I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 561
To establish the Bipartisan Commission on Election Reform to study and
make recommendations on issues affecting the conduct and administra-
tion of elections in the United States, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 13, 2001
Mr. DINGELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the
Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish the Bipartisan Commission on Election Reform
to study and make recommendations on issues affecting
the conduct and administration of elections in the United
States, 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.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Election Reform Com-
mission Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
There is hereby established a commission to be known
as the Bipartisan Commission on Election Reform (here-
after in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’).
SEC. 3. MEMBERSHIP.
(a) NUMBER AND APPOINTMENT.—The Commission
shall be composed of 17 members who shall be appointed
as follows:
(1) 4 members shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent, of whom not more than 2 may be affiliated
with the same political party.
(2) 3 members shall be appointed by the major-
ity leader of the Senate.
(3) 3 members shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the Senate.
(4) 3 members shall be appointed by the Speak-
er of the House of Representatives.
(5) 3 members shall be appointed by the minor-
ity leader of the House of Representatives.
(6) 1 member (who shall serve as the Chair of
the Commission) shall be appointed jointly by the
President, the majority leader of the Senate, the mi-
nority leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the
House of Representatives, and the minority leader of
the House of Representatives.
(b) TERMS.—Members of the Commission shall be
appointed not later than 30 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act. Appointments shall be for the life of the
Commission.
(c) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission shall
not affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same man-
ner as the original appointment.
(d) MEETINGS.—
(1) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days
after the date on which all members of the Commis-
sion have been appointed, the Commission shall hold
its first meeting.
(2) ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.—The Commission
shall meet at the call of the Chair or a majority of
its members.
(e) QUORUM.—A majority of the Commission shall
constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
SEC. 4. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall examine
issues affecting the conduct and administration of elec-
tions for Federal, State, and local offices in the United
States and make recommendations on its findings.
(b) SPECIFIC ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED.—Among
other issues the Commission determines are relevant, the
Commission shall examine and make recommendations on
the following issues:
(1) ELECTORAL COLLEGE.—Issues relating to
the electoral college, including its impact on voter
turnout and alternative methods of allocating elec-
toral votes among candidates.
(2) VOTER REGISTRATION.—Issues relating to
voter registration, including the impact and effec-
tiveness of the National Voter Registration Act of
1993, the feasibility and effectiveness of permitting
voter registration on the day of an election, and the
feasibility and effectiveness of permitting voter reg-
istration through the use of the Internet.
(3) BALLOT
DESIGN
AND
TECHNOLOGY.—
Issues relating to the design of ballots and the tech-
nology used to process and count ballots, including
whether certain types of voting equipment and tech-
nology are more likely to result in undercounted or
uncounted votes, the advantages of uniform ballot
designs, the need for uniform standards for the de-
sign and maintenance of voting equipment and tech-
nology, and steps the Federal Government may take
to reduce counting errors, including providing need-
based grants to enable State and local governments
to replace outdated equipment and prohibiting the