (b) is eligible to vote in elections for Federal 
office in the State and is not on the computerized 
Statewide voter registration list, the chief State elec-
tion official shall— 
(A) ensure that the individual is registered 
to vote in such elections not later than 5 days 
after receiving the information, without regard 
to whether or not the information provided by 
the source agency includes the individual’s sig-
nature; 
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(B) update the Statewide computerized 
voter registration list to include the individual; 
and 
(C) notify the individual that the individual 
is registered to vote in elections for Federal of-
fice in the State. 
(3) TREATMENT
OF
INFORMATION
INCOR-
RECTLY PROVIDED.—If a source agency provides the 
chief State election official with information with re-
spect to an individual who did not consent to be reg-
istered to vote under this section, the chief State 
election official shall not take any action to register 
the individual to vote, except that no such individual 
who is already included on the computerized State-
wide voter registration list shall be removed from the 
list solely because the information was incorrectly 
provided under subsection (b). 
(4) NO
EFFECT
ON
OTHER
MEANS
OF
REG-
ISTRATION.—Nothing in this section affects a 
State’s obligation to register voters upon receipt of 
a valid voter registration application through means 
provided by National Voter Registration Act of 1993 
(52 U.S.C. 20501 et seq.), the internet registration 
procedure described in subtitle A, or other valid 
means. 
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(5) INDIVIDUALS IN EXISTING RECORDS.—No 
later than January 2017, each individual who is list-
ed in a source agency’s records and for whom there 
exists reason to believe the individual is a citizen 
and not otherwise ineligible to vote shall be mailed 
a postage pre-paid return postcard including a box 
for the individual to check, together with the state-
ment (in close proximity to the box and in promi-
nent type), ‘‘By checking this box, I affirm that I 
am a citizen of the United States, am eligible to vote 
in this State, and will be at least eighteen years old 
by the next general election. I understand that by 
checking this box, I will be registered to vote if I am 
eligible to vote in the State.’’, along with a clear de-
scription of the voting eligibility requirements in the 
State. The postcard shall also include, where re-
quired for voter registration, a place for the individ-
ual’s signature and designation of party affiliation. 
An individual who checks the box and returns the 
completed postcard postmarked not later than the 
lesser of the fifteenth day before an election for Fed-
eral office, or the period provided by State law, shall 
be registered to vote in that election. 
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(d) OPTIONS
FOR STATE TO REQUIRE SPECIAL 
TREATMENT OF INDIVIDUALS REGISTERED AUTOMATI-
CALLY.— 
(1) TREATMENT AS INDIVIDUALS REGISTERING 
TO VOTE BY MAIL FOR PURPOSES OF FIRST-TIME 
VOTER
IDENTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS.—Section 
303(b)(1)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 21083(b)(1)(A)), as amended by section 
101(b)(1), is amended by striking ‘‘of 1993’’ and in-
serting ‘‘of 1993 or (at the option of the State) was 
registered automatically under section 111 of the 
Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2015’’. 
(2) REQUIRING SIGNATURE.—Section 303(b) of 
such Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(b)), as amended by sec-
tion 101(b)(2), is amended— 
(A) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 
paragraph (7); and 
(B) by inserting after paragraph (5) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) OPTION FOR STATE TO REQUIRE SIGNA-
TURE REQUIREMENTS FOR FIRST-TIME VOTERS REG-
ISTERED AUTOMATICALLY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A State may, in a uni-
form and nondiscriminatory manner, require an 
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individual to meet the requirements of subpara-
graph (B) if— 
‘‘(i) the individual was registered to 
vote in the State automatically under sec-
tion 111 of the Voter Registration Mod-
ernization Act of 2015; and 
‘‘(ii) the individual has not previously 
voted in an election for Federal office in 
the State. 
‘‘(B) 
REQUIREMENTS.—An 
individual 
meets the requirements of this subparagraph 
if— 
‘‘(i) in the case of an individual who 
votes in person, the individual provides the 
appropriate State or local election official 
with a handwritten signature; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of an individual who 
votes by mail, the individual submits with 
the ballot a handwritten signature. 
‘‘(C) 
INAPPLICABILITY.—Subparagraph 
(A) does not apply in the case of an individual 
who is— 
‘‘(i) entitled to vote by absentee ballot 
under the Uniformed and Overseas Citi-
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zens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 
20302 et seq.); 
‘‘(ii) provided the right to vote other-
wise 
than 
in 
person 
under 
section 
3(b)(2)(B)(ii) of the Voting Accessibility 
for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (52 
U.S.C. 20102(b)(2)(B)(ii)); or 
‘‘(iii) entitled to vote otherwise than 
in person under any other Federal law.’’. 
(3) CONFORMING
AMENDMENT
RELATING
TO 
EFFECTIVE
DATE.—Section 303(d)(2)(A) of such 
Act (52 U.S.C. 21083(d)(2)(A)), as amended by sec-
tion 101(b)(3), is amended by striking ‘‘subsection 
(b)(5)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (b)(5) and 
(b)(6)’’. 
(e) SOURCE AGENCIES DESCRIBED.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to any State, a 
‘‘source agency’’ is— 
(A) each State office which is described in 
paragraph (2); and 
(B) each Federal office which is described 
in paragraph (3) which is located in the State, 
except that such office shall be a source agency 
only with respect to individuals who are resi-
dents of the State in which the office is located. 
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(2) STATE OFFICES DESCRIBED.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The State offices de-
scribed in this paragraph are as follows: 
(i) The State motor vehicle authority. 
(ii) Each office in the State which is 
designated as a voter registration agency 
in a State pursuant to section 7(a) of the 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 
(52 U.S.C. 20506(a)). 
(iii) Each State agency that admin-
isters a program providing assistance pur-
suant to pursuant to title III of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 501 et seq.). 
(iv) Each State agency primarily re-
sponsible for maintaining identifying infor-
mation for students enrolled at public sec-
ondary schools in the State, including, 
where applicable, the State agency respon-
sible for maintaining the education data 
system described in section 6401(e)(2) of 
the America COMPETES Act (20 U.S.C. 
9871(e)(2)). 
(v) In the case of a State in which an 
individual disenfranchised by a criminal 
conviction may become eligible to vote 
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upon completion of criminal sentence or 
any part thereof, or upon formal restora-
tion of rights, the State agency responsible 
for administering that sentence, or part 
thereof, or that restoration of rights. 
(vi) In the case of a State in which an 
individual disenfranchised by adjudication 
of mental incompetence or similar condi-
tion becomes eligible to register to vote 
upon the restoration of competence or 
similar condition, each State agency re-
sponsible for determining when competence 
or a similar condition is met. 
(vii) Such other office which may be 
designated as a source agency by the chief 
State election official of the State. 
(B) CRITERIA FOR DESIGNATION OF ADDI-
TIONAL SOURCE AGENCIES.—In designating of-
fices of the State as source agencies for pur-
poses of subparagraph (A)(vii), the chief State 
election official shall give priority on the basis 
of the following criteria: 
(i) The extent to which individuals re-
ceiving services or assistance from the of-
fice are likely to be individuals who are eli-
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gible to register to vote in elections for 
Federal office in the State but who are not 
registered to vote in such elections. 
(ii) The accuracy of the office’s 
records with respect to identifying informa-
tion (including age, citizenship status, and 
residency) for individuals receiving services 
or assistance from the office. 
(iii) The cost-effectiveness of obtain-
ing such identifying information and trans-
mitting the information to the chief State 
election official. 
(iv) The extent to which the designa-
tion of the office as a voter registration 
agency will promote the registration of eli-
gible individuals to vote in elections for 
Federal office in the State and the accu-
racy of the State’s Statewide computerized 
voter registration list under the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002. 
(3) FEDERAL OFFICES DESCRIBED.—The Fed-
eral offices described in this paragraph are as fol-
lows: 
(A) Armed Forces recruitment offices. 
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(B) The United States Immigration and 
Customs Enforcement Bureau, but only with 
respect to individuals who complete the natu-
ralization process. 
(C) The Social Security Administration. 
(D) The Administrative Office of the 
United States Courts, the Federal Bureau of 
Prisons, and the United States Probation Serv-
ice, but only with respect to individuals com-
pleting terms of prison, sentences, probation, or 
parole. 
(E) The Department of Veterans Affairs, 
but only with respect to individuals applying for 
or using health care services or services for 
homeless individuals. 
(F) The Defense Manpower Data Center 
of the Department of Defense. 
(G) The Indian Health Services of the De-
partment of Health and Human Services. 
(H) The Center for Medicare and Medicaid 
Services of the Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
(I) Any other Federal office which des-
ignated by a State (with the consent of the 
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President) as a source agency with respect to 
the State. 
SEC. 112. LIST MAINTENANCE, PRIVACY, AND SECURITY. 
(a) DATABASE MANAGEMENT STANDARDS.— 
(1) DATABASE
MATCHING
STANDARDS.—The 
chief State election official of each State shall estab-
lish standards governing the comparison of data on 
the Statewide computerized voter registration list 
under section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 
2002, the data provided by various source agencies 
under section 111, and relevant data from other 
sources, including the specific data elements and 
data matching rules to be used for purposes of de-
termining— 
(A) whether a data record from any source 
agency represents the same individual as a 
record in another source agency or on the 
Statewide list; 
(B) whether a data record from any source 
agency represents an individual already reg-
istered to vote in the State; 
(C) whether two data records in the State-
wide computerized voter registration list rep-
resent duplicate records for the same individual; 
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(D) whether a data record supplied by any 
list maintenance source represents an individual 
already registered to vote in the State; and 
(E) which information will be treated as 
more current and reliable when data records 
from multiple sources present information for 
the same individual. 
(2) STANDARDS
FOR
DETERMINING
INELIGI-
BILITY.—The chief State election official of a State 
shall establish uniform and non-discriminatory 
standards describing the specific conditions under 
which an individual will be determined for list main-
tenance purposes to be ineligible to vote in an elec-
tion for Federal office in the State. 
(b) PRIVACY AND SECURITY STANDARDS.— 
(1) PRIVACY AND SECURITY POLICY.—The chief 
State election official of a State shall publish and 
enforce a privacy and security policy specifying each 
class of users who shall have authorized access to 
the computerized Statewide voter registration list, 
specifying for each such class the permission and 
levels of access to be granted, and setting forth 
other safeguards to protect the privacy and security 
of the information on the list. Such policy shall in-
clude security safeguards to protect personal infor-
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mation in the data transfer process under section 
111, the online or telephone interface, the mainte-
nance of the voter registration database, and audit 
procedure to track individual access to the system. 
(2) NO
UNAUTHORIZED
ACCESS.—The chief 
election official of a State shall establish policies and 
enforcement procedures to prevent unauthorized ac-
cess to or use of the computerized Statewide voter 
registration list, any list or other information pro-
vided by a source agency under section 111, or any 
maintenance source for the list. Nothing in this 
paragraph shall be construed to prohibit access to 
information required for official purposes for pur-
poses of voter registration, election administration, 
and the enforcement of election laws. 
(3) INTER-AGENCY TRANSFERS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The chief election offi-
cial of a State shall establish policies and en-
forcement procedures to maintain security dur-
ing inter-agency transfers of information re-
quired or permitted under this subtitle. Each 
State agency and third party participating in 
such inter-agency transfers of information shall 
facilitate and comply with such policies. Noth-
ing in this subparagraph shall prevent a source 
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agency under section 111 from establishing and 
enforcing additional security measures to pro-
tect the confidentiality and integrity of inter- 
agency data transfers. No State or local election 
official shall transfer or facilitate the transfer 
of information from the computerized Statewide 
voter registration list to any source agency 
under section 111. 
(B) TRANSMISSION
THROUGH
SECURE 
THIRD PARTIES PERMITTED.—Nothing in this 
section shall be construed to prevent a source 
agency under section 111 from contracting with 
a third party to assist in the transmission of 
data to a chief State election official, so long as 
the data transmission complies with the appli-
cable requirements of this subtitle, including 
the privacy and security provisions of this sec-
tion. 
(4) RECORDS
RETENTION.—The chief State 
election official of a State shall establish standards 
and procedures to maintain all election records re-
quired for purposes of this subtitle, including for the 
purpose of determining the eligibility of persons 
casting provisional ballots under section 302 of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002. Records for individ-
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uals who have been retained on the computerized 
Statewide voter registration list under section 301 of 
such Act but identified as ineligible to vote in an 
election for Federal office within the State, or re-
moved from the list due to ineligibility, shall be 
maintained and kept available until at least the date 
of the second general election for Federal office that 
occurs after the date that the individual was identi-
fied as ineligible. 
(c) PUBLICATION OF STANDARDS.—The chief State 
election official of a State shall publish on the official’s 
website the standards established under this section, and 
shall make those standards available in written form upon 
public request. 
(d) PROTECTION OF SOURCE INFORMATION.—The 
identity of the specific source agency through which an 
individual consented to register to vote under section 111 
shall not be disclosed to the public and shall not be re-
tained after the individual is added to the computerized 
Statewide voter registration list. 
(e) CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFORMATION.—The chief 
State election official of a State shall establish policies and 
enforcement procedures to ensure that personal informa-
tion provided by source agencies or otherwise transmitted 
under this section is kept confidential and is available only 
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to authorized users. For purposes of these policies and 
procedures, the term ‘‘personal information’’ means any 
of the following: 
(1) Any portion of an individual’s Social Secu-
rity number. 
(2) Any portion of an individual’s motor vehicle 
driver’s license number or State identification card 
number. 
(3) An individual’s signature. 
(4) An individual’s personal residence and con-
tact information (in the case of individuals with re-
spect to whom such information is required to be 
maintained as confidential under State law). 
(5) Sensitive information relating to persons in 
categories designated confidential by Federal or 
State law, including victims of domestic violence or 
stalking, prosecutors and law enforcement personnel, 
and participants in a witness protection program. 
(6) An individual’s phone number. 
(7) An individual’s email address. 
(8) Any indication of an individual’s status as 
a citizen or noncitizen of the United States. 
(9) Such other information as the chief State 
election official may designate as confidential to the 
extent reasonably necessary to prevent identity theft 
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or impersonation, except that the chief State election 
official may not designate as confidential under this 
subparagraph the name, address, or date of registra-
tion of an individual, or, where applicable, the self- 
identified racial or ethnic category of the individual 
as applicable under Revisions to OMB Directive 
Number 15 or successor directives. 
(f) PROTECTIONS AGAINST LIABILITY OF INDIVID-
UALS ON BASIS OF INFORMATION TRANSFERRED.— 
(1) NO INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY FOR REGISTRA-
TION OF INELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—If an individual 
who is not eligible to register to vote in elections for 
Federal office is registered to vote in such elections 
by a chief State election official under section 111, 
the individual shall not be subject to any penalty, in-
cluding the imposition of a fine or term of imprison-
ment, adverse treatment in any immigration or nat-
uralization proceeding, or the denial of any status 
under immigration laws, under any law prohibiting 
an individual who is not eligible to register to vote 
in elections for Federal office from registering to 
vote in such elections. Nothing in this paragraph 
shall be construed to waive the liability of any indi-
vidual who knowingly provides false information to 
any person regarding the individual’s eligibility to 
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register to vote or vote in elections for Federal of-
fice. 
(2) PROHIBITING USE OF INFORMATION BY OF-
FICIALS.—No person acting under color of law may 
use the information received by the chief State elec-
tion official under section 111 to attempt to deter-
mine the citizenship status of any individual for im-
migration enforcement, criminal law enforcement 
(other than enforcement of election laws), or any 
purpose other than voter registration, election ad-
ministration, or the enforcement of election laws. 
(g) PROHIBITION ON TRANSFER OF INFORMATION 
IRRELEVANT TO ADMINISTRATION OF ELECTIONS.—No 
source agency shall transmit any information under sec-
tion 111 which is irrelevant to the administration of elec-
tions. To the extent that an election official receives any 
information which is accidentally or inadvertently trans-
ferred by a source agency under such section, the official 
shall immediately delete the information from the official’s 
records. 
(h) RESTRICTION ON USE OF INFORMATION.—No in-
formation relating to an individual’s absence from the 
Statewide voter registration list under section 303 of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 or an individual’s declina-
tion to supply information for voter registration purposes 
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to a source agency under section 111 may be disclosed 
to the public for immigration enforcement, criminal law 
enforcement other than enforcement of laws against elec-
tion crimes, or used for any purpose other than voter reg-
istration, election administration, or the enforcement of 
election laws. 
(i) NONDISCRIMINATION.—No person acting under 
color of law may discriminate against any individual on 
the basis of the individual’s absence from the statewide 
voter registration list, the information supplied by the in-
dividual for voter registration purpose to a source agency 
under section 111, or the individual’s declination to supply 
such information, except as required for purposes of voter 
registration, election administration, and the enforcement 
of election laws. 
(j) PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF VOTER REGISTRA-
TION INFORMATION FOR COMMERCIAL OR NON-GOVERN-
MENTAL PURPOSES.—Voter registration information col-
lected under this subtitle shall not be used for commercial 
purposes including for comparison with any existing com-
mercial list or database. 
(k) PENALTY.—Whoever knowingly uses information 
or permits information to be used in violation of this sec-
tion shall be imprisoned for not more than 1 year, fined 
under title 18, United States Code, or both. 
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(l) EXCLUSION FROM LISTS OF INDIVIDUALS DE-
CLINING REGISTRATION.—The chief State election official 
of a State shall ensure that, with respect to any individual 
who declines the opportunity to register to vote under sec-
tion 111, the individual’s information is not included on 
the computerized Statewide voter registration list under 
section 303 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and 
is not provided to any third party (except to the extent 
required under other law). Nothing in this subsection shall 
be construed to preclude an individual who has previously 
declined the opportunity to register to vote from subse-
quently registering to vote. 
SEC. 113. PROMOTING ACCURACY OF STATEWIDE VOTER 
REGISTRATION LISTS. 
(a) DEADLINES FOR TRANSMITTAL OF CHANGE OF 
ADDRESS OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.— 
(1) INFORMATION RECEIVED BY STATE MOTOR 
VEHICLE AUTHORITY.—Section 5(d) of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20504(d)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTAL OF CHANGE OF AD-
DRESS
OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.—Not 
later than 24 hours after receiving a change of address 
form or any other information indicating that identifying 
information with respect to an individual which is included 
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in the records of the State motor vehicle authority has 
been changed, the State motor vehicle authority shall 
transmit such form or other information to the chief State 
election official, unless— 
‘‘(1) the records of the authority include infor-
mation indicating that the individual is not eligible 
to register to vote in the State; or 
‘‘(2) the individual states on the form or other-
wise indicates that the change of address or other 
information is not for voter registration purposes.’’. 
(2) INFORMATION RECEIVED BY OTHER VOTER 
REGISTRATION AGENCIES.—Section 7 of such Act 
(52 U.S.C. 20506) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) AUTOMATIC TRANSMITTAL OF CHANGE OF AD-
DRESS
OR OTHER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION.—Not 
later than 24 hours after receiving a change of address 
form or any other information indicating that identifying 
information with respect to an individual which is included 
in the records of a voter registration agency designated 
under this section has been changed, the appropriate offi-
cial of such agency shall transmit such form or other in-
formation to the chief State election official, unless— 
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‘‘(1) the records of the agency include informa-
tion indicating that the individual is not eligible to 
register to vote in the State; or 
‘‘(2) the individual states on the form or other-
wise indicates that the change of address or other 
information is not for voter registration purposes.’’. 
(3) INFORMATION
RECEIVED
FROM
SOURCE 
AGENCIES.—Not later than 24 hours after receiving 
a change of address form or any other information 
indicating that identifying information with respect 
to an individual which is included in the records of 
a source agency designated under section 111 has 
been changed, the appropriate official of such agency 
shall transmit such form or other information to the 
chief State election official, unless— 
(A) the records of the agency include infor-
mation indicating that the individual is not eli-
gible to register to vote in the State; or 
(B) the individual states on the form or 
otherwise indicates that the change of address 
or other information is not for voter registra-
tion purposes. 
(b) REVISION OF STATEWIDE COMPUTERIZED LIST 
TO REFLECT REVISED INFORMATION.—Section 303(a) of 
the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21083(a)), 
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as amended by section 102(a), is amended by adding at 
the end the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(7) REVISION OF LIST TO REFLECT INFORMA-
TION RECEIVED FROM OTHER STATE OFFICES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—If a State motor vehi-
cle authority (pursuant to section 5(d) of the 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993) a 
voter registration agency (designated under sec-
tion 7 of such Act), or a source agency (des-
ignated under section 111 of the Voter Reg-
istration Modernization Act of 2015) transmits 
to the chief State election official a change of 
address form or any other information indi-
cating that identifying information with respect 
to an individual has been changed, the appro-
priate State or local election official shall— 
‘‘(i) determine whether the individual 
appears on the computerized list estab-
lished under this section; and 
‘‘(ii) if the individual appears on the 
list, revise the information relating to the 
individual on the list to reflect the individ-
ual’s new address or other changed identi-
fying information. 
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‘‘(B) NOTIFICATION
TO
VOTERS.—If an 
election official revises any voter registration in-
formation on the computerized list with respect 
to any voter (including removing the voter from 
the list), immediately after revising the infor-
mation, the official shall send the individual a 
written notice of the revision which includes the 
following information: 
‘‘(i) The voter’s name, date of birth, 
and address, as reflected in the revised in-
formation on the computerized list. 
‘‘(ii) A statement that the voter’s 
voter registration information has been up-
dated. 
‘‘(iii) Information on how to correct 
information on the computerized list. 
‘‘(iv) A statement of the eligibility re-
quirements for registered voters in the 
State. 
‘‘(v) A statement (in larger font size 
than the other statements on the notice) 
that it is illegal for an individual who does 
not meet the eligibility requirements for 
registered voters in the State to vote in an 
election in the State. 
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‘‘(vi) A statement that the voter may 
terminate the voter’s status as a registered 
voter in the State, or request a change in 
the voter’s voter registration information, 
at any time by contacting the appropriate 
State or local election official, together 
with contact information for such official 
(including any website through which the 
voter may contact the official or obtain in-
formation on voter registration in the 
State). 
‘‘(C) USE OF ELECTRONIC MAIL.—If an 
election official has an electronic mail address 
for any voter to whom the official is required to 
send a written notice under this paragraph, the 
official may meet the requirements of this para-
graph by sending the notice to the voter in elec-
tronic form at that address, but only if prior to 
sending the notice, the official sends a test elec-
tronic mail to the voter at that address and re-
ceives confirmation that the address is current 
and valid.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to elections occurring 
during 2016 or any succeeding year. 
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SEC. 114. DEFINITIONS. 
(a) CHIEF STATE ELECTION OFFICIAL.—In this sub-
title, the ‘‘chief State election official’’ means, with respect 
to a State, the individual designated by the State under 
section 10 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 
(52 U.S.C. 20509) to be responsible for coordination of 
the State’s responsibilities under such Act. 
(b) STATE.—In this subtitle, a ‘‘State’’ includes the 
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American 
Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands, but does not include any State in which, under 
a State law in effect continuously on and after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, there is no voter registration 
requirement for individuals in the State with respect to 
elections for Federal office. 
SEC. 115. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This subtitle and the amendments made by this sub-
title shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled 
general election for Federal office held in November 2016 
and each succeeding election for Federal office. 
Subtitle C—Other Initiatives To 
Promote Voter Registration 
SEC. 121. SAME DAY REGISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) is amended— 
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(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. SAME DAY REGISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(1) REGISTRATION.—Notwithstanding section 
8(a)(1)(D) of the National Voter Registration Act of 
1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(1)(D)), each State shall 
permit any eligible individual on the day of a Fed-
eral election and on any day when voting, including 
early voting, is permitted for a Federal election— 
‘‘(A) to register to vote in such election at 
the polling place using a form that meets the 
requirements under section 9(b) of the National 
Voter Registration Act of 1993 (or, if the indi-
vidual is already registered to vote, to revise 
any of the individual’s voter registration infor-
mation); and 
‘‘(B) to cast a vote in such election. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—The requirements under 
paragraph (1) shall not apply to a State in which, 
under a State law in effect continuously on and after 
the date of the enactment of this section, there is no 
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voter registration requirement for individuals in the 
State with respect to elections for Federal office. 
‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—For purposes of this 
section, the term ‘eligible individual’ means, with respect 
to any election for Federal office, an individual who is oth-
erwise qualified to vote in that election. 
‘‘(c) 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) CONFORMING AMENDMENT RELATING TO EN-
FORCEMENT.—Section 401 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21111) 
is amended by striking ‘‘sections 301, 302, and 303’’ and 
inserting ‘‘subtitle A of title III’’. 
(c) 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. Same day registration.’’. 
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SEC. 122. ACCEPTANCE OF VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICA-
TIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS UNDER 18 YEARS 
OF AGE. 
(a) ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS.—Section 8 of 
the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20507), as amended by section 104, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (k) as sub-
section (l); and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (j) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
‘‘(k) ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FROM INDIVID-
UALS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State may not refuse to 
accept or process an individual’s application to reg-
ister to vote in elections for Federal office on the 
grounds that the individual is under 18 years of age 
at the time the individual submits the application, so 
long as the individual is at least 16 years of age at 
such time. 
‘‘(2) NO EFFECT ON STATE VOTING AGE RE-
QUIREMENTS.—Nothing in paragraph (1) may be 
construed to require a State to permit an individual 
who is under 18 years of age at the time of an elec-
tion for Federal office to vote in the election.’’. 
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(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to elections occur-
ring on or after January 1, 2016. 
SEC. 123. ANNUAL REPORTS ON VOTER REGISTRATION STA-
TISTICS. 
(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after 
the end of each year, each State shall submit to the Elec-
tion Assistance Commission and Congress a report con-
taining the following categories of information for the 
year: 
(1) The number of individuals who were reg-
istered under section 111. 
(2) The number of voter registration applica-
tion forms completed by individuals that were trans-
mitted by motor vehicle authorities in the State 
(pursuant to section 5(d) of the National Voter Reg-
istration Act of 1993) and voter registration agen-
cies in the State (as designated under section 7 of 
such Act) to the chief State election official of the 
State, broken down by each such authority and 
agency. 
(3) The number of such individuals whose voter 
registration application forms were accepted and 
who were registered to vote in the State and the 
number of such individuals whose forms were re-
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jected and who were not registered to vote in the 
State, broken down by each such authority and 
agency. 
(4) The number of change of address forms and 
other forms of information indicating that an indi-
vidual’s identifying information has been changed 
that were transmitted by such motor vehicle authori-
ties and voter registration agencies to the chief State 
election official of the State, broken down by each 
such authority and agency and the type of form 
transmitted. 
(5) The number of individuals on the Statewide 
computerized voter registration list (as established 
and maintained under section 303 of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002) whose voter registration 
information was revised by the chief State election 
official as a result of the forms transmitted to the 
official by such motor vehicle authorities and voter 
registration agencies (as described in paragraph 
(3)), broken down by each such authority and agen-
cy and the type of form transmitted. 
(6) The number of individuals who requested 
the chief State election official to revise voter reg-
istration information on such list, and the number of 
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individuals whose information was revised as a result 
of such a request. 
(b) BREAKDOWN OF INFORMATION BY RACE OF IN-
DIVIDUALS.—In preparing the report under this section, 
the State shall, for each category of information described 
in subsection (a), include a breakdown by race of the indi-
viduals whose information is included in the category, to 
the extent that information on the race of such individuals 
is available to the State. 
(c) CONFIDENTIALITY
OF INFORMATION.—In pre-
paring and submitting a report under this section, the 
chief State election official shall ensure that no informa-
tion regarding the identification of any individual is re-
vealed. 
(d) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, a ‘‘State’’ in-
cludes the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, 
American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands, but does not include any State in which, 
under a State law in effect continuously on and after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, there is no voter reg-
istration requirement for individuals in the State with re-
spect to elections for Federal office. 
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Subtitle D—Availability of HAVA 
Requirements Payments 
SEC. 131. AVAILABILITY OF REQUIREMENTS PAYMENTS 
UNDER HAVA TO COVER COSTS OF COMPLI-
ANCE WITH NEW REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 251(b) of the Help Amer-
ica Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21001(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘(2) and (3)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(2), (3), and (4)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) CERTAIN
VOTER
REGISTRATION
ACTIVI-
TIES.—A State may use a requirements payment to 
carry out any of the requirements of the Voter Reg-
istration Modernization Act of 2015, including the 
requirements of the National Voter Registration Act 
of 1993 which are imposed pursuant to the amend-
ments made to such Act by the Voter Registration 
Modernization Act of 2015.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 254(a)(1) 
of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21004(a)(1)) is amended by strik-
ing 
‘‘section 
251(a)(2)’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘section 
251(b)(2)’’. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2016 
and each succeeding fiscal year. 
Subtitle 
E—Prohibiting 
Inter-
ference With Voter Registration 
SEC. 141. PROHIBITING HINDERING, INTERFERING WITH, 
OR PREVENTING VOTER REGISTRATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 29 of title 18, United 
States Code is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section: 
‘‘§ 612. Hindering, interfering with, or preventing 
registering to vote 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful for any per-
son, whether acting under color of law or otherwise, to 
corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person 
from registering to vote or aiding another person in reg-
istering to vote in any election for Federal office. 
‘‘(b) ATTEMPT.—Any person who attempts to commit 
any offense described in subsection (a) shall be subject to 
the same penalties as those prescribed for the offense that 
the person attempted to commit. 
‘‘(c) PENALTY.—Any person who violates subsection 
(a) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more 
than 5 years, or both. 
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‘‘(d) ELECTION FOR FEDERAL OFFICE DEFINED.— 
For purposes of this section, the term ‘election for Federal 
office’ means a general, special, primary, or runoff election 
held to nominate or elect a candidate for the office of 
President or Vice President, presidential elector, or of 
Senator or Representative in, or Delegate or Resident 
Commissioner to, the Congress.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code is amended 
by adding at the end the following new item: 
‘‘612. Hindering, interfering with, or preventing registering to vote.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to elections held on 
or after the date of the enactment of this Act, except that 
no person may be found to have violated section 612 of 
title 18, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)) 
on the basis of any act occurring prior to the date of the 
enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 142. ESTABLISHMENT OF BEST PRACTICES. 
(a) BEST PRACTICES.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Election Assist-
ance Commission shall develop and publish recommenda-
tions for best practices for States to use to deter and pre-
vent violations of section 612 of title 18, United States 
Code (as added by section 141) and section 12 of the Na-
tional Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20511) 
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(relating to the unlawful interference with registering to 
vote, or voting, or attempting to register to vote or vote), 
including practices to provide for the posting of relevant 
information at polling places and voter registration agen-
cies under such Act, the training of poll workers and elec-
tion officials, and relevant educational materials. For pur-
poses of this subsection, the term ‘‘State’’ includes the 
District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Is-
lands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
Islands. 
(b) INCLUSION IN VOTER INFORMATION REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Section 302(b)(2) of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (E); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (F) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(G) information relating to the prohibi-
tions of section 612 of title 18, United States 
Code, and section 12 of the National Voter 
Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20511) 
(relating to the unlawful interference with reg-
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istering to vote, or voting, or attempting to reg-
ister to vote or vote), including information on 
how individuals may report allegations of viola-
tions of such prohibitions.’’. 
TITLE II—ACCESS TO VOTING 
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DIS-
ABILITIES 
SEC. 201. REQUIREMENTS FOR STATES TO PROMOTE AC-
CESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING 
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), 
as amended by section 114, is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 305 and 306 as 
sections 306 and 307; and 
(2) by inserting after section 304 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 305. ACCESS TO VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING 
FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
‘‘(a) TREATMENT
OF
APPLICATIONS
AND
BAL-
LOTS.—Each State shall— 
‘‘(1) permit individuals with disabilities to use 
absentee registration procedures and to vote by ab-
sentee ballot in elections for Federal office; 
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‘‘(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 individual with a disability if the appli-
cation is received by the appropriate State election 
official not less than 30 days before the election; 
‘‘(3) in addition to any other method of reg-
istering to vote or applying for an absentee ballot in 
the State, establish procedures— 
‘‘(A) for individuals with disabilities to re-
quest by mail and electronically voter registra-
tion applications and absentee ballot applica-
tions with respect to elections for Federal office 
in accordance with subsection (c); 
‘‘(B) for States to send by mail and elec-
tronically (in accordance with the preferred 
method of transmission designated by the indi-
vidual under subparagraph (C)) voter registra-
tion applications and absentee ballot applica-
tions requested under subparagraph (A) in ac-
cordance with subsection (c); and 
‘‘(C) by which such an individual can des-
ignate whether the individual prefers that such 
voter registration application or absentee ballot 
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application be transmitted by mail or electroni-
cally; 
‘‘(4) in addition to any other method of trans-
mitting blank absentee ballots in the State, establish 
procedures for transmitting by mail and electroni-
cally blank absentee ballots to individuals with dis-
abilities with respect to elections for Federal office 
in accordance with subsection (d); 
‘‘(5) transmit a validly requested absentee bal-
lot to an individual with a disability— 
‘‘(A) except as provided in subsection (e), 
in the case in which the request is received at 
least 45 days before an election for Federal of-
fice, not later than 45 days before the election; 
and 
‘‘(B) in the case in which the request is re-
ceived less than 45 days before an election for 
Federal office— 
‘‘(i) in accordance with State law; and 
‘‘(ii) if practicable and as determined 
appropriate by the State, in a manner that 
expedites the transmission of such absen-
tee ballot; and 
‘‘(6) if the State declares or otherwise holds a 
runoff election for Federal office, establish a written 
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plan that provides absentee ballots are made avail-
able to individuals with disabilities in a manner that 
gives them sufficient time to vote in the runoff elec-
tion. 
‘‘(b) DESIGNATION OF SINGLE STATE OFFICE TO 
PROVIDE INFORMATION ON REGISTRATION AND ABSEN-
TEE BALLOT PROCEDURES FOR ALL DISABLED VOTERS 
IN STATE.—Each State shall designate a single office 
which shall be responsible for providing information re-
garding voter registration procedures and absentee ballot 
procedures to be used by individuals with disabilities with 
respect to elections for Federal office to all individuals 
with disabilities who wish to register to vote or vote in 
any jurisdiction in the State. 
‘‘(c) DESIGNATION OF MEANS OF ELECTRONIC COM-
MUNICATION FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO 
REQUEST AND FOR STATES TO SEND VOTER REGISTRA-
TION APPLICATIONS AND ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICA-
TIONS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES RELATED TO VOTING 
INFORMATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall, in addi-
tion to the designation of a single State office under 
subsection (b), designate not less than 1 means of 
electronic communication— 
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‘‘(A) for use by individuals with disabilities 
who wish to register to vote or vote in any ju-
risdiction in the State to request voter registra-
tion applications and absentee ballot applica-
tions under subsection (a)(3); 
‘‘(B) for use by States to send voter reg-
istration applications and absentee ballot appli-
cations requested under such subsection; and 
‘‘(C) for the purpose of providing related 
voting, balloting, and election information to in-
dividuals with disabilities. 
‘‘(2) CLARIFICATION REGARDING PROVISION OF 
MULTIPLE
MEANS
OF
ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICA-
TION.—A State may, in addition to the means of 
electronic communication so designated, provide 
multiple means of electronic communication to indi-
viduals with disabilities, including a means of elec-
tronic communication for the appropriate jurisdic-
tion of the State. 
‘‘(3) INCLUSION
OF
DESIGNATED
MEANS
OF 
ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION
WITH
INFORMA-
TIONAL AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS THAT AC-
COMPANY BALLOTING MATERIALS.—Each State shall 
include a means of electronic communication so des-
ignated with all informational and instructional ma-
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terials that accompany balloting materials sent by 
the State to individuals with disabilities. 
‘‘(4) TRANSMISSION IF NO PREFERENCE INDI-
CATED.—In the case where an individual with a dis-
ability does not designate a preference under sub-
section (a)(3)(C), the State shall transmit the voter 
registration application or absentee ballot application 
by any delivery method allowable in accordance with 
applicable State law, or if there is no applicable 
State law, by mail. 
‘‘(d) TRANSMISSION OF BLANK ABSENTEE BALLOTS 
BY MAIL AND ELECTRONICALLY.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall establish 
procedures— 
‘‘(A) to transmit blank absentee ballots by 
mail and electronically (in accordance with the 
preferred method of transmission designated by 
the individual with a disability under subpara-
graph (B)) to individuals with disabilities for an 
election for Federal office; and 
‘‘(B) by which the individual with a dis-
ability can designate whether the individual pre-
fers that such blank absentee ballot be trans-
mitted by mail or electronically. 
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‘‘(2) TRANSMISSION IF NO PREFERENCE INDI-
CATED.—In the case where an individual with a dis-
ability does not designate a preference under para-
graph (1)(B), the State shall transmit the ballot by 
any delivery method allowable in accordance with ap-
plicable State law, or if there is no applicable State 
law, by mail. 
‘‘(e) HARDSHIP EXEMPTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—If the chief State election 
official determines that the State is unable to meet 
the requirement under subsection (a)(5)(A) with re-
spect to an election for Federal office due to an 
undue hardship described in paragraph (2)(B), the 
chief State election official shall request that the At-
torney General grant a waiver to the State of the 
application of such subsection. Such request shall in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) a recognition that the purpose of 
such subsection is to individuals with disabil-
ities enough time to vote in an election for Fed-
eral office; 
‘‘(B) an explanation of the hardship that 
indicates why the State is unable to transmit 
such individuals an absentee ballot in accord-
ance with such subsection; 
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‘‘(C) the number of days prior to the elec-
tion for Federal office that the State requires 
absentee ballots be transmitted to such individ-
uals; and 
‘‘(D) a comprehensive plan to ensure that 
such individuals are able to receive absentee 
ballots which they have requested and submit 
marked absentee ballots to the appropriate 
State election official in time to have that ballot 
counted in the election for Federal office, which 
includes— 
‘‘(i) the steps the State will undertake 
to ensure that such individuals have time 
to receive, mark, and submit their ballots 
in time to have those ballots counted in the 
election; 
‘‘(ii) why the plan provides such indi-
viduals sufficient time to vote as a sub-
stitute for the requirements under such 
subsection; and 
‘‘(iii) the underlying factual informa-
tion which explains how the plan provides 
such sufficient time to vote as a substitute 
for such requirements. 
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‘‘(2) APPROVAL
OF
WAIVER
REQUEST.—The 
Attorney General shall approve a waiver request 
under paragraph (1) if the Attorney General deter-
mines each of the following requirements are met: 
‘‘(A) The comprehensive plan under sub-
paragraph (D) of such paragraph provides indi-
viduals with disabilities sufficient time to re-
ceive absentee ballots they have requested and 
submit marked absentee ballots to the appro-
priate State election official in time to have that 
ballot counted in the election for Federal office. 
‘‘(B) One or more of the following issues 
creates an undue hardship for the State: 
‘‘(i) The State’s primary election date 
prohibits the State from complying with 
subsection (a)(5)(A). 
‘‘(ii) The State has suffered a delay in 
generating ballots due to a legal contest. 
‘‘(iii) The State Constitution prohibits 
the State from complying with such sub-
section. 
‘‘(3) TIMING OF WAIVER.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided 
under subparagraph (B), a State that requests 
a waiver under paragraph (1) shall submit to 
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the Attorney General the written waiver request 
not later than 90 days before the election for 
Federal office with respect to which the request 
is submitted. The Attorney General shall ap-
prove or deny the waiver request not later than 
65 days before such election. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION.—If a State requests a 
waiver under paragraph (1) as the result of an 
undue 
hardship 
described 
in 
paragraph 
(2)(B)(ii), the State shall submit to the Attor-
ney General the written waiver request as soon 
as practicable. The Attorney General shall ap-
prove or deny the waiver request not later than 
5 business days after the date on which the re-
quest is received. 
‘‘(4) APPLICATION OF WAIVER.—A waiver ap-
proved under paragraph (2) shall only apply with re-
spect to the election for Federal office for which the 
request was submitted. For each subsequent election 
for Federal office, the Attorney General shall only 
approve a waiver if the State has submitted a re-
quest under paragraph (1) with respect to such elec-
tion. 
‘‘(f) INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY DEFINED.—In 
this section, an ‘individual with a disability’ means an in-
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dividual with an impairment that substantially limits any 
major life activities and who is otherwise qualified to vote 
in elections for Federal office. 
‘‘(g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to elections for Federal office held on or after 
January 1, 2016.’’. 
(b) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT
RELATING
TO 
ISSUANCE OF VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE BY ELECTION AS-
SISTANCE COMMISSION.—Section 311(b) of such Act (52 
U.S.C. 21101(b)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(2); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of para-
graph (3) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) in the case of the recommendations with 
respect to section 305, January 1, 2016.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 114(c), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 305 and 306 as relating to sections 306 and 
307; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 304 the following new item: 
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‘‘Sec. 305. Access to voter registration and voting for individuals with disabil-
ities.’’. 
SEC. 202. PILOT PROGRAMS FOR ENABLING INDIVIDUALS 
WITH DISABILITIES TO REGISTER TO VOTE 
AND VOTE PRIVATELY AND INDEPENDENTLY 
AT RESIDENCES. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT
OF PILOT PROGRAMS.—The 
Election Assistance Commission (hereafter referred to as 
the ‘‘Commission’’) shall make grants to eligible States to 
conduct pilot programs under which— 
(1) individuals with disabilities may use elec-
tronic means (including the Internet and telephones 
utilizing assistive devices) to register to vote and to 
request and receive absentee ballots, in a manner 
which permits such individuals to do so privately 
and independently at their own residences; and 
(2) individuals with disabilities may use the 
telephone to cast ballots electronically from their 
own residences, but only if the telephone used is not 
connected to the Internet. 
(b) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A State receiving a grant for 
a year under this section shall submit a report to the 
Commission on the pilot programs the State carried 
out with the grant with respect to elections for pub-
lic office held in the State during the year. 
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(2) DEADLINE.—A State shall submit a report 
under paragraph (1) not later than 90 days after 
the last election for public office held in the State 
during the year. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—A State is eligible to receive a 
grant under this section if the State submits to the Com-
mission, at such time and in such form as the Commission 
may require, an application containing such information 
and assurances as the Commission may require. 
(d) TIMING.—The Commission shall make the first 
grants under this section for pilot programs which will be 
in effect with respect to elections for Federal office held 
in 2016, or, at the option of a State, with respect to other 
elections for public office held in the State in 2016. 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated for grants for pilot pro-
grams under this section $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2016 
and each succeeding fiscal year. 
(f) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘State’’ includes the District of Columbia, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the 
United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands. 
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SEC. 203. EXPANSION AND REAUTHORIZATION OF GRANT 
PROGRAM TO ASSURE VOTING ACCESS FOR 
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) PURPOSES OF PAYMENTS.—Section 261(b) of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21021(b)) is 
amended by striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) making absentee voting and voting at 
home accessible to individuals with the full range of 
disabilities (including impairments involving vision, 
hearing, mobility, or dexterity) through the imple-
mentation of accessible absentee voting systems that 
work in conjunction with assistive technologies for 
which individuals have access at their homes, inde-
pendent living centers, or other facilities; 
‘‘(2) making polling places, including the path 
of travel, entrances, exits, and voting areas of each 
polling facility, accessible to individuals with disabil-
ities, including the blind and visually impaired, in a 
manner that provides the same opportunity for ac-
cess and participation (including privacy and inde-
pendence) as for other voters; and 
‘‘(3) providing solutions to problems of access 
to voting and elections for individuals with disabil-
ities that are universally designed and provide the 
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same opportunities for individuals with and without 
disabilities.’’. 
(b) REAUTHORIZATION.—Section 264(a) of such Act 
(52 U.S.C. 21024(a)) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(4) For fiscal year 2016 and each succeeding 
fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out this part.’’. 
(c) PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Section 
264 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21024) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘Any 
amounts’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as provided in sub-
section (b), any amounts’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(c) RETURN AND TRANSFER OF CERTAIN FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) DEADLINE FOR OBLIGATION AND EXPEND-
ITURE.—In the case of any amounts appropriated 
pursuant to the authority of subsection (a) for a 
payment to a State or unit of local government for 
fiscal year 2016 or any succeeding fiscal year, any 
portion of such amounts which have not been obli-
gated or expended by the State or unit of local gov-
ernment prior to the expiration of the 4-year period 
which begins on the date the State or unit of local 
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government first received the amounts shall be 
transferred to the Commission. 
‘‘(2) 
REALLOCATION
OF
TRANSFERRED 
AMOUNTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall 
use the amounts transferred under paragraph 
(1) to make payments on a pro rata basis to 
each covered payment recipient described in 
subparagraph (B), which may obligate and ex-
pend such payment for the purposes described 
in section 261(b) during the 1-year period 
which begins on the date of receipt. 
‘‘(B) COVERED PAYMENT RECIPIENTS DE-
SCRIBED.—In subparagraph (A), a ‘covered 
payment recipient’ is a State or unit of local 
government with respect to which— 
‘‘(i) amounts were appropriated pur-
suant to the authority of subsection (a); 
and 
‘‘(ii) no amounts were transferred to 
the Commission under paragraph (1).’’. 
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TITLE III—PROHIBITING VOTER 
CAGING 
SEC. 301. VOTER CAGING AND OTHER QUESTIONABLE 
CHALLENGES PROHIBITED. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 29 of title 18, United 
States Code, as amended by section 141(a), is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 613. Voter caging and other questionable chal-
lenges 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘voter caging document’ means— 
‘‘(A) a nonforwardable document that is 
returned to the sender or a third party as unde-
livered or undeliverable despite an attempt to 
deliver such document to the address of a reg-
istered voter or applicant; or 
‘‘(B) any document with instructions to an 
addressee that the document be returned to the 
sender or a third party but is not so returned, 
despite an attempt to deliver such document to 
the address of a registered voter or applicant, 
unless at least two Federal election cycles have 
passed since the date of the attempted delivery; 
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‘‘(2) the term ‘voter caging list’ means a list of 
individuals compiled from voter caging documents; 
and 
‘‘(3) the term ‘unverified match list’ means a 
list produced by matching the information of reg-
istered voters or applicants for voter registration to 
a list of individuals who are ineligible to vote in the 
registrar’s jurisdiction, by virtue of death, convic-
tion, change of address, or otherwise; unless one of 
the pieces of information matched includes a signa-
ture, photograph, or unique identifying number en-
suring that the information from each source refers 
to the same individual. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION AGAINST VOTER CAGING.—No 
State or local election official shall prevent an individual 
from registering or voting in any election for Federal of-
fice, or permit in connection with any election for Federal 
office a formal challenge under State law to an individual’s 
registration status or eligibility to vote, if the basis for 
such decision is evidence consisting of— 
‘‘(1) a voter caging document or voter caging 
list; 
‘‘(2) an unverified match list; 
‘‘(3) an error or omission on any record or 
paper relating to any application, registration, or 
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other act requisite to voting, if such error or omis-
sion is not material to an individual’s eligibility to 
vote under section 2004 of the Revised Statutes, as 
amended (52 U.S.C. 10101(a)(2)(B)); or 
‘‘(4) any other evidence so designated for pur-
poses of this section by the Election Assistance Com-
mission, 
except that the election official may use such evidence if 
it is corroborated by independent evidence of the individ-
ual’s ineligibility to register or vote. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS FOR CHALLENGES BY PERSONS 
OTHER THAN ELECTION OFFICIALS.—No person, other 
than a State or local election official, shall submit a formal 
challenge to an individual’s eligibility to register to vote 
in an election for Federal office or to vote in an election 
for Federal office unless that challenge is supported by 
personal knowledge regarding the grounds for ineligibility 
which is— 
‘‘(1) documented in writing; and 
‘‘(2) subject to an oath or attestation under 
penalty of perjury that the challenger has a good 
faith factual basis to believe that the individual who 
is the subject of the challenge is ineligible to register 
to vote or vote in that election, except a challenge 
which is based on the race or national origin of the 
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individual who is the subject of the challenge may 
not be considered to have a good faith factual basis 
for purposes of this paragraph. 
‘‘(d) PENALTIES
FOR KNOWING MISCONDUCT.— 
Whoever knowingly challenges the eligibility of one or 
more individuals to register or vote or knowingly causes 
the eligibility of such individuals to be challenged in viola-
tion of this section with the intent that one or more eligi-
ble voters be disqualified, shall be fined under this title 
or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both, for each such 
violation. Each violation shall be a separate offense. 
‘‘(e) NO EFFECT ON RELATED LAWS.—Nothing in 
this section is intended to override the protections of the 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20501 et seq.) or to affect the Voting Rights Act of 1965 
(52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, as amended 
by section 141(b), is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘613. Voter caging and other questionable challenges.’’. 
SEC. 302. DEVELOPMENT AND ADOPTION OF BEST PRAC-
TICES FOR PREVENTING VOTER CAGING. 
(a) BEST PRACTICES.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Election Assist-
ance Commission shall develop and publish for the use of 
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States recommendations for best practices to deter and 
prevent violations of section 613 of title 18, United States 
Code, as added by section 301(a), including practices to 
provide for the posting of relevant information at polling 
places and voter registration agencies, the training of poll 
workers and election officials, and relevant educational 
measures. For purposes of this subsection, the term 
‘‘State’’ includes the District of Columbia, the Common-
wealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the 
United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands. 
(b) INCLUSION IN VOTING INFORMATION REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Section 302(b)(2) of the Help America Vote Act 
of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082(b)(2)), as amended by section 
141(b), is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of subpara-
graph (F); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of sub-
paragraph (G) and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(H) information relating to the prohibi-
tion against voter caging and other questionable 
challenges (as set forth in section 613 of title 
18, United States Code), including information 
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on how individuals may report allegations of 
violations of such prohibition.’’. 
SEC. 303. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this title or any amendment made 
by this title, or the application of a provision to any person 
or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the re-
mainder of this title and the amendments made by this 
title, and the application of the provisions to any person 
or circumstance, shall not be affected by the holding. 
TITLE IV—PROHIBITING 
DECEPTIVE PRACTICES 
SEC. 401. PROHIBITION ON DECEPTIVE PRACTICES IN FED-
ERAL ELECTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 29 of title 18, United 
States Code, as amended by section 141(a) and section 
301(a), is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 614. False election-related information in Federal 
elections 
‘‘(a) A person, including an election official, who in 
any election for Federal office knowingly and willfully de-
prives, defrauds, or attempts to deprive or defraud the 
residents of a State of their free and fair exercise of the 
right to vote by the communication of election-related in-
formation that is known by the person to be materially 
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false, fictitious, or fraudulent shall be fined under this title 
or imprisoned not more than 1 year, or both. 
‘‘(b) As used in this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘election for Federal office’ means 
any general, primary, runoff, or special election for 
the office of President, Vice President, presidential 
elector, Member of the Senate, Member of the House 
of Representatives, or Delegate or Resident Commis-
sioner to the Congress; and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘election-related information’ 
means any oral or written communication regard-
ing— 
‘‘(A) the time or place of an election for 
Federal office; 
‘‘(B) criminal penalties associated with 
voting in such an election; 
‘‘(C) an individual’s voter registration sta-
tus or eligibility to vote in such an election; or 
‘‘(D) the explicit endorsement by any per-
son or organization of a candidate in such an 
election.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 29 of title 18, United States Code, as amended 
by section 141(b) and section 301(b), is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new item: 
‘‘614. False election-related information in Federal elections.’’. 
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SEC. 402. MODIFICATION OF PENALTY FOR VOTER INTIMI-
DATION. 
Section 594 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ‘‘one year’’ and inserting ‘‘5 years’’. 
SEC. 403. SENTENCING GUIDELINES. 
(a) REVIEW AND AMENDMENT.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the United 
States Sentencing Commission, pursuant to its authority 
under section 994 of title 28, United States Code, and 
in accordance with this section, shall review and, if appro-
priate, amend the Federal sentencing guidelines and policy 
statements applicable to persons convicted of any offense 
under any sections of title 18, United States Code, that 
are added or modified by this Act. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION.—The United States Sentencing 
Commission may, for the purposes of the amendments 
made pursuant to this title, amend the Federal sentencing 
guidelines in accordance with the procedures set forth in 
section 21(a) of the Sentencing Act of 1987 (28 U.S.C. 
994 note) as though the authority under that section had 
not expired. 
SEC. 404. REPORTING VIOLATIONS; CORRECTIVE ACTION. 
(a) REPORTING.—Any person may submit a report 
to the Attorney General regarding any violation or possible 
violation of section 594 or section 614 of title 18, United 
States Code (as added by section 401(a)). 
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(b) CORRECTIVE ACTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Immediately after receiving 
a report under subsection (a), the Attorney General 
shall consider and review the report, and if the At-
torney General determines that there is a reasonable 
basis to find that a violation included in the report 
has occurred, the Attorney General shall— 
(A) undertake all effective measures nec-
essary to provide correct information to voters 
affected by the false information; and 
(B) refer the matter to the appropriate 
Federal and State authorities for criminal pros-
ecution or civil action after the election in-
volved. 
(2) REGULATIONS.—The Attorney General shall 
promulgate regulations regarding the methods and 
means of corrective actions to be taken under para-
graph (1). Such regulations shall be developed in 
consultation with the Election Assistance Commis-
sion, civil rights organizations, voting rights groups, 
State and local election officials, voter protection 
groups, and other interested community organiza-
tions. 
(3) STUDY AND REPORT ON METHODS OF DIS-
SEMINATING CORRECTIVE INFORMATION.— 
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(A) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General, 
in consultation with the Federal Communica-
tions Commission and the Election Assistance 
Commission, shall conduct a study on the feasi-
bility of providing the corrective information 
under paragraph (1) through public service an-
nouncements, the emergency alert system, or 
other forms of public broadcast. 
(B) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Attorney General shall submit to Congress a re-
port detailing the results of the study conducted 
under subparagraph (A). 
(4) 
PUBLICIZING
AVAILABILITY
OF
REM-
EDIES.—The Attorney General shall make public 
through the Internet, radio, television, and news-
paper advertisements information on the responsibil-
ities, contact information, and complaint procedures 
applicable under this section. 
(c) REPORTS TO CONGRESS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
any election with respect to which a report has been 
submitted under subsection (a), the Attorney Gen-
eral shall submit to Congress a report compiling all 
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such reports submitted under subsection (a) with re-
spect to that election. 
(2) CONTENTS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Each report submitted 
under paragraph (1) shall include— 
(i) detailed information on specific al-
legations; 
(ii) statistical compilations of how 
many allegations were made and of what 
type; 
(iii) the geographic locations of and 
the populations affected by the alleged vio-
lations; 
(iv) the status of the investigations of 
such allegations; 
(v) any corrective actions taken in re-
sponse to such allegations; 
(vi) the rationale used for any correc-
tive actions or for any refusal to pursue an 
allegation; 
(vii) the effectiveness of any such cor-
rective actions; 
(viii) whether a Voting Integrity Task 
Force was established with respect to such 
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election, and, if so, how such Task Force 
was staffed and funded; 
(ix) any referrals of information to 
other Federal, State, or local agencies; and 
(x) any criminal prosecution instituted 
under title 18, United States Code, in con-
nection with such allegations. 
(3) REPORT MADE PUBLIC.—On the date that 
the Attorney General submits the report under para-
graph (1), the Attorney General shall also make the 
report publicly available through the Internet and 
other appropriate means. 
(d) DELEGATION OF DUTIES.— 
(1) USE OF VOTING INTEGRITY TASK FORCE.— 
The Attorney General shall delegate the responsibil-
ities under this section with respect to a particular 
election to a Voting Integrity Task Force established 
by the Attorney General for such purpose. 
(2) COMPOSITION.—A Voting Integrity Task 
Force established under paragraph (1) shall be 
under the direction of the Assistant Attorney Gen-
eral for the Civil Rights Division and the Assistant 
Attorney General for the Criminal Division, acting 
jointly. 
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TITLE V—DEMOCRACY 
RESTORATION 
SEC. 501. RIGHTS OF CITIZENS. 
The right of an individual who is a citizen of the 
United States to vote in any election for Federal office 
shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has 
been convicted of a criminal offense unless such individual 
is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution 
or facility at the time of the election. 
SEC. 502. ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The Attorney General 
may, in a civil action, obtain such declaratory or injunctive 
relief as is necessary to remedy a violation of this title. 
(b) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.— 
(1) A person who is aggrieved by a violation of 
this title may provide written notice of the violation 
to the chief election official of the State involved. 
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), if the 
violation is not corrected within 90 days after receipt 
of a notice under paragraph (1), or within 20 days 
after receipt of the notice if the violation occurred 
within 120 days before the date of an election for 
Federal office, the aggrieved person may, in a civil 
action, obtain declaratory or injunctive relief with re-
spect to the violation. 
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(3) If the violation occurred within 30 days be-
fore the date of an election for Federal office, the 
aggrieved person need not provide notice to the chief 
election official of the State under paragraph (1) be-
fore bringing a civil action to obtain declaratory or 
injunctive relief with respect to the violation. 
SEC. 503. NOTIFICATION OF RESTORATION OF VOTING 
RIGHTS. 
(a) STATE NOTIFICATION.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION.—On the date determined 
under paragraph (2), each State shall notify in writ-
ing any individual who has been convicted of a 
criminal offense under the law of that State that 
such individual has the right to vote in an election 
for Federal office pursuant to this title and may reg-
ister to vote in any such election. 
(2) DATE OF NOTIFICATION.— 
(A) FELONY CONVICTION.—In the case of 
such an individual who has been convicted of a 
felony, the notification required under para-
graph (1) shall be given on the date on which 
the individual— 
(i) is sentenced to serve only a term 
of probation; or 
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(ii) is released from the custody of 
that State (other than to the custody of 
another State or the Federal Government 
to serve a term of imprisonment for a fel-
ony conviction). 
(B) MISDEMEANOR
CONVICTION.—In the 
case of such an individual who has been con-
victed of a misdemeanor, the notification re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be given on 
the date on which such individual is sentenced 
by a State court. 
(b) FEDERAL NOTIFICATION.— 
(1) NOTIFICATION.—On the date determined 
under paragraph (2), the Director of the Bureau of 
Prisons shall notify in writing any individual who 
has been convicted of a criminal offense under Fed-
eral law that such individual has the right to vote 
in an election for Federal office pursuant to this 
title and may register to vote in any such election. 
(2) DATE OF NOTIFICATION.— 
(A) FELONY CONVICTION.—In the case of 
such an individual who has been convicted of a 
felony, the notification required under para-
graph (1) shall be given on the date on which 
the individual— 
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(i) is sentenced to serve only a term 
of probation by a court established by an 
Act of Congress; or 
(ii) is released from the custody of the 
Bureau of Prisons (other than to the cus-
tody of a State to serve a term of impris-
onment for a felony conviction). 
(B) MISDEMEANOR
CONVICTION.—In the 
case of such an individual who has been con-
victed of a misdemeanor, the notification re-
quired under paragraph (1) shall be given on 
the date on which such individual is sentenced 
by a State court. 
SEC. 504. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this title: 
(1) CORRECTIONAL
INSTITUTION
OR
FACIL-
ITY.—The term ‘‘correctional institution or facility’’ 
means any prison, penitentiary, jail, or other institu-
tion or facility for the confinement of individuals 
convicted of criminal offenses, whether publicly or 
privately operated, except that such term does not 
include any residential community treatment center 
(or similar public or private facility). 
(2) ELECTION.—The term ‘‘election’’ means— 
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(A) a general, special, primary, or runoff 
election; 
(B) a convention or caucus of a political 
party held to nominate a candidate; 
(C) a primary election held for the selec-
tion of delegates to a national nominating con-
vention of a political party; or 
(D) a primary election held for the expres-
sion of a preference for the nomination of per-
sons for election to the office of President. 
(3) FEDERAL OFFICE.—The term ‘‘Federal of-
fice’’ means the office of President or Vice President 
of the United States, or of Senator or Representa-
tive in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, 
the Congress of the United States. 
(4) PROBATION.—The term ‘‘probation’’ means 
probation, imposed by a Federal, State, or local 
court, with or without a condition on the individual 
involved concerning— 
(A) the individual’s freedom of movement; 
(B) the payment of damages by the indi-
vidual; 
(C) periodic reporting by the individual to 
an officer of the court; or 
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(D) supervision of the individual by an of-
ficer of the court. 
SEC. 505. RELATION TO OTHER LAWS. 
(a) STATE LAWS RELATING TO VOTING RIGHTS.— 
Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit the 
States from enacting any State law which affords the right 
to vote in any election for Federal office on terms less 
restrictive than those established by this title. 
(b) CERTAIN FEDERAL ACTS.—The rights and rem-
edies established by this title are in addition to all other 
rights and remedies provided by law, and neither rights 
and remedies established by this title shall supersede, re-
strict, or limit the application of the Voting Rights Act 
of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10301 et seq.) or the National Voter 
Registration Act (52 U.S.C. 20501). 
SEC. 506. FEDERAL PRISON FUNDS. 
No State, unit of local government, or other person 
may receive or use, to construct or otherwise improve a 
prison, jail, or other place of incarceration, any Federal 
grant amounts unless that person has in effect a program 
under which each individual incarcerated in that person’s 
jurisdiction who is a citizen of the United States is noti-
fied, upon release from such incarceration, of that individ-
ual’s rights under section 501. 
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SEC. 507. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
This title shall apply to citizens of the United States 
voting in any election for Federal office held after the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
TITLE 
VI—ACCURACY, 
INTEG-
RITY, 
AND 
SECURITY 
OF 
ELECTIONS 
SEC. 600. SHORT TITLE. 
This title may be cited as the ‘‘Voter Confidence and 
Increased Accessibility Act of 2015’’. 
Subtitle A—Promoting Accuracy, 
Integrity, and Security Through 
Voter-Verified Permanent Paper 
Ballot 
SEC. 601. PAPER BALLOT AND MANUAL COUNTING RE-
QUIREMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 301(a)(2) of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(2)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) PAPER BALLOT REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(A) VOTER-VERIFIED PAPER BALLOTS.— 
‘‘(i) PAPER BALLOT REQUIREMENT.— 
(I) The voting system shall require the use 
of an individual, durable, voter-verified, 
paper ballot of the voter’s vote that shall 
be marked and made available for inspec-
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tion and verification by the voter before 
the voter’s vote is cast and counted, and 
which shall be counted by hand or read by 
an optical character recognition device or 
other counting device. For purposes of this 
subclause, the term ‘individual, durable, 
voter-verified, paper ballot’ means a paper 
ballot marked by the voter by hand or a 
paper ballot marked through the use of a 
nontabulating ballot marking device or sys-
tem, so long as the voter shall have the op-
tion to mark his or her ballot by hand. 
‘‘(II) The voting system shall provide 
the voter with an opportunity to correct 
any error on the paper ballot before the 
permanent voter-verified paper ballot is 
preserved in accordance with clause (ii). 
‘‘(III) The voting system shall not 
preserve the voter-verified paper ballots in 
any manner that makes it possible, at any 
time after the ballot has been cast, to asso-
ciate a voter with the record of the voter’s 
vote without the voter’s consent. 
‘‘(ii) PRESERVATION
AS
OFFICIAL 
RECORD.—The individual, durable, voter- 
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verified, paper ballot used in accordance 
with clause (i) shall constitute the official 
ballot and shall be preserved and used as 
the official ballot for purposes of any re-
count or audit conducted with respect to 
any election for Federal office in which the 
voting system is used. 
‘‘(iii) MANUAL
COUNTING
REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR RECOUNTS AND AUDITS.—(I) 
Each paper ballot used pursuant to clause 
(i) shall be suitable for a manual audit, 
and shall be counted by hand in any re-
count or audit conducted with respect to 
any election for Federal office. 
‘‘(II) In the event of any inconsist-
encies or irregularities between any elec-
tronic vote tallies and the vote tallies de-
termined by counting by hand the indi-
vidual, durable, voter-verified, paper ballots 
used pursuant to clause (i), and subject to 
subparagraph (B), the individual, durable, 
voter-verified, paper ballots shall be the 
true and correct record of the votes cast. 
‘‘(iv) APPLICATION
TO
ALL
BAL-
LOTS.—The requirements of this subpara-
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graph shall apply to all ballots cast in elec-
tions for Federal office, including ballots 
cast by absent uniformed services voters 
and overseas voters under the Uniformed 
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act 
and other absentee voters. 
‘‘(B) SPECIAL RULE FOR TREATMENT OF 
DISPUTES WHEN PAPER BALLOTS HAVE BEEN 
SHOWN TO BE COMPROMISED.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—In the event 
that— 
‘‘(I) there is any inconsistency 
between any electronic vote tallies and 
the vote tallies determined by count-
ing by hand the individual, durable, 
voter-verified, paper ballots used pur-
suant to subparagraph (A)(i) with re-
spect to any election for Federal of-
fice; and 
‘‘(II) it is demonstrated by clear 
and convincing evidence (as deter-
mined in accordance with the applica-
ble standards in the jurisdiction in-
volved) in any recount, audit, or con-
test of the result of the election that 
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the paper ballots have been com-
promised (by damage or mischief or 
otherwise) and that a sufficient num-
ber of the ballots have been so com-
promised that the result of the elec-
tion could be changed, 
the determination of the appropriate rem-
edy with respect to the election shall be 
made in accordance with applicable State 
law, except that the electronic tally shall 
not be used as the exclusive basis for de-
termining the official certified result. 
‘‘(ii) RULE FOR CONSIDERATION OF 
BALLOTS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH VOTING 
MACHINE.—For purposes of clause (i), 
only the paper ballots deemed com-
promised, if any, shall be considered in the 
calculation of whether or not the result of 
the election could be changed due to the 
compromised paper ballots.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT CLARIFYING APPLI-
CABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY.— 
Section 301(a)(4) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(4)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘(including the paper ballots re-
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100 
quired to be used under paragraph (2))’’ after ‘‘voting sys-
tem’’. 
(c) OTHER CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 
301(a)(1) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking ‘‘count-
ed’’ and inserting ‘‘counted, in accordance with 
paragraphs (2) and (3)’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ‘‘count-
ed’’ and inserting ‘‘counted, in accordance with 
paragraphs (2) and (3)’’; 
(3) in subparagraph (A)(iii), by striking ‘‘count-
ed’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘counted, in 
accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3)’’; and 
(4) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by striking ‘‘count-
ed’’ and inserting ‘‘counted, in accordance with 
paragraphs (2) and (3)’’. 
SEC. 602. ACCESSIBILITY AND BALLOT VERIFICATION FOR 
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 301(a)(3)(B) of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(3)(B)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(B)(i) satisfy the requirement of subpara-
graph (A) through the use of at least one voting 
system equipped for individuals with disabil-
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101 
ities, including nonvisual and enhanced visual 
accessibility for the blind and visually impaired, 
and nonmanual and enhanced manual accessi-
bility for the mobility and dexterity impaired, at 
each polling place; and 
‘‘(ii) meet the requirements of subpara-
graph (A) and paragraph (2)(A) by using a sys-
tem that— 
‘‘(I) allows the voter to privately and 
independently verify the permanent paper 
ballot through the presentation, in acces-
sible form, of the printed or marked vote 
selections from the same printed or 
marked information that would be used for 
any vote counting or auditing; and 
‘‘(II) allows the voter to privately and 
independently verify and cast the perma-
nent paper ballot without requiring the 
voter to manually handle the paper ballot; 
and’’. 
(b) SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT OF STUDY, TESTING, 
AND DEVELOPMENT
OF ACCESSIBLE PAPER BALLOT 
VERIFICATION MECHANISMS.— 
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