is amended by inserting after section 303 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 303A. REQUIREMENTS FOR TREATMENT OF ABSEN-
TEE BALLOTS. 
‘‘(a) PROCEDURES FOR DESIGN OF BALLOT.— 
‘‘(1) CONSULTATION
WITH
UNITED
STATES 
POSTAL SERVICE TO MINIMIZE POSTAGE REQUIRE-
MENTS.—In designing the absentee ballot used in an 
election for Federal office, the appropriate State and 
local election officials shall consult with the United 
States Postal Service so that the ballot is designed 
in a manner which minimizes the amount of postage 
required for the voter to return the ballot. 
‘‘(2) REQUIRING OUTER ENVELOPE FOR BAL-
LOT.—A State shall design each absentee ballot used 
in an election for Federal office in a manner which 
includes an envelope or other covering so that the 
contents of the ballot are not visible during trans-
mission. 
‘‘(b) CONFIRMATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF BALLOT 
PRIOR TO ELECTION.— 
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT TO IMPLEMENT TRACKING 
PROCEDURES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The State or local 
election official responsible for the receipt of 
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voted absentee ballots in an election for Federal 
office shall implement procedures to track and 
confirm the receipt of such ballots, and to make 
information on the receipt of such ballots avail-
able prior to the date of the election to the indi-
vidual who cast the ballot, by means of online 
access using the Internet site of the official’s of-
fice. 
‘‘(B) USE
OF
TOLL-FREE
TELEPHONE 
NUMBER.—If the office of the election official 
responsible for the receipt of voted absentee 
ballots in an election for Federal office does not 
have an Internet site, the official may meet the 
requirements of subparagraph (A) by operating 
a toll-free telephone number that may be used 
by an individual who cast an absentee ballot to 
obtain the information involved. 
‘‘(C) INFORMATION
SPECIFIED.—The in-
formation referred to in subparagraphs (A) and 
(B) with respect to the receipt of an absentee 
ballot shall include information regarding 
whether the vote cast on the ballot was counted, 
and, in the case of a vote which was not count-
ed, the reasons therefor. 
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‘‘(2) TREATMENT
OF
INDIVIDUALS
SUBSE-
QUENTLY CASTING BALLOTS AT POLLING PLACE.— 
If an individual is informed prior to the date of an 
election in accordance with the procedures imple-
mented under paragraph (1) that a vote cast by the 
individual on an absentee ballot will not be counted 
in the election and the individual casts a ballot at 
the polling place on the date of the election— 
‘‘(A) the vote cast on the absentee ballot 
shall not be counted in the election; 
‘‘(B) the ballot cast at the polling place 
shall be treated as a regular ballot and not as 
a provisional ballot (unless the ballot would oth-
erwise be subject to treatment as a provisional 
ballot under section 302(a)), and shall be 
counted if the individual is eligible to vote in 
the election; and 
‘‘(C) the individual shall not be considered 
to be in violation of any law which prohibits an 
individual from casting more than one vote in 
any election; 
without regard to whether or not the information 
provided to the individual in accordance with the 
procedures implemented under paragraph (1) is cor-
rect. 
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‘‘(c) PROHIBITING REJECTION OF BALLOT FOR LACK 
OF NOTARIZATION.—A State may not refuse to accept an 
absentee ballot in an election for Federal office solely on 
the grounds that the ballot is not notarized or signed by 
a witness. 
‘‘(d) NO EFFECT ON REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE 
TO ABSENTEE VOTING
BY MEMBERS
OF UNIFORMED 
SERVICES OR OVERSEAS CITIZENS.—The provisions of 
this section may not be construed to affect any require-
ment of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee 
Voting Act.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT RELATING TO EN-
FORCEMENT.—Section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15511) 
is amended by striking ‘‘and 303’’ and inserting ‘‘303, and 
303A’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 303 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 303A. Requirements for treatment of absentee ballots.’’. 
Æ 
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