,,ii #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #agbh ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,november #ai1 #bjac,mr4 ,cornyn 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,schumer1 ,mr4 ,blunt1 ,mr4 ,warner1 ,mr4 ,wicker1 and ,mr4 ,brown7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,rules and ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act to improve ballot accessibility to uniformed services voters and overseas voters1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,safeguarding ,elections for our ,nation's ,troops through ,reforms and ,improvements 7,,sentri7 ,act4 ,i ,amendments related to the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act #aja4 ,pre-election reporting requirement on transmission of absentee ballots 7a7 ,in general ,subsection 7c7 of section #ajb of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#a7;c77 is amended by striking ,not later than #ij days and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,pre-election report on absentee ballots transmitted 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than #dc days before any election for ,federal office held in a ,state1 the chief ,state election official of such ,state shall submit a report to the ,attorney ,general and the ,presidential designee1 and make that report publicly available that same day1 confirming-- 7i7 the number of absentee ballots validly requested by absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters whose requests were received by the #dfth day before the election1 and 7ii7 whether those ballots were timely transmitted4 7,b7 ,matters to be included ,the report under subparagraph 7,a7 shall include the following information3 7i7 ,specific information about ballot transmission1 including the total numbers of ballot requests received from such voters and ballots transmitted to such voters by the #dfth day before the election from each unit of local government that will administer the election4 7ii7 ,if the chief ,state election official has incomplete information on any items required to be included in the report1 an explanation of what information is incomplete information and efforts made to acquire such information4 7,c7 ,requirement to supplement incomplete information ,if the report under subparagraph 7,a7 has incomplete information on any items required to be included in the report1 the chief ,state election official shall make all reasonable efforts to expeditiously supplement the report with complete information4 7,d7 ,format ,the report under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be in a format prescribed by the ,attorney ,general in consultation with the chief ,state election officials of each ,state4 7#b7 ,post election report on number of absentee ballots transmitted and received ,not later than #ij days 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,the heading for subsection 7c7 of section #ajb of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#a7;c77 is amended by striking ,report on number of absentee ballots transmitted and received and inserting ,reports on absentee ballots4 #ajb4 ,transmission requirements2 repeal of waiver provision 7a7 ,in general ,paragraph 7#h7 of section #ajb7;a7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#a7;a77 is amended to read as follows3 7#h7 transmit a validly requested absentee ballot to an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter by the date and in the manner determined under subsection 7g72 4 7b7 ,ballot transmission requirements and repeal of waiver provision ,subsection 7g7 of section #ajb of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#a7;g77 is amended to read as follows3 7g7 ,ballot transmission requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,for purposes of subsection 7a77#h71 in the case in which a valid request for an absentee ballot is received at least #df days before an election for ,federal office1 the following rules shall apply3 7,a7 ,transmission deadline ,the ,state shall transmit the absentee ballot not later than #df days before the election4 7,b7 ,special rules in case of failure to transmit on time 7i7 ,in general ,if the ,state fails to transmit any absentee ballot by the #dfth day before the election as required by subparagraph 7,a7 and the absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter did not request electronic ballot transmission pursuant to subsection 7f71 the ,state shall transmit such ballot by express delivery4 7ii7 ,extended failure ,if the ,state fails to transmit any absentee ballot by the #dast day before the election1 in addition to transmitting the ballot as provided in clause 7i71 the ,state shall-- 7,i7 in the case of absentee ballots requested by absent uniformed services voters with respect to regularly scheduled general elections1 notify such voters of the procedures established under section #ajc;,a for the collection and delivery of marked absentee ballots2 and 7,,ii7 in any other case1 provide for the return of such ballot by express delivery4 7iii7 ,cost of express delivery ,in any case in which express delivery is required under this subparagraph1 the cost of such express delivery-- 7,i7 shall not be paid by the voter1 and 7,,ii7 may be required by the ,state to be paid by a local jurisdiction if the ,state determines that election officials in such jurisdiction are responsible for the failure to transmit the ballot by any date required under this paragraph4 7iv7 ,enforcement ,a ,state's compliance with this subparagraph does not bar the ,attorney ,general from seeking additional remedies necessary to effectuate the purposes of this ,act4 7#b7 ,requests received after #dfth day before election ,for purposes of subsection 7a77#h71 in the case in which a valid request for an absentee ballot is received less than #df days but not less than #cj days before an election for ,federal office1 the ,state shall transmit the absentee ballot not later than #c business days after such request is received4 4 #ajc4 ,technical clarifications to conform to #bjji ,,move ,act amendments related to the ,federal write-in absentee ballot 7a7 ,in general ,section #ajb7;a77#c7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#a7;a77#c77 is amended by striking general elections and inserting general1 special1 primary1 and runoff elections4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #ajc of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#b7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#b77;,b71 by striking general1 and 7#b7 in the heading thereof1 by striking general4 #ajd4 ,treatment of ballot requests 7a7 ,application of prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission to overseas voters ,section #ajd of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#c7 is amended-- 7#a7 by inserting or overseas voter after submitted by an absent uniformed services voter2 and 7#b7 by striking members of the uniformed services and inserting absent uniformed services voters or overseas voters4 7b7 ,use of single application for subsequent elections 7#a7 ,in general ,section #ajd of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#c7 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking ,a ,state and inserting the following3 7a7 ,prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission ,a ,state 1 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following new subsections3 7b7 ,application treated as valid for subsequent elections 7#a7 ,in general ,if a ,state accepts and processes a request for an absentee ballot by an absent uniformed services voter or overseas voter and the voter requests that the application be considered an application for an absentee ballot for each subsequent election for ,federal office held in the ,state through the next regularly scheduled general election for ,federal office 7including any runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such general election7 and any special elections for ,federal office held in the ,state through the calendar year following such general election1 the ,state shall provide an absentee ballot to the voter for each such subsequent election4 7#b7 ,exceptions ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply with respect to either of the following3 7,a7 ,voters changing registration ,a voter removed from the list of official eligible voters in accordance with subparagraph 7,a71 7,b71 or 7,c7 of section #h7;a77#c7 of the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;gg-#f7;a774 7,b7 ,undeliverable ballots ,a voter whose ballot is returned by mail to the ,state or local election officials as undeliverable or1 in the case of a ballot delivered electronically1 if the email sent to the voter was undeliverable or rejected due to an invalid email address4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendment ,the heading of section #ajd of such ,act is amended by striking ,prohibition of refusal of applications on grounds of early submission and inserting ,treatment of ballot requests4 7#c7 ,revision to postcard form 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,presidential designee shall ensure that the official postcard form prescribed under section #aja7;b77#b7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff7b77#b77 enables a voter using the form to-- 7i7 request an absentee ballot for each election for ,federal office held in a ,state through the next regularly scheduled general election for ,federal office 7including any runoff elections which may occur as a result of the outcome of such general election7 and any special elections for ,federal office held in the ,state through the calendar year following such general election2 or 7ii7 request an absentee ballot for a specific election or elections for ,federal office held in a ,state during the period described in paragraph 7#a74 7,b7 ,presidential designee ,for purposes of this paragraph1 the term ,presidential designee means the individual designated under section #aja7;a7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff7a774 #aje4 ,applicability to ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands ,paragraphs 7#f7 and 7#h7 of section #ajg of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#f7f77 are each amended by striking and ,american ,samoa and inserting ,american ,samoa1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 #ajf4 ,biennial report on the effectiveness of activities of the federal voting assistance program and ,comptroller ,general review 7a7 ,in general ,section #aje;,a7b7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#d;a7b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 by striking ,march #ca of each year and inserting ,june #cj of each odd-numbered year2 and 7,b7 by striking the following information and inserting the following information with respect to the ,federal elections held during the #b preceding calendar years2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking separate assessment each place it appears and inserting separate assessment and statistical analysis2 and 7#c7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 by striking section #aeff;a in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a7 and inserting sections #aeff;a and #aeff;b2 7,b7 by striking such section each place it appears in subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 and inserting such sections2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following new subparagraphs3 7,c7 ,the number of completed official postcard forms prescribed under section #aja7;b77#b7 that were completed by absent uniformed services members and accepted and transmitted4 7,d7 ,the number of absent uniformed services members who declined to register to vote under such sections4 4 7b7 ,comptroller ,general reviews ,section #aje;,a of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#d;a7 is amended by redesignating subsection 7c7 as subsection 7d7 and by inserting after subsection 7b7 the following new subsection3 7c7 ,comptroller ,general reviews 7#a7 ,in general 7,a7 ,review ,the ,comptroller ,general shall conduct a review of any reports submitted by the ,presidential designee under subsection 7b7 with respect to elections occurring in calendar years #bjad through #bjbj4 7,b7 ,report ,not later than #ahj days after a report is submitted by the ,presidential designee under subsection 7b71 the ,comptroller ,general shall submit to the relevant committees of ,congress a report containing the results of the review conducted under subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,matters reviewed ,a review conducted under paragraph 7#a7 shall assess-- 7,a7 the methodology used by the ,presidential designee to prepare the report and to develop the data presented in the report1 including the approach for designing1 implementing1 and analyzing the results of any surveys1 7,b7 the effectiveness of any voting assistance covered in the report provided under subsection 7b7 and provided by the ,presidential designee to absent overseas uniformed services voters and overseas voters who are not members of the uniformed services1 including an assessment of-- 7i7 any steps taken toward improving the implementation of such voting assistance2 and 7ii7 the extent of collaboration between the ,presidential designee and the ,states in providing such voting assistance2 and 7,c7 any other information the ,comptroller ,general considers relevant to the review4 4 7c7 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,section #aja7;b7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff7b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking paragraph 7#f72 and 7,b7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#g7 through 7#aa7 as paragraphs 7#f7 through 7#aj71 respectively4 7#b7 ,section #ajb7;a7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#a7;a77 is amended-- 7,a7 in paragraph 7#e71 by striking #aja7;b77#g7 and inserting #aja7;b77#f72 and 7,b7 in paragraph 7#aa71 by striking #aja7;b77#aa7 and inserting #aja7;b77#aj74 7#c7 ,section #aje;,a7b7 of such ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#d;a7b77 is amended-- 7,a7 by striking ,annual report in the subsection heading and inserting ,biennial report2 and 7,b7 by striking ,in the case of in paragraph 7#c7 and all that follows through a description and inserting ,a description4 #ajg4 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this title shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for ,federal office held in ,november #bjad and each succeeding election for ,federal office4 ,,ii ,provision of voter assistance to members of the ,armed ,forces #bja4 ,provision of annual voter assistance 7a7 ,annual voter assistance 7#a7 ,in general ,chapter #hj of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by inserting after section #aeff;a the following new section3 #aeff;b4 ,annual voter assistance 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall carry out the following activities3 7#a7 ,in coordination with the ,secretary of each military department-- 7,a7 affirmatively offer1 on an annual basis1 each member of the armed forces on active duty 7other than active duty for training7 the opportunity1 through the online system developed under paragraph 7#b71 to-- 7i7 register to vote in an election for ,federal office2 7ii7 update the member's voter registration information2 or 7iii7 request an absentee ballot2 7,b7 provide services to such members for the purpose of carrying out the activities in clauses 7i71 7ii71 and 7iii7 of subparagraph 7,a72 and 7,c7 require any such member who declines the offer for voter assistance under subparagraph 7,a7 to indicate and record that decision4 7#b7 ,implement an online system that1 to the extent practicable1 is integrated with the existing systems of each of the military departments and that-- 7,a7 provides an electronic means for carrying out the requirements of paragraph 7#a72 7,b7 in the case of an individual registering to vote in a ,state that accepts electronic voter registration and operates its own electronic voter registration system using a form that meets the requirements for mail voter registration forms under section #i7;b7 of the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act of #aiic 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;gg-#g7;b771 directs such individual to that system2 and 7,c7 in the case of an individual using the official postcard form prescribed under section #aja7;b77#b7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff7b77#b77 to register to vote and request an absentee ballot-- 7i7 pre-populates such official postcard form with the personal information of such individual1 and 7ii7 7,i7 produces the pre-populated form and a pre-addressed envelope for use in transmitting such official postcard form2 or 7,,ii7 transmits the completed official postcard form electronically to the appropriate ,state or local election officials4 7#c7 ,implement a system 7either independently or in conjunction with the online system under paragraph 7#b77 by which any change of address by a member of the armed forces on active duty who is undergoing a permanent change of station1 deploying overseas for at least six months1 or returning from an overseas deployment of at least six months automatically triggers1 through the ,defense ,enrollment and ,eligibility ,registration ,system or related systems1 a notification via electronic means to such member that-- 7,a7 indicates that such member's voter registration or absentee mailing address should be updated with the appropriate ,state or local election officials2 and 7,b7 includes instructions on how to update such voter registration using the online system developed under paragraph 7#b74 7b7 ,data collection ,the online system developed under subsection 7a77#b7 shall collect and store all data required to meet the reporting requirements of section #bja7;b7 of the ,safeguarding ,elections for our ,nation's ,troops through ,reforms and ,improvements 7,,sentri7 ,act and section #aje;,a7b77#b7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff-#d;a7b77#b77 in a manner that complies with section #eeb;a of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 7commonly known as the ,privacy ,act of #aigd7 and imposes no new record management burden on any military unit or military installation4 7c7 ,timing of voter assistance ,to the extent practicable1 the voter assistance under subsection 7a77#a7 shall be offered as a part of each servicemember's annual training4 7d7 ,regulations ,not later than #a year after the date of the enactment of this section1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall prescribe regulations implementing the requirements of subsection 7a74 ,such regulations shall include procedures to inform those members of the armed forces on active duty 7other than active duty for training7 experiencing a change of address about the benefits of this section and the timeframe for requesting an absentee ballot to ensure sufficient time for ,state delivery of the ballot4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections at the beginning of chapter #hj of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #aeff;a the following new item3 #aeff;b4 ,annual voter assistance4 4 7b7 ,report on status of implementation 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,defense shall submit to the relevant committees of ,congress a report on the status of the implementation of the requirements of section #aeff;b of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 as added by subsection 7a77#a74 7#b7 ,elements ,the report under paragraph 7#a7 shall include-- 7,a7 a detailed description of any specific steps already taken towards the implementation of the requirements of such section #aeff;b2 7,b7 a detailed plan for the implementation of such requirements1 including milestones and deadlines for the completion of such implementation2 7,c7 the costs expected to be incurred in the implementation of such requirements2 7,d7 a description of how the annual voting assistance and system under subsection 7a77#c7 of such section will be integrated with the ,defense ,enrollment and ,eligibility ,registration ,system or other ,department of ,defense personnel databases that track military servicemembers' address changes2 7,e7 an estimate of how long it will take an average member to complete the voter assistance process required under subsection 7a77#a7 of such section2 7,f7 an explanation of how the ,secretary of ,defense will collect reliable data on the utilization of the online system under subsection 7a77#b7 of such section2 and 7,g7 a summary of any objections1 concerns1 or comments made by ,state or local election officials regarding the implementation of such section4 7#c7 ,relevant committees of congress defined ,in this subsection1 the term relevant committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committees on ,appropriations1 ,armed ,services1 and ,rules and ,administration of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committees on ,appropriations1 ,armed ,services1 and ,house ,administration of the ,house of ,representatives4 ,,iii ,electronic voting systems #cja4 ,repeal of electronic voting demonstration project ,section #afjd of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjjb 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aigc;ff note7 is repealed4 ,,iv ,residency of military family members #dja4 ,extending guarantee of residency for voting purposes to family members of absent military personnel 7a7 ,in general ,subsection 7b7 of section #gje of the ,servicemembers ,civil ,relief ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #eie7 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking a person who is absent from a ,state because the person is accompanying the persons's spouse who is absent from that same ,state in compliance with military or naval orders shall not1 solely by reason of that absence and inserting a dependent of a person who is absent from a ,state in compliance with military orders shall not1 solely by reason of absence1 whether or not accompanying that person2 and 7#b7 in the heading by striking ,spouses and inserting ,dependents4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,the heading of section #gje of such ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #eie7 is amended by striking spouses and inserting dependents4 7c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to absences from ,states described in section #gje7;b7 of the ,servicemembers ,civil ,relief ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 ,app4 #eie7;b771 as amended by subsection 7a71 after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 regardless of the date of the military orders concerned4