SEC. 9. FEDERAL COORDINATION AND REGULATIONS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Federal Election Commis-
sion—
(1) in consultation with the chief election offi-
cers of the States, the heads of the departments,
agencies, and other entities of the executive branch
of the Federal Government, and representatives of
nongovernmental entities, shall prescribe such regu-
lations as are necessary to carry out this Act;
(2) in consultation with the chief election offi-
cers of the States, shall develop a mail voter reg-
istration application form for elections for Federal
office;
(3) not later than June 30 of each odd-num-
bered year, shall submit to the Congress a report as-
sessing the impact of this Act on the administration
of elections for Federal office during the preceding
2-year period and including recommendations for
improvements in Federal and State procedures,
forms, and other matters affected by this Act; and
(4) shall provide information to the States with
respect to the responsibilities of the States under
this Act.
(b) CONTENTS
OF
MAIL
VOTER
REGISTRATION
FORM.—The mail voter registration form developed under
subsection (a)(2)—
(1) may require only such identifying informa-
tion (including the signature of the applicant) and
other information (including data relating to pre-
vious registration by the applicant), as is necessary
to enable the appropriate State election official to
assess the eligibility of the applicant and to admin-
ister voter registration and other parts of the elec-
tion process;
(2) shall include a statement that—
(A) specifies each eligibility requirement
(including citizenship);
(B) contains an attestation that the appli-
cant meets each such requirement; and
(C) requires the signature of the applicant,
under penalty of perjury; and
(3) may not include any requirement for notari-
zation or other formal authentication.
SEC. 10. DESIGNATION OF CHIEF STATE ELECTION OFFI-
CIAL.
Each State shall designate a State officer or employee
as the chief State election official to be responsible for co-
ordination of State responsibilities under this Act.
SEC. 11. CIVIL ENFORCEMENT AND PRIVATE RIGHT OF AC-
TION.
(a) ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The Attorney General
may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court
for such declaratory or injunctive relief as is necessary to
carry out this Act.
(b) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—(1) A person who
is aggrieved by a violation of this Act may provide written
notice of the violation to the chief election official of the
State involved.
(2) 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 bring a civil action in an
appropriate district court for declaratory or injunctive re-
lief with respect to the violation.
(3) If the violation occurred within 30 days before
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) before bringing a civil
action under paragraph (2).
(c) ATTORNEY’S FEES.—In a civil action under this
section, the court may allow the prevailing party (other
than the United States) reasonable attorney fees, includ-
ing litigation expenses, and costs.
(d) RELATION TO OTHER LAWS.—(1) The rights and
remedies established by this section are in addition to all
other rights and remedies provided by law, and neither
the rights and remedies established by this section nor any
other provision of this Act shall supersede, restrict, or
limit the application of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42
U.S.C. 1973 et seq.).
(2) Nothing in this Act authorizes or requires con-
duct that is prohibited by the Voting Rights Act of 1965
(42 U.S.C. 1973 et seq.).
SEC. 12. CRIMINAL PENALTIES.
A person, including an election official, who in any
election for Federal office—
(1) knowingly and willfully intimidates, threat-
ens, or coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten,
or coerce, any person for—
(A) registering to vote, or voting, or at-
tempting to register or vote;
(B) urging or aiding any person to register
to vote, to vote, or to attempt to register or
vote; or
(C) exercising any right under this Act; or
(2) knowingly and willfully deprives, defrauds,
or attempts to deprive or defraud the residents of a
State of a fair and impartially conducted election
process, by—
(A) the procurement or submission of voter
registration applications that are known by the
person to be materially false, fictitious, or
fraudulent under the laws of the State in which
the election is held; or
(B) the procurement, casting, or tabulation
of ballots that are known by the person to be
materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent under
the laws of the State in which the election is
held,
shall be fined in accordance with title 18, United States
Code, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
SEC. 13. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect—
(1) with respect to a State that on the date of
enactment of this Act has a provision in the con-
stitution of the State that would preclude compliance
with this Act unless the State maintained separate
Federal and State official lists of eligible voters,
on January 1, 1996; and
(2) with respect to any State not described in
paragraph (1), on January 1, 1995.