Title: Pandemic Democracy for All Act
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics

Summary:
Pandemic Democracy for All Act
This bill requires states and local jurisdictions to allow absentee voting during the November 2020 general election for individuals impacted by COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). It also establishes grants to implement online registration systems and to increase absentee voting.
Specifically, states and local jurisdictions must allow an individual to use absentee registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot if the individual has a reasonable concern that voting in person on the date of the election may expose them to contracting COVID-19 or if they are otherwise impacted by COVID-19. The Department of Justice may bring a civil action against a state or local jurisdiction for violations.
In addition, the bill authorizes the Election Assistance Commission to award grants to states and local jurisdictions to (1) implement online absentee registration systems for the November 2020 general election, and (2) facilitate an increase in absentee voting during such election (e.g., the costs associated with the purchase of materials and educational outreach).

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3961 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3961

 To require States and local jurisdictions to allow absentee voting in 
 the November 2020 general election for Federal office for individuals 
     impacted by coronavirus disease 2019, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 15, 2020

  Mr. Merkley introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
         referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require States and local jurisdictions to allow absentee voting in 
 the November 2020 general election for Federal office for individuals 
     impacted by coronavirus disease 2019, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Pandemic Democracy for All Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE ABSENTEE BALLOTS FOR 2020 ELECTIONS TO 
              INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY COVID-19.

    (a) In General.--In the case of the regularly scheduled general 
election for Federal office occurring in November 2020, each State and 
local jurisdiction shall permit eligible voters to use absentee 
registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot individuals if 
such eligible voter has a reasonable concern that voting in person on 
the day of the election may expose the voter to contracting coronavirus 
disease 2019 (COVID-19) or is otherwise impacted by COVID-19.
    (b) Enforcement.--The Attorney General may bring a civil action 
against any State or local jurisdiction in an appropriate United States 
District Court for such declaratory and injunctive relief (including a 
temporary restraining order, a permanent or temporary injunction, or 
other order) as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of 
subsection (a).

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR ONLINE REGISTRATION SYSTEMS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to encourage State and 
local jurisdictions with paper-based absentee ballot request systems to 
provide for online absentee ballot request systems.
    (b) Grants.--The Election Assistance Commission may award grants to 
States and local jurisdictions to enable States and local jurisdictions 
to implement online absentee registration systems for the regularly 
scheduled election for Federal office in November 2020.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for payments under this section $16,700,000 for fiscal 
year 2020.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR INCREASED ABSENTEE VOTING.

    (a) In General.--The Election Assistance Commission may award 
grants to States and local jurisdictions to facilitate an increase in 
absentee voting during the regularly scheduled election for Federal 
office in November 2020.
    (b) Use of Grants.--Grants provided under this section may be used 
for--
            (1) the purchase of materials (including the costs of 
        postage, envelopes, ballot printing, drop boxes, and processing 
        equipment) to facilitate absentee voting;
            (2) educational outreach to the public with respect to 
        casting absentee ballots and the amount of time it will take to 
        process such ballots and certify election results; and
            (3) such other purposes as the Commission may determine 
        appropriate.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated for payments under this section $700,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2020, of which not less than $200,000,000 shall be authorized for 
grants used for purposes described in subsection (b)(2).

SEC. 5. STATE DEFINED.

    In this Act, the term ``State'' means the 50 States and the 
District of Columbia.
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