Mrs. KNIGHTLEY (D-CT), for herself, for Mr. SWARTZ, Mr. KENSIGNTON, Ms. PRIDEAUX, and with respectful thanks to Senator BOXER (D-CA), offers
A BILL
To ensure that voters in elections for Federal office do not wait in long lines in order to voteSECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.This Act may be cited as the "Lines Interfere with National Elections Act" or "LINE Act".
SECTION 2. FINDINGS.Congress finds that --
Long lines have been for decades a problem in the development of proper democratic elections, sometimes forcing citizens to abandon their civic duty.
SECTION 3. MINIMUM REQUIRED VOTING SYSTEMS, POLL WORKERS, AND ELECTION RESOURCES.Each State shall provide for the minimum required number of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including all other physical resources) for each voting site on the day of any Federal election and on any days during which such State allows early voting for a Federal election in accordance with the standards determined under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and this Act.
SECTION 4. STANDARDS FOR ESTABLISHING THE MINIMUM REQUIRED VOTING SYSTEMS AND POLL WORKERS.1. The Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Federal Elections Commission, shall issue standards regarding the minimum number of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including all other physical resources) required under the Help America Vote Act of 2002 and this Act on the day of any Federal election and on any days during which early voting is allowed for a Federal election.
2. The standards established under this section shall provide for a uniform and nondiscriminatory distribution of such systems, workers, and other resources, and shall take into account, among other factors:
a. The voting age population;
b. Voter turnout in past elections;
c. The number of registered voters;
d. The number of voters who have registered since the most recent Federal election;
e. Census data for the population served by such voting site;
f. The educational levels and socio-economic factors of the population served by such voting site;
g. The needs and numbers of disabled voters and voters with limited English proficiency;
h. The type of voting systems used.
3. To the extent possible, the standards shall provide for a distribution of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources with the goals of:
a. ensuring an equal waiting time for all voters in the State; and
b. preventing a waiting time of over 1 hour at any polling place.
4.The standards described in this Act shall permit States, upon giving reasonable public notice, to deviate from any allocation requirements in the case of unforseen circumstances such as a natural disaster or terrorist attack.
SECTION 5. REMEDIAL PLANS FOR STATES WITH EXCESSIVE WAIT TIMES.1. Each jurisdiction for which the Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Federal Elections Commission, determines that a substantial number of voters waited more than 90 minutes to cast a vote in the election for Federal office held on November 4, 2014, or any election for Federal office held on or after such date, shall comply with a State remedial plan established under this Act in accordance with the standards it provides.
2. The Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Federal Elections Commission, shall establish for each State or jurisdiction which is required to comply with this section a State remedial plan to minimize the waiting times of voters in the State or jurisdiction.
3. Not later than March 1 of the year following the year in which an election for Federal office is held, the Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Federal Elections Commission, shall publish in the Federal Register a list of States and jurisdictions that are required to comply with a State remedial plan under this section.
4. Not later than September 1 of the year following the year in which the Attorney General publishes in the Federal Register the list described above, the governor of each State included on the list shall submit to the Attorney General a letter certifying that the State has made a good faith effort to comply with the State remedial plan established for the State under this Act.
SECTION 6. ENACTMENT.The provisions of this act shall take effect immediately upon enactment.
- Quote:
-
SECTION 7. Plain English Summary - PES
This Act requires that States work to minimize wait times for voting in Federal elections to under 1 hour. It grants the Attorney General the authority to determine what States were not in compliance during the last Federal election, and to work with the FEC and governors of the States not in compliance to develop a plan to ensure that future wait times are minimized and in compliance.