I 
109TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4989 
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to clarify the treatment 
of provisional ballots cast in elections for Federal office, to ensure that 
polling places are adequately staffed and have sufficient equipment, to 
direct States to issue durable voter registration cards to each individual 
who registers to vote in elections for Federal office in the State, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 16, 2006 
Mr. HOLT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on House Administration 
A BILL 
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to clarify 
the treatment of provisional ballots cast in elections for 
Federal office, to ensure that polling places are ade-
quately staffed and have sufficient equipment, to direct 
States to issue durable voter registration cards to each 
individual who registers to vote in elections for Federal 
office in the State, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Electoral Fairness Act of 2006’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents 
TITLE I—CLARIFICATION OF PROVISIONAL BALLOT RULES 
Sec. 101. Uniform standard for treatment of provisional ballots cast at incor-
rect polling places; no requirement to present additional identi-
fication 
Sec. 102. Minimum contents of provisional ballots 
Sec. 103. Treatment of voters who vote after closing of polling places 
Sec. 104. Treatment of ballots after casting 
Sec. 105. Effective date 
TITLE II—ENSURING ADEQUATE STAFF AND EQUIPMENT AT 
POLLING PLACES 
Sec. 201. Requirements for adequate staff and equipment at polling places 
Sec. 202. Clarification of application of election administration requirements to 
early voting sites 
Sec. 203. Availability of additional funds to enable States to meet requirements 
Sec. 204. Study of alternative methods for staffing of polling places 
TITLE III—PROMOTING EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION OF VOTERS 
Sec. 301. Issuance of durable voter registration cards 
Sec. 302. Notice and review requirements for removal of individuals from offi-
cial list of eligible voters by reason other than change of resi-
dence 
Sec. 303. Contents and treatment of voter registration forms 
Sec. 304. Availability of updated information for registered voters 
Sec. 305. Nonapplicability to certain States 
Sec. 306. Effective date 
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TITLE I—CLARIFICATION OF 
PROVISIONAL BALLOT RULES 
SEC. 101. UNIFORM STANDARD FOR TREATMENT OF PROVI-
SIONAL BALLOTS CAST AT INCORRECT POLL-
ING PLACES; NO REQUIREMENT TO PRESENT 
ADDITIONAL IDENTIFICATION. 
(a) UNIFORM STANDARD.—Section 302(a)(4) of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)(4)) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(4)(A) The provisional ballot of an individual 
who is a registered voter in a jurisdiction in a State 
and who is eligible to vote in an election for Federal 
office in the State shall be counted as a vote in such 
an election if the appropriate State or local election 
official to whom the ballot or voter information is 
transmitted under paragraph (3)— 
‘‘(i) in the case of an election for electors 
for President or for the office of a Senator, de-
termines that the individual is registered to vote 
in the State in which the provisional ballot is 
cast; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of an election for the of-
fice of a Member of the House of Representa-
tives (including a Delegate or Resident Com-
missioner to the Congress), determines that the 
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individual is registered to vote in the Congres-
sional district in which the provisional ballot is 
cast. 
‘‘(B) Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, no individual casting a provisional ballot shall 
be required to submit identification on or after the 
date of the election as a condition for the ballot to 
be counted as a vote in the election, so long as the 
individual complied with any applicable identification 
requirements under this Act at the time of casting 
the provisional ballot (to the extent the individual 
was required to comply with any such require-
ments).’’. 
(b) SAFEGUARDS TO PREVENT CASTING OF DUPLI-
CATE BALLOTS.— 
(1) IMPLEMENTATION OF SAFEGUARDS.—Sec-
tion 302(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)) is 
amended by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(6) Each State shall implement safeguards to 
ensure that a provisional ballot cast in an election 
is not counted as more than one vote in the election 
and that an individual who casts a provisional ballot 
which is counted as a vote in an election does not 
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cast any other ballot which is counted as a vote in 
the election.’’. 
(2) ADOPTION
OF
VOLUNTARY
GUIDANCE.— 
Section 311 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15501) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection: 
‘‘(d) VOLUNTARY
GUIDANCE
REGARDING
SAFE-
GUARDS
TO PREVENT CASTING
OF DUPLICATE BAL-
LOTS.—Not later than October 1, 2006, the Commission 
shall adopt voluntary guidance with respect to the safe-
guards to prevent the casting duplicate ballots by voters 
casting provisional ballots which are required to be imple-
mented under section 302(a)(6).’’. 
(c) DECLARATION OF PLACE OF REGISTRATION.— 
Section 302(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘jurisdiction’’ and inserting ‘‘State’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by striking ‘‘jurisdic-
tion’’ and inserting ‘‘State’’. 
SEC. 102. MINIMUM CONTENTS OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS. 
Section 302(a)(1) of the Help America Vote Act of 
2002 (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)(1)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new sentence: ‘‘The provisional ballot 
shall include (at a minimum) all information required for 
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the individual to cast a vote in each election for Federal 
office held at the polling place.’’. 
SEC. 103. TREATMENT OF VOTERS WHO VOTE AFTER CLOS-
ING OF POLLING PLACES. 
Section 302(c) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(42 U.S.C. 15482(c)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) EQUAL TREATMENT OF VOTERS WHO VOTE 
AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE.—Any individual who votes in 
an election for Federal office as a result of a Federal or 
State court order or any other order extending the time 
established for closing the polls by a State law in effect 
10 days before the date of that election shall cast the indi-
vidual’s ballot for the election in the same manner, and 
under the same terms and conditions, as any individual 
who votes in the election during the regular hours for the 
operation of polling places in the State, including the 
terms and conditions applicable to individuals permitted 
to cast provisional ballots under this section.’’. 
SEC. 104. TREATMENT OF BALLOTS AFTER CASTING. 
(a) RESPONSIBILITY OF ELECTION OFFICIAL TO NO-
TIFY INDIVIDUAL OF DETERMINATION OF ELIGIBILITY OF 
BALLOT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 302(a)(5) of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 
15482(a)(5)) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(5)(A) Not later than 24 hours after deter-
mining whether or not the vote of an individual who 
casts a provisional ballot in an election will be count-
ed in that election under this Act, the appropriate 
State or local election official shall notify the indi-
vidual of the determination and (if the determination 
is made that the vote will not be counted) the rea-
sons for the determination and the individual’s right 
to challenge the determination under the procedures 
established under subparagraph (B). 
‘‘(B) Each State shall establish procedures, in-
cluding a free access system (such as a toll-free tele-
phone number or an Internet website), under which 
an individual who casts a provisional ballot in an 
election and who is notified by the appropriate State 
or local election official that the provisional ballot 
cast by the individual will not be counted as a vote 
in the election may challenge the determination prior 
to the final tabulation of ballots in the election. 
‘‘(C) In carrying out subparagraph (B), each 
State shall ensure that, in each jurisdiction of the 
State, an appropriate State or local election official 
operates open office hours for at least 8 hours on 
the day after the date of the election, during which 
a voter who cast a provisional ballot in the election 
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may contact the official and challenge the deter-
mination under the procedures established under 
subparagraph (B).’’. 
(2) 
CONFORMING
AMENDMENT.—Section 
302(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)), as amend-
ed by section 101(b), is amended in the matter fol-
lowing paragraph (6) by striking ‘‘The appropriate 
State or local official’’ and all that follows through 
‘‘paragraph (5)(B).’’. 
(b) PROHIBITING INITIATION OF RECOUNT OR CER-
TIFICATION OF RESULTS PRIOR TO REVIEW OF PROVI-
SIONAL BALLOTS CAST; STANDARDS FOR DETERMINA-
TION OF ACCEPTANCE OF PROVISIONAL BALLOTS.—Sec-
tion 302(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)), as amended 
by section 101(b), is amended by inserting after para-
graph (6) the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(7) The chief State election official may not 
make any determination regarding the applicability 
of any requirement under State law to conduct a re-
count of the results of any election for Federal office 
in the State, or certify the results of any election for 
Federal office in the State, until all of the votes cast 
by provisional ballot cast in the election which are 
to be counted pursuant to this Act have been count-
ed. 
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‘‘(8) In making a determination as to whether 
a vote cast by an individual by provisional ballot will 
be counted in an election, the chief State election of-
ficial shall review not only the official Statewide list 
of registered voters but any other information which 
was submitted by the individual in the process of ap-
plying to register to vote.’’. 
(c) TREATMENT OF REJECTED PROVISIONAL BAL-
LOT AS APPLICATION FOR VOTER REGISTRATION.—Sec-
tion 302(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15482(a)), as amended 
by section 101(b) and subsection (b), is amended by in-
serting after paragraph (8) the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(9) If a provisional ballot cast by an individual 
in an election for Federal office is rejected on the 
ground that the individual is not registered to vote 
in the election, the ballot shall be treated (for pur-
poses of this Act, the National Voter Registration 
Act of 1993, and applicable State law) as an appli-
cation by the individual for voter registration in the 
appropriate registrar’s jurisdiction with respect to 
the next election for Federal office held in the juris-
diction, under the same terms and conditions appli-
cable to applications for voter registration under this 
Act, including section 303(b)(4) (relating to the 
treatment of incomplete forms).’’. 
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SEC. 105. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
Section 302(d) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15482(d)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), each State and jurisdiction shall be re-
quired to comply with the requirements of this sec-
tion on and after January 1, 2004. 
‘‘(2) DELAYED EFFECTIVE DATE FOR CERTAIN 
PROVISIONS.—To the extent that any provision of 
this section was amended by the Electoral Fairness 
Act of 2006, such provision shall apply with respect 
to the regularly scheduled general election for Fed-
eral office held in November 2006 and each suc-
ceeding election for Federal office.’’. 
TITLE II—ENSURING ADEQUATE 
STAFF AND EQUIPMENT AT 
POLLING PLACES 
SEC. 201. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADEQUATE STAFF AND 
EQUIPMENT AT POLLING PLACES. 
(a) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 
et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 303 
the following new section: 
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‘‘SEC. 303A. REQUIREMENTS FOR ADEQUATE STAFF AND 
EQUIPMENT AT POLLING PLACES. 
‘‘(a) STANDARDS FOR ENSURING ADEQUATE STAFF-
ING AND EQUIPMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall establish 
the number and location of polling places used for 
each election for Federal office held in the State on 
the date of the election, and the number of check- 
in stations, poll workers, ballot marking stations, 
and voting systems assigned to each such polling 
place on the date of the election, so that to the 
greatest extent practicable— 
‘‘(A) the polling places established within a 
jurisdiction are equally convenient for and prox-
imate to the registered voters in the jurisdiction 
and provide poll workers, voters, and individ-
uals waiting to vote with shelter from the ele-
ments and protection from excessive heat and 
cold; 
‘‘(B) the maximum waiting time at the 
polling place is equal for all voters in the State; 
‘‘(C) the time spent by any voter at the 
polling place from the time of arrival at the 
check-in station until the time of departure 
after voting does not exceed 1 hour; and 
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‘‘(D) the maximum number of registered 
voters assigned to any single polling place on 
the date of the election (as determined one 
week prior to the date of the election) does not 
exceed— 
‘‘(i) in the case of a jurisdiction using 
as its primary voting system a system 
under which ballots are marked by the 
voter and are read by a voting device (such 
as an optical scan or other ballot reading 
system), 3,000 (except that a greater num-
ber shall be permitted at any polling place 
at which no voter in fact spent more than 
1 hour from the time of arrival at the 
check-in station until the time of departure 
after voting); or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a jurisdiction using 
as its primary voting system a system 
under which voters use a voting device 
which directly records the votes (such as a 
direct recording electronic or touch screen 
system), 1,000. 
‘‘(2) MINIMUM NUMBER OF VOTING SYSTEMS 
PER POLLING PLACE.—In meeting the requirements 
of paragraph (1), a State shall ensure that the min-
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imum number of ballot marking stations (where ap-
plicable) and, with respect to any jurisdiction in the 
State which uses electronic voting devices of any 
type, voting systems used at each polling place with-
in the jurisdiction on the date of the election is not 
less than the designated minimum applicable under 
paragraph (3). 
‘‘(3) DESIGNATED MINIMUM NUMBER OF VOT-
ING SYSTEMS.—For purposes of paragraph (2), the 
designated minimum number of voting systems used 
at a polling place within a jurisdiction is— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a jurisdiction using as 
its primary voting system a system under which 
ballots are marked by the voter and are read by 
a voting device (such as an optical scan or other 
ballot reading system)— 
‘‘(i) one ballot reading system (to-
gether with an ample number of ballots 
and ballot marking supplies and a suffi-
cient number of secure ballot boxes), with 
at least one readily available spare ballot 
reading system for the county in the juris-
diction which uses such a system, and 
‘‘(ii) one ballot marking station for 
every 200 registered voters assigned to the 
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polling place (as determined one week prior 
to the date of the election); and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a jurisdiction using as 
its primary voting system a system under which 
voters use a voting device which directly records 
the votes (such as a direct recording electronic 
or touch screen system)— 
‘‘(i) one system for every 200 reg-
istered voters assigned to the polling place 
(as determined one week prior to the date 
of the election), with at least one readily 
available spare of such direct recording 
electronic or touch screen system available 
for every 5 polling places within the juris-
diction; and 
‘‘(ii) for purposes of ensuring that the 
State meets the requirement of paragraph 
(1)(C) regarding the maximum waiting 
time at the polling place, one amply-sup-
plied paper ballot system (under which bal-
lots may be marked manually and through 
the use of ballot marking devices which are 
accessible to individuals with disabilities) 
for use during any period during which 
neither the primary system installed at the 
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polling place or any spare system referred 
to in clause (i) is available. 
‘‘(4) MINIMUM HOURS OF OPERATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—In meeting the re-
quirements of paragraph (1), a State shall en-
sure that each polling place is in operation for 
not fewer than 12 hours. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTION
FOR
POLLING
PLACES 
SERVING SMALL NUMBERS OF VOTERS.—At the 
discretion of the appropriate State or local elec-
tion official, a polling place may be in operation 
for fewer than 12 hours if— 
‘‘(i) in the case of a polling place at 
which the voting system used is a system 
under which ballots are marked by the 
voter and are read by a voting device (such 
as an optical scan or other ballot reading 
system), the polling place serves fewer than 
1,000 voters; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a polling place at 
which the voting system used is a system 
under which voters use a voting device 
which directly records the votes (such as a 
direct recording electronic or touch screen 
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system), the polling place serves fewer than 
200 voters. 
‘‘(5) FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED.—In meet-
ing the requirements of paragraph (1), a State shall 
take into consideration all relevant factors affecting 
the time spent by individuals at polling places on the 
date of the election, including the demographics of 
the area served by the polling place, the number of 
individuals with disabilities using the polling place, 
the number of individuals needing language assist-
ance at the polling place, and increases in the de-
mands placed on equipment and election personnel 
during peak voting hours. 
‘‘(6) REPORTING
REQUIREMENT.—Not later 
than 7 days after the date of each election for Fed-
eral office, the appropriate State or local election of-
ficial shall publish at the appropriate office of elec-
tion administration and post on the public Internet 
site of the official a detailed report setting forth the 
manner in which each polling place under the offi-
cial’s jurisdiction complied with the requirements of 
this subsection. 
‘‘(7) NO EFFECT ON REQUIREMENTS FOR AC-
CESSIBILITY
FOR
INDIVIDUALS
WITH
DISABIL-
ITIES.—Nothing in this subsection may be construed 
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to repeal, limit, or otherwise affect the requirement 
under section 301(a)(3) that at least one direct re-
cording electronic voting system or other voting sys-
tem equipped for individuals with disabilities be 
available at each polling place. 
‘‘(8) NO EFFECT ON ABILITY OF STATES TO 
USE
PAPER
BALLOT
SYSTEMS
OR
SYSTEMS
USED 
PRIOR TO 2000.—Nothing in this subsection may be 
construed to repeal, limit, or otherwise affect any 
provision of this Act which permits a State or juris-
diction which used a particular type of voting system 
in the elections for Federal office held in November 
2000 to continue to use such a system, or which per-
mits a State to use any kind of paper ballot voting 
system. 
‘‘(b) STANDARDS FOR TRAINING AND COMPENSA-
TION OF ELECTION OFFICIALS.—Each State shall estab-
lish and operate a program to recruit individuals to serve 
as election officials at polling places used in elections for 
Federal office held in the State, and shall— 
‘‘(1) ensure that such individuals receive com-
prehensive training in the administration of elections 
and the applicable Federal and State election laws; 
and 
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‘‘(2) compensate such individuals for their serv-
ice at a rate designed to recruit highly qualified and 
dedicated individuals and to compensate them appro-
priately for their civic participation. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Each State and jurisdiction 
shall meet the requirements of this section with respect 
to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal of-
fice held in November 2006 and each succeeding election 
for Federal office.’’. 
(2) ADOPTION
OF
VOLUNTARY
GUIDANCE.— 
Section 311 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15501), as 
amended by section 101(b)(2), is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE REGARDING ADEQUATE 
STAFF AND EQUIPMENT AT POLLING PLACES.—Not later 
than October 1, 2006, the Commission shall adopt vol-
untary guidance with respect to the requirement to ensure 
adequate and appropriately-trained staffing at polling 
places under section 303A.’’. 
(b) ENFORCEMENT.— 
(1) REQUIREMENTS FOR ADEQUATE STAFF AND 
EQUIPMENT AT POLLING PLACES.—Section 401 of 
such Act (42 U.S.C. 15511) is amended by striking 
‘‘sections 301, 302, and 303’’ and inserting ‘‘subtitle 
A of title III’’. 
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(2) CLARIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF PRI-
VATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Section 401 of such Act 
(42 U.S.C. 15511) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Attorney General’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
subsections: 
‘‘(b) FILING OF COMPLAINTS BY AGGRIEVED PER-
SONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A person who is aggrieved 
by a violation of subtitle A of title III which is oc-
curring or which is about to occur may file a writ-
ten, signed, notarized complaint with the Attorney 
General describing the violation and requesting the 
Attorney General to take appropriate action under 
this section. 
‘‘(2) RESPONSE BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The 
Attorney General shall respond to each complaint 
filed under paragraph (1), in accordance with proce-
dures established by the Attorney General that re-
quire responses and determinations to be made with-
in the same (or shorter) deadlines which apply to a 
State under the State-based administrative com-
plaint procedures described in section 402(a)(2). 
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‘‘(c) CLARIFICATION OF AVAILABILITY OF PRIVATE 
RIGHT OF ACTION.—Nothing in this section may be con-
strued to prohibit any person from bringing an action 
under section 1979 of the Revised Statutes of the United 
States (42 U.S.C. 1983) to enforce the uniform and non-
discriminatory election technology and administration re-
quirements under subtitle A of title III. 
‘‘(d) NO EFFECT ON STATE PROCEDURES.—Nothing 
in this section may be construed to affect the availability 
of the State-based administrative complaint procedures re-
quired under section 402 to any person filing a complaint 
under this subsection.’’. 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 303 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 303A. Requirements for adequate staff and equipment at polling places’’. 
SEC. 202. CLARIFICATION OF APPLICATION OF ELECTION 
ADMINISTRATION REQUIREMENTS TO EARLY 
VOTING SITES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title III of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 et seq.), as 
amended by section 201(a), is amended by inserting after 
section 303A the following new section: 
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‘‘SEC. 303B. CLARIFICATION OF APPLICATION OF REQUIRE-
MENTS TO EARLY VOTING SITES. 
‘‘Except as may be specifically provided, the uniform 
and nondiscriminatory election technology and administra-
tion requirements of this subtitle which apply with respect 
to voting in person in elections for Federal office apply 
with respect to voting in person at each site established 
by a State or jurisdiction for the casting of ballots in such 
an election, without regard to whether the ballots are cast 
on the regularly scheduled date of the election or on an 
earlier date.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 201(c), is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 303A the 
following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 303B. Clarification of application of requirements to early voting sites’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect as if included in the enact-
ment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. 
SEC. 203. AVAILABILITY OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS TO EN-
ABLE STATES TO MEET REQUIREMENTS. 
Section 257(a) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15407(a)) is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(4) For fiscal year 2006, $50,000,000, except 
that any funds provided under the authorization 
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made by this paragraph may be used by a State only 
to meet the requirements of section 303A.’’. 
SEC. 204. STUDY OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS FOR STAFF-
ING OF POLLING PLACES. 
(a) STUDY.—The Election Assistance Commission 
shall conduct a study of the feasibility and desirability of 
using alternative methods to obtain poll workers and other 
election officials to staff polling places on the dates of elec-
tions, including— 
(1) recruiting secondary school students, other 
government employees, and employees of private 
businesses; and 
(2) recruiting individuals who are bilingual. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than January 1, 2008, the 
Election Assistance Commission shall submit to the Presi-
dent and Congress a report on the study conducted under 
subsection (a), and shall include in the report such rec-
ommendations for legislative and administrative actions as 
the Commission considers appropriate. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Election Assist-
ance Commission $2,000,000 to carry out this section. 
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TITLE III—PROMOTING EFFEC-
TIVE REGISTRATION OF VOT-
ERS 
SEC. 301. ISSUANCE OF DURABLE VOTER REGISTRATION 
CARDS. 
(a) REQUIRING STATES TO ISSUE CARDS UPON REG-
ISTRATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15481 
et seq.), as amended by sections 201(a) and 202(a), 
is amended by inserting after section 303B the fol-
lowing new section: 
‘‘SEC. 303C. ISSUANCE OF DURABLE VOTER REGISTRATION 
CARDS. 
‘‘(a) REQUIRING STATES TO ISSUE CARDS UPON 
REGISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Immediately upon approv-
ing an individual’s completed voter registration ap-
plication form (or, in the case of an individual in a 
same-day registration State who submits the form 
on the date of an election, not later than one week 
after approving the form), the appropriate State 
election official shall provide the individual with a 
durable voter registration card at no charge to the 
individual which shall serve as proof that the indi-
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