Home > 106th Congressional Bills > S. 3274 (is) To expand homeownership in the United States, and for other purposes. [Introduced in Senate] ...S. 3274 (is) To expand homeownership in the United States, and for other purposes. [Introduced in Senate] ...
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3273
To require the Federal Election Commission to study voting procedures
in Federal elections, award Voting Improvement Grants to States, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 5 (legislative day, September 22), 2000
Mr. Schumer (for himself, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Cleland, Mr.
Kerry, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Leahy) introduced the following bill; which
was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and
Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Federal Election Commission to study voting procedures
in Federal elections, award Voting Improvement Grants to States, 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 ``Voting Study and Improvement Act of
2000''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) With few exceptions, Americans use antiquated methods
to vote and tabulate the results in Federal elections. In the
era of the microchip, Federal elections are still conducted
using punch cards, paper ballots, and voting machines that were
invented in the 19th century and are no longer even
manufactured.
(2) Our failure to modernize our system for voting and
administering elections has led to a variety of damaging
effects.
(3) First, voters experience unnecessary delay, confusion,
and inconvenience when voting.
(4) Second, our outdated voting system may produce
incomplete or inaccurate results, such as when machines
tabulating votes misread ballots, or when decades-old voting
machines break down on election day.
(5) Third, the problems inherent in our current system of
voting play a role in depressing voter turnout, which has
declined by nearly 20 percent in only 40 years.
(6) In addition, voters in rural areas of the United States
face unique difficulties in reaching polling places and in
funding the acquisition of new technology to administer
elections.
(7) Recently, States have begun experimenting with new and
innovative ways of voting and tabulating results. For example,
Oregon conducts elections by mail, Delaware voters use
computerized voting terminals, and Arizona has conducted a
presidential primary election via the Internet.
(8) During the past decade, the Federal Election Commission
has studied ways to update our voting system. The Commission's
National Clearinghouse on Election Administration has issued
several reports analyzing, among other topics, early voting,
all mail elections, and the simplification of election forms
and materials.
(9) The Federal Election Commission's past efforts to study
innovations in election administration, as well as its overall
experience in election law and practice, make it well-suited to
conduct a thorough and definitive examination of new means of
voting and tabulation, and to determine which alternate methods
of voting promise greater accuracy, convenience, and
accessibility.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL ELECTION COMMISSION STUDY.
(a) Authorization of Study.--The Federal Election Commission
(referred to in this Act as the ``Commission'') shall perform a study
of the feasibility and advisability of alternate means and instruments
of voting in Federal elections.
(b) Issues To Be Studied.--The means and instruments studied under
subsection (a) shall include, but not be limited to--
(1) computerized voting machines;
(2) voting by mail;
(3) Internet voting;
(4) redesigned ballots;
(5) expanding or changing the hours and places in which
voting occurs; and
(6) means and instruments particularly relevant to voting
in rural or urban areas.
(c) Recommendations.--The Commission shall make recommendations
based on the study under subsection (a) regarding which alternate means
and instruments of voting, if any, are more convenient and accessible
to voters or yield more accurate and expeditious results.
(d) Procedure.--The Commission may hold public hearings, take
testimony, and receive evidence as necessary to complete the study
under this section. The number, time, and place of hearings to be held
by the Commission shall be determined by the Commission.
(e) Report.--Not later than December 31, 2001, the Commission shall
complete the study under subsection (a) and make public a report
setting forth the results of the study.
(f) Authorization of Appropriation.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Commission $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 to
carry out the provisions of this section.
SEC. 4. VOTING IMPROVEMENT GRANTS.
(a) Authorization of Voting Improvement Grants.--Within 60 days of
completing and making public the study required under section 3, the
Commission shall develop and make public a plan to award and disburse
Voting Improvement Grants to States to facilitate the adoption by
States of the recommendations of the Commission for alternate means and
instruments of voting made under section 3(c).
(b) Criteria for Voting Improvement Grants.--The plan under
subsection (a) shall include criteria for awarding Voting Improvement
Grants, including the ability of a State to effectively implement, on a
permanent or trial basis, the recommendations of the Commission for
alternate means and instruments of voting made under section 3(c).
(c) Application for Voting Improvement Grants.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the plan
under subsection (a) is made public, a State may submit an
application to the Commission for a Voting Improvement Grant,
in such manner and containing such information as the
Commission requires.
(2) Approval.--Not later than 60 days after the date on
which applications are required to be submitted, the Commission
shall approve or reject such applications and commence
disbursement of awards.
(d) Matching Funds.--The Commission shall ensure that any State
receiving a grant under this section shall expend State funds in an
amount equal to not less than 25 percent of the amount of the grant for
any project for which the grant was awarded.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Commission $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 for
grants and administrative costs under this section.
SEC. 5. RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER LAWS.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede or conflict
with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 1973aa et seq.) or the
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq.).
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