,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #cebi ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #ah1 #bjbj,ms4 ,klobuchar 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,ms4 ,hirono1 ,ms4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,markey1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,booker1 ,ms4 ,smith1 ,ms4 ,harris1 ,mr4 ,jones1 ,mrs4 ,feinstein1 ,mr4 ,peters1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,merkley1 ,mr4 ,murphy1 ,ms4 ,stabenow1 ,mr4 ,blumenthal1 ,mr4 ,warner1 ,mrs4 ,murray1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,mr4 ,udall1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,ms4 ,duckworth1 and ,ms4 ,cantwell7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,rules and ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to require ,states to establish contingency plans for the conduct of elections for ,federal office in response to national disasters and emergencies1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj4 #b4 ,requirements for ,federal election contingency plans in response to natural disasters and emergencies 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,establishment ,not later than #cj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 each ,state and jurisdiction shall establish and make publicly available a contingency plan to enable qualified individuals 7as defined in section #cbb7;b7 of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 as added by section #e7;a771 to vote in elections for ,federal office during a state of emergency1 public health emergency1 or national emergency which has been declared for reasons including1 but not limited to-- 7,a7 a natural disaster2 or 7,b7 an infectious disease4 7#b7 ,updating ,each ,state and jurisdiction shall update the contingency plan established under this subsection not less frequently than every #e years4 7b7 ,requirements relating to safety ,the contingency plan established under subsection 7a7 shall include initiatives to provide equipment and resources needed to protect the health and safety of poll workers and voters when voting in person4 7c7 ,requirements relating to recruitment of poll workers ,the contingency plan established under subsection 7a7 shall include initiatives by the chief ,state election official and local election officials to recruit poll workers for the ,november1 #bjbj1 general election and subsequent elections from resilient or unaffected populations1 which may include-- 7#a7 other ,state and local government offices2 and 7#b7 high schools and colleges in the ,state for the ,november1 #bjbj1 general election and in subsequent elections for ,federal office in the case where an infectious disease poses significant increased health risks to elderly individuals and affects an election for ,federal office4 7d7 ,plan for voters ,to be able ,to request absentee ballots online and vote by mail ,the contingency plan established under subsection 7a7 shall permit all individuals who are registered to vote to-- 7#a7 submit an online request for an absentee ballot1 which requirement is satisfied if the local1 county1 or ,state election official's website allows an absentee ballot request application to be completed and submitted online and-- 7,a7 an absentee ballot request application to be printed for the voter to complete and mail2 or 7,b7 a voter to submit an online request for a hard copy absentee ballot request application to be mailed or emailed to the voter to complete and mail2 7#b7 return completed absentee ballot requests to designated drop off boxes2 7#c7 cast a vote in elections for ,federal office by mail2 and 7#d7 return completed absentee ballots by dropping them off at designated locations before the close of polls on the date of the election4 7e7 ,state ,for purposes of this section1 the term ,state includes the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 7f7 ,enforcement 7#a7 ,attorney general ,the ,attorney ,general may bring a civil action against any ,state or jurisdiction in an appropriate ,united ,states ,district ,court for such declaratory and injunctive relief 7including a temporary restraining order1 a permanent or temporary injunction1 or other order7 as may be necessary to carry out the requirements of this section4 7#b7 ,private right of action 7,a7 ,in general ,in the case of a violation of this section1 any person who is aggrieved by such violation may provide written notice of the violation to the chief election official of the ,state involved4 7,b7 ,relief ,if the violation is not corrected within #bj days after receipt of a notice under subparagraph 7,a71 or within #e days after receipt of the notice if the violation occurred within #abj days before the date of an election for ,federal office1 the aggrieved person may1 in a civil action1 obtain declaratory or injunctive relief with respect to the violation4 7,c7 ,special rule ,if the violation occurred within #e days before the date of an election for ,federal office1 the aggrieved person need not provide notice to the chief election official of the ,state involved under subparagraph 7,a7 before bringing a civil action under subparagraph 7,b74 #c4 ,requirement to allow for early voting and no-excuse absentee voting 7a7 ,requirements ,title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajha7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subtitle3 ,c ,additional ,requirements #cba4 ,availability of early voting and voting by mail 7a7 ,in general ,each ,state and jurisdiction shall1 with respect to the #bjbj general election occurring on ,november #c1 #bjbj1 and each subsequent election for ,federal office-- 7#a7 allow individuals to vote in such election prior to the date of the election through-- 7,a7 early voting which meets the requirements of subsection 7b72 and 7,b7 voting by mail which meets the requirements of subsection 7c72 7#b7 publicize the details of any voting allowed under paragraph 7#a72 7#c7 comply with the absentee voting requirements of subsection 7d72 and 7#d7 comply with the vote counting requirements of subsection 7e74 7b7 ,early voting ,early voting meets the requirements of this subsection-- 7#a7 if such voting occurs-- 7,a7 for a #bj-;day period preceding the date of the election so that such days constitute consecutive weekdays and include at least one weekend1 which period may end on a date chosen by the chief election official of the ,state that is between the date of the election and #d days preceding such date2 and 7,b7 for no less than #h hours on each of the #bj days such early voting occurs2 and 7#b7 each early voting location in the ,state offers a ballot drop-off box for voters to submit their voted and sealed absentee ballots4 7c7 ,voting by mail ,voting by mail meets the requirements of this subsection if-- 7#a7 the ,state does not require an excuse in order to obtain and cast a ballot by mail for any election for ,federal office2 7#b7 the ,state permits any eligible voter to submit an online request for an absentee ballot to vote in an election for ,federal office1 which requirement is satisfied if the local1 county1 or ,state election official's website allows an absentee ballot request application to be completed and submitted online and if-- 7,a7 an absentee ballot request application to be printed for the voter to complete and mail2 or 7,b7 a voter is able to submit an online request via the internet to have a hard-copy absentee ballot request application mailed or e-mailed to them to complete and mail2 7#c7 the ,state sends an absentee ballot to vote in an election for ,federal office in the ,state by mail to any eligible voter that submits a request for such a ballot and that request is received by the appropriate election office on or before the date that is #e days1 not including weekend days1 before the date of such election1 except that nothing in this paragraph shall preclude a ,state or local jurisdiction from allowing for the acceptance and processing of ballot requests submitted or received after such required period2 7#d7 the ,state permits any eligible voter to have the option to request an absentee ballot for subsequent elections on all absentee ballot requests2 7#e7 the ,state does not require any form of identification for an absentee ballot request2 7#f7 the ,state does not include any requirements for notarization or witness signature or other formal authentication 7other than voter attestation72 7#g7 the ,state permits voters to submit an absentee ballot by dropping it off at designated locations before the close of polls on the date of the election1 including at any polling location on the date of the election before the close of polls2 7#h7 the ,state-- 7,a7 permits a voter to designate any person to return a voted and sealed absentee ballot to the post office1 a ballot drop-off location1 tribally designated building1 or election office and that such person designated to return an absentee ballot shall not receive any form of compensation based on the number of ballots that the person has returned and no individual1 group1 or organization shall provide compensation on this basis2 or 7,b7 does not put any limits on how many voted and sealed absentee ballots any designated person can return to the post office1 a ballot drop off location1 tribally designated building1 or election office2 and 7#i7 the ,state permits any eligible voter that submits a request for an absentee ballot to vote in such election1 but does not receive their absentee ballot at least #b days prior to election day to download and mark at home an absentee ballot provided by the ,state pursuant to section #ajc;,c of the ,uniformed ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act or section #cbb of this ,act4 7d7 ,deadline requirements ,the requirements described in this subsection are that a ,state shall count a ballot submitted by an individual by mail with respect to an election for ,federal office in the ,state-- 7#a7 if it is postmarked1 signed1 or otherwise indicated by the ,united ,states ,postal ,service to have been mailed on or before the close of polls on the date of the election2 and 7#b7 received by the appropriate ,state election official on or before the date that is #aj days after the date of such election4 7e7 ,ballot processing and scanning requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,the requirement described in this subsection is that the ,state begins processing and scanning ballots cast during early voting or through vote by mail for tabulation at least #ad days prior to election day4 7#b7 ,limitation ,nothing in this subsection shall allow for the tabulation of ballots before the close of polls on the date of the election4 7f7 ,state ,for purposes of this section1 the term ,state includes the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment relating to enforcement ,section #dja of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is amended by striking and #cjc and inserting #cjc1 and subtitle ,c of title ,,iii4 7c7 ,private right of action ,title ,,iv of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa et seq47 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #djc4 ,private right of action for violations of ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj 7a7 ,in general ,in the case of a violation of subtitle ,c of title ,,iii1 section #djb shall not apply and any person who is aggrieved by such violation may provide written notice of the violation to the chief election official of the ,state involved4 7b7 ,relief ,if the violation is not corrected within #bj days after receipt of a notice under subsection 7a71 or within #e days after receipt of the notice if the violation occurred within #abj days before the date of an election for ,federal office1 the aggrieved person may1 in a civil action1 obtain declaratory or injunctive relief with respect to the violation4 7c7 ,special rule ,if the violation occurred within #e days before the date of an election for ,federal office1 the aggrieved person need not provide notice to the chief election official of the ,state involved under subsection 7a7 before bringing a civil action under subsection 7b74 4 7d7 ,conforming amendment relating to voluntary guidance by election assistance commission ,section #caa7;b7 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaja7 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking and2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 in the case of the recommendations with respect to subtitle ,c1 #a year after the date of enactment of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj4 4 7e7 ,clerical amendments ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended-- 7#a7 by inserting after the item relating to section #cab the following3 ,subtitle ,c--,additional ,requirements ,sec4 #cba4 ,availability of early voting and voting by mail4 2 and 7#b7 by inserting after the item relating to section #djb the following3 ,sec4 #djc4 ,private right of action for violations of ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj4 4 #d4 ,use of downloadable and printable absentee ballots provided by ,states under ,,uocava for voters with disabilities and those who have not received a ballot to vote in #bjbj general election and subsequent ,federal elections until domestic downloadable and printable ballot prescribed by ,,eac is available 7a7 ,in general ,the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcja et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #ajc;,b the following new section3 #ajc;,c4 ,use of downloadable and printable absentee ballots provided under ,,uocava for voters with disabilities and those who have not received a ballot to vote in #bjbj general election and subsequent ,federal elections until domestic downloadable and printable ballot prescribed by ,,eac is available 7a7 ,in general 7#a7 ,state responsibilities ,each ,state shall1 with respect to the #bjbj general election occurring on ,november #c1 #bjbj1 and subsequent elections for ,federal office 7until such time as the ,election ,assistance ,commission prescribes a domestic downloadable and printable ballot for use in elections for ,federal office pursuant to section #big of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb71 permit qualified individuals to use the downloadable and printable absentee ballots the ,state provides to overseas and military voters as prescribed under section #ajc to vote in such election4 7#b7 ,requirements ,such downloadable and printable absentee ballots-- 7,a7 must comply with the language requirements under section #bjc of the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act2 and 7,b7 must comply with the disability requirements under section #ejh of the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gid;d74 7#c7 ,application of requirements ,the provisions of section #ajc shall apply with respect to the use of ,federal write-in absentee ballots by qualified individuals pursuant to this section in the same manner as such provisions apply with respect to the use of such ballots by absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters pursuant to section #ajc4 7#d7 ,clarification regarding free postage ,federal write-in absentee ballots of qualified individuals pursuant to this section shall be considered balloting materials as defined in section #ajg for purposes of section #cdjf of title #ci1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#e7 ,prohibiting refusal to accept ballot for failure to meet certain requirements ,a ,state shall not refuse to accept and process any otherwise valid ,federal write-in absentee ballot submitted in any manner by a qualified individual solely on the basis of the following3 7,a7 ,notarization or witness signature requirements4 7,b7 ,restrictions on paper type1 including weight and size4 7,c7 ,restrictions on envelope type1 including weight and size4 7b7 ,qualified individual ,for purposes of this section3 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 the term qualified individual means any individual who is otherwise qualified to vote in an election for ,federal office and who-- 7,a7 7i7 has requested an absentee ballot from the ,state or jurisdiction where such individual is registered to vote2 and 7ii7 has not received such absentee ballot at least #b days before the date of the election2 7,b7 expects to be absent from such individual's jurisdiction on the day of the election for ,federal office due to professional or volunteer service in response to a natural disaster or emergency as so declared2 7,c7 is hospitalized or expects to be hospitalized on the day of the election for ,federal office2 or 7,d7 is an individual with a disability 7as defined in section #c of the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abajb77 and resides in a ,state which does not offer voters the ability to use secure and accessible remote ballot marking4 ,for purposes of subparagraph 7,d71 a ,state shall permit an individual to self-certify that the individual is an individual with a disability4 7#b7 ,coordination with ,federal write-in ballot for absent uniformed services and overseas voters ,the term qualified individual shall not include an individual who-- 7,a7 is an absent uniformed services voter or an overseas voter2 and 7,b7 is entitled to vote using the ,federal write-in absentee ballot prescribed under section #ajc4 7c7 ,state ,for purposes of this section1 the term ,state includes the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #ajb7;a7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcjb7;a77 is amended by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#aj71 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#aa7 and inserting 2 and1 and by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#ab7 meet the requirements of section #ajc;,c with respect to use of downloadable and printable absentee ballots for qualified individuals to vote in the #bjbj general election4 4 7c7 ,clerical amendments ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting the following after section #ajc3 ,sec4 #ajc;,a4 ,procedures for collection and delivery of marked absentee ballots of absent overseas uniformed services voters4,sec4 #ajc;,b4 ,federal voting assistance program improvements4,sec4 #ajc;,c4 ,use of downloadable and printable absentee ballots provided under ,,uocava for voters with disabilities and those who have not received a ballot to vote in #bjbj general election and subsequent ,federal elections until domestic downloadable and printable ballot prescribed by ,,eac is available4 4 #e4 ,downloadable and printable absentee ballot for domestic use by voters with disabilities and in emergencies starting in #bjbb 7a7 ,state requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,c of title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 as added by section #c1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cbb4 ,use of domestic downloadable and printable absentee ballot 7a7 ,state requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,each ,state shall permit qualified individuals to use a downloadable and printable absentee ballot prescribed by the ,election ,assistance ,commission under section #big to cast a vote in any election for ,federal office4 7#b7 ,requirements ,such downloadable and printable absentee ballots-- 7,a7 must comply with the language requirements under section #bjc of the ,national ,voter ,registration ,act2 and 7,b7 must comply with the disability requirements under section #ejh of the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gid;d74 7b7 ,qualified individual ,for purposes of this section3 7#a7 ,in general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 the term qualified individual means any individual who is otherwise qualified to vote in an election for ,federal office and who-- 7,a7 7i7 has requested an absentee ballot from the ,state or jurisdiction where such individual is registered to vote2 and 7ii7 has not received such absentee ballot at least #b days before the date of the election2 7,b7 7i7 resides in an area of a ,state with respect to which an emergency or public health emergency has been declared by the ,governor or chief government official of the ,state or chief government official of an area1 #e days or less before election day under the laws of the ,state due to reasons including1 but not limited to-- 7,i7 a natural disaster1 including severe weather2 or 7,,ii7 an infectious disease2 and 7ii7 has not requested an absentee ballot2 7,c7 expects to be absent from such individual's jurisdiction on the day of the election for ,federal office due to professional or volunteer service in response to a natural disaster or emergency as so declared2 7,d7 is hospitalized or expects to be hospitalized on the day of the election for ,federal office2 or 7,e7 is an individual with a disability 7as defined in section #c of the ,americans with ,disabilities ,act of #aiij 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #abajb77 and resides in a ,state which does not offer voters the ability to use secure and accessible remote ballot marking4 ,for purposes of subparagraph 7,e71 a ,state shall permit an individual to self-certify that the individual is an individual with a disability4 7#b7 ,coordination with ,federal write-in ballot for absent uniformed services and overseas voters ,the term qualified individual shall not include an individual who-- 7,a7 is an absent uniformed services voter 7as defined in section #ajg7a7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcaj7a777 or an overseas voter 7as defined in section #ajg7e7 of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcaj7e7772 and 7,b7 who is entitled to vote using the ,federal write-in absentee ballot developed under section #ajc of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcjc74 7c7 ,submission and processing 7#a7 ,in general ,except as otherwise provided in this section1 a domestic downloadable and printable absentee ballot to which this section applies shall be submitted and processed in the manner provided by law for absentee ballots in the ,state involved4 7#b7 ,deadline ,an otherwise eligible national ,federal write-in absentee ballot to which this section applies shall be counted-- 7,a7 if it is postmarked1 signed1 or otherwise indicated by the ,united ,states ,postal ,service to have been mailed on or before the close of polls on the date of the election2 and 7,b7 received by the appropriate ,state election official on or before the date that is #aj days after the date of such election4 7d7 ,special rules ,the following rules shall apply with respect to domestic printable and downloadable absentee ballots to which this section applies3 7#a7 ,in completing the ballot1 the voter may designate a candidate by writing in the name of the candidate or by writing in the name of a political party 7in which case the ballot shall be counted for the candidate of that political party74 7#b7 ,in the case of the offices of ,president and ,vice ,president1 a vote for a named candidate or a vote by writing in the name of a political party shall be counted as a vote for the electors supporting the candidate involved4 7#c7 ,any abbreviation1 misspelling1 or other minor variation in the form of the name of a candidate or a political party shall be disregarded in determining the validity of the ballot4 7e7 ,prohibiting refusal ,to accept ballot for failure ,to meet certain requirements ,a ,state shall not refuse to accept and process any otherwise valid ,federal write-in absentee ballot submitted in any manner by a qualified individual solely on the basis of the following3 7#a7 ,notarization and witness signature requirements4 7#b7 ,restrictions on paper type1 including weight and size4 7#c7 ,restrictions on envelope type1 including weight and size4 7f7 ,state ,for purposes of this section1 the term ,state includes the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 7g7 ,effective date ,each ,state shall be required to comply with the requirements of this section on and after ,january #a1 #bjbb4 4 7#b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents for such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cba1 as added by section #c1 the following3 ,sec4 #cbb4 ,use of domestic downloadable and printable absentee ballot4 4 7b7 ,form of domestic printable and downloadable absentee ballot 7#a7 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjiba7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subtitle3 #g ,downloadable and ,printable ,absentee ,ballot for ,domestic ,use #big4 ,downloadable and printable absentee ballot for domestic use 7a7 ,form of ballot 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall prescribe a domestic downloadable and printable ballot 7including a secrecy envelope and mailing envelope for such ballot7 for use in elections for ,federal office by qualified individuals 7as defined in section #cbb7;b774 7#b7 ,affirmation ,the ballot prescribed under paragraph 7#a7 shall contain an affirmation1 signed by the person submitting the ballot1 that-- 7,a7 such individual is a qualified individual 7as defined in section #cbb7;b772 7,b7 such individual has not and will not cast another ballot with respect to the election for which the domestic downloadable and printable absentee ballot is cast2 and 7,c7 acknowledging that a material misstatement of fact in completing the ballot may constitute grounds for conviction of perjury4 7b7 ,availability ,the ,commission shall make the domestic downloadable and printable absentee ballot available on the internet in a printable format4 7c7 ,requirements ,the domestic downloadable and printable absentee ballot shall be compliant with section #ejh of the ,rehabilitation ,act of #aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gid;d7 and shall not transmit the information completed by a voter over the internet4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendments 7,a7 ,section #bjb of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibb7 is amended by redesignating paragraphs 7#e7 and 7#f7 as paragraphs 7#f7 and 7#g71 respectively1 and by inserting after paragraph 7#d7 the following new paragraph3 7#e7 carrying out the duties described in part #g relating to downloadable and printable absentee ballot for domestic use2 4 7,b7 ,the table of contents for such ,act is amended by inserting after the item related to section #bif the following3 ,part #g--;,downloadable and ,printable ,absentee ,ballot for ,domestic ,use,sec4 #big4 ,downloadable and printable absentee ballot for domestic use4 4 #f4 ,requirement for prepaid return envelopes for absentee ballots2 use of intelligent mail barcode 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,c of title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 as added by section #c and amended by section #e1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cbc4 ,use of prepaid self-sealing return envelopes 7a7 ,in general ,each ,state and local jurisdiction shall provide with any voter registration application1 absentee ballot application1 or blank absentee ballot sent by mail a self-sealing return envelope1 where possible1 with prepaid postage or subject to an arrangement whereby the ,state will reimburse the ,united ,states ,postal ,service for the postage of any such return envelope that is sent by mail4 7b7 ,use of ,intelligent ,mail ,barcode for the #bjbj ,general ,election and until balloting materials status update service implemented ,for the #bjbj general election and subsequent elections for ,federal office 7until such time as a ,state implements a balloting materials status update service which meets the requirements described in section #g7;a77#b7 of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj71 unless a ,state or jurisdiction has developed a system that enables voters to track their absentee ballot through the mail1 each ,state and jurisdiction shall provide with each absentee ballot sent by mail a self-sealing return envelope pursuant to subsection 7a7 that contains an ,intelligent ,mail barcode as prescribed by the ,united ,states ,postal ,service4 7c7 ,state ,for purposes of this section1 the term ,state includes the ,district of ,columbia1 the ,commonwealth of ,puerto ,rico1 ,guam1 ,american ,samoa1 the ,united ,states ,virgin ,islands1 and the ,commonwealth of the ,northern ,mariana ,islands4 7d7 ,effective date ,the requirements of this section shall apply to materials sent by ,states and local jurisdictions after the date that is #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cbb1 as added by section #e1 the following new item3 ,sec4 #cbc4 ,use of prepaid self-sealing return envelopes4 4 #g4 ,development of a secure ,federal portal to allow election officials to provide voters with updates on their ballots 7a7 ,balloting materials status update service 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than ,january #a1 #bjbd1 the ,director of the ,cybersecurity and ,infrastructure ,security ,agency1 in consultation with the ,chair of the ,election ,assistance ,commission1 the ,postmaster ,general1 the ,director of the ,general ,services ,administration1 the ,presidential designee1 and ,state election officials1 shall establish a balloting materials status update service to be used by ,states and local jurisdictions to inform voters on the status of voter registration applications1 absentee ballot applications1 and absentee ballots4 7#b7 ,information tracked ,the balloting materials status update service established under paragraph 7#a7 shall provide to a voter the following information with respect to that voter3 7,a7 ,in the case of balloting materials sent by mail1 tracking information from the ,united ,states ,post ,office and the ,presidential designee on balloting materials sent to the voter and1 to the extent feasible1 returned by the voter4 7,b7 ,the date on which any request by the voter for an application for voter registration or an absentee ballot was received4 7,c7 ,the date on which any such requested application was sent to the voter4 7,d7 ,the date on which any such completed application was received from the voter and the status of such application4 7,e7 ,the date on which any absentee ballot was sent to the voter4 7,f7 ,the date on which any absentee ballot was received by the voter4 7,g7 ,the date on which the post office processes the absentee ballot4 7,h7 ,the date on which post office delivered the absentee ballot to the election office4 7,i7 ,whether such ballot was accepted and counted1 and in the case of any ballot not counted1 the reason why the ballot was not counted4 7#c7 ,method of providing information ,the balloting materials status update service established under paragraph 7#a7 shall allow voters the option to receive the information described in paragraph 7#b7 through email 7or other electronic means7 or through the mail4 7#d7 ,prohibition on fees ,the ,director may not charge any fee to a ,state or jurisdiction for use of the balloting materials status update service in connection with any ,federal1 ,state1 or local election4 7#e7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,director such sums as are necessary for purposes of carrying out this subsection4 7b7 ,required use for absent uniformed service voters and overseas voters 7#a7 ,in general ,section #ajb7;a7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcjb7;a771 as amended by section #d7;b71 is amended by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#aa71 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#ab7 and inserting 2 and1 and by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#ac7 use the balloting materials status update service developed under section #g7;a7 of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj to inform absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters on the status of voter registration applications1 absentee ballot applications1 and absentee ballots used in elections for ,federal office4 4 7#b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #ajb of such ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcjb7 is amended by striking subsection 7h74 7#c7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this subsection shall apply to elections for ,federal office occurring after the date that is #a year after the date on which the ,director of the ,cybersecurity and ,infrastructure ,security ,agency certifies that the service described in subsection 7a7 is operational4 7c7 ,required use under ,help ,america ,vote ,act 7#a7 ,in general ,section #cba7;a7 of the ,help ,american ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 as added by section #c1 is amended by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#c71 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#d7 and inserting 2 and1 and by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#e7 use the balloting materials status update service developed under section #g7;a7 of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj to provide eligible voters and qualified individuals 7as defined in section #cbb7;b7 of this ,act7 information regarding the status of voter registration applications1 absentee ballot applications1 and absentee ballots used in elections for ,federal office1 except that any ,state or jurisdiction which has developed a balloting materials status update system which meets the requirements of paragraph 7#b7 of such section #g7;a7 7relating to information tracked7 may continue to use such system4 4 7#b7 ,effective date ,the amendments made by this subsection shall apply to elections for ,federal office occurring after the date that is #a year after the date on which the ,director of the ,cybersecurity and ,infrastructure ,security ,agency certifies that the service described in subsection 7a7 is operational4 7d7 ,availability to ,department of ,defense ,the ,cybersecurity and ,infrastructure ,security ,agency may make the balloting materials status update service available to the ,department of ,defense to administer and implement to absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters pursuant to the ,uniformed ,overseas and ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcja et seq474 7e7 ,reimbursements to ,states 7#a7 ,for use with respect to balloting materials of absent uniformed service voters and overseas voters 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcja et seq47 is amended by inserting after section #ajc;,c1 as added by section #d7;a71 the following new section3 #ajc;,d4 ,reimbursements for use of balloting materials status update service 7a7 ,in general ,the ,presidential designee shall make payments to each ,state and local jurisdiction equal to the costs to the ,state or local jurisdiction of using the balloting materials status update service under section #g7;a7 of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with respect to balloting materials of absent uniformed services and overseas voters4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,presidential designee such sums as are necessary for carrying out this section1 to remain available without fiscal year limitation4 4 7,b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #aja7;b7 of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjcja7;b77 is amended by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#aj71 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#aa7 and inserting 2 and1 and by adding at the end the following new paragraph3 7#ab7 make payments to ,states in accordance with section #ajc;,d4 4 7,c7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #ajc1 as added by section #d7;c71 the following new item3 ,sec4 #ajc;,d4 ,reimbursements for use of balloting materials status update service4 4 7#b7 ,for use with respect to balloting materials of domestic voters 7,a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,d of title ,,ii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajja et seq471 as amended by section #e7;b71 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #h ,reimbursements for ,use of ,balloting ,materials ,status ,update ,service #bih4 ,reimbursements for use of balloting materials status update service 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall make payments to each ,state and local jurisdiction equal to the costs to the ,state or local jurisdiction of using the ballot material update service under section #g7;a7 of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with respect to balloting materials of voters 7other than balloting materials of absent uniformed services and overseas voters for which the ,state is eligible for payment under section #ajc;,d of the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act7 for which ,states or jurisdictions elect to use such tracking service4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,commission such sums as are necessary for carrying out this section1 to remain available without fiscal year limitation4 4 7,b7 ,conforming amendments 7i7 ,section #bjb of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibb71 as amended by section #e7;b71 is amended by redesignating paragraphs 7#f7 and 7#g7 as paragraphs 7#g7 and 7#h71 respectively1 and by inserting after paragraph 7#e7 the following new paragraph3 7#f7 carrying out the duties described in part #h 7relating to balloting materials status update reimbursements72 4 7ii7 ,the table of contents for such ,act is amended by inserting after the item related to section #big the following3 ,part #h--,reimbursements for ,use of ,balloting ,materials ,status ,update ,service,sec4 #bih4 ,reimbursements for use of balloting materials status update service4 4 #h4 ,notice and cure process required for mismatched signatures on mail-in and provisional ballots 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,c of title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 as added by section #c and amended by sections #e and #f1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cbd4 ,signature mismatch on ballot submitted by mail or provisional ballot 7a7 ,covered state defined 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraph 7#b71 in this section1 the term covered ,state means a ,state in which1 under ,state law1 a ballot submitted by mail or a provisional ballot is not counted as a vote in an election for ,federal office unless the ,state verifies the signature of the individual who submitted such ballot by comparing the signature on the envelope containing such ballot or a document accompanying such ballot and the signature of such individual on the official list of registered voters in the ,state or other official record1 or other document4 7#b7 ,exception for certain ,states ,such term shall not include a ,state which conducted a ,federal election entirely through vote by mail prior to #bjbj4 7b7 ,notice required 7#a7 ,in general ,if an individual submits a ballot by mail or a provisional ballot in an election for ,federal office in a covered ,state1 and the appropriate ,state or local election official determines that a discrepancy exists between the signature on the envelope containing such ballot or a document accompanying such ballot used to verify the signature and the signature of such individual on the official list of registered voters in the ,state or other official record1 or other document used by the ,state to verify the signatures of voters1 such election official1 prior to making a final determination as to the validity of such ballot1 shall make a good faith effort to immediately notify such individual that-- 7,a7 a discrepancy exists between the signature on the envelope containing such ballot or a document accompanying such ballot used to verify the signature and the signature of such individual on the official list of registered voters in the ,state or other official record1 or other document used by the ,state to verify the signatures of voters2 7,b7 such individual may provide information to cure such discrepancy in accordance with the procedures established pursuant to subsection 7c77#a77;,a72 and 7,c7 if such discrepancy is not cured1 such ballot will not be counted4 7#b7 ,form of notice ,an election official shall provide the notice required by paragraph 7#a7 by at least two of the following methods3 7,a7 ,regular mail4 7,b7 ,phone4 7,c7 ,electronic mail4 7,d7 ,text message4 7#c7 ,no effect on other notice requirements related to provisional ballots ,in the case of an individual who submits a provisional ballot1 the requirements of this subsection shall be in addition to the requirements applicable to such an individual under section #cjb7;a74 7c7 ,opportunity ,to cure 7#a7 ,establishment of procedures ,a covered ,state shall establish uniform and non-discriminatory procedures-- 7,a7 to allow an individual to whom notice is provided under subsection 7b7-- 7i7 to provide confirmation or information to cure the discrepancy described in subsection 7b77#a7 through the same form in which the notice is provided pursuant to subsection 7b77#a7 by a date that is not less than #aj calendar days following the date on which the notice required under subsection 7b7 is given2 and 7ii7 if such confirmation or information is rejected1 to appeal the rejection2 7,b7 that require that voters whose ballots are returned without signatures be notified and given an opportunity to provide a missing signature on a form proscribed by the ,state2 and 7,c7 prior to the date of final certification of ballots in the election by such ,state1 to provide such individual a final determination as to the validity of the ballot and whether the individual's ballot was counted in the election4 7#b7 ,deadline ,a voter has until the day before certification of election results to provide confirmation that the signature in question is their genuine signature4 ,this confirmation can be provided orally1 in writing1 or electronically1 including through any of the forms described in subsection 7b77#b74 ,no separate oath or affirmation is required4 7#c7 ,counting of vote ,a final determination with respect to the validity of a ballot in the case of a signature mismatch under this section shall be made by three election officials1 at least one of whom is of an opposing party and1 unless such election officials determine1 taking into account any conformation or information provided under the procedures established pursuant to paragraph 7#a77;,a71 through a unanimous vote and beyond a reasonable doubt that the ballot is not valid1 such ballot shall be counted as a vote in that election4 7d7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #abj days after the end of a ,federal election cycle1 each chief ,state election official in a covered ,state shall submit to ,congress a report containing the following information for the applicable ,federal election cycle in the ,state3 7,a7 ,the number of ballots invalidated due to a discrepancy under this section4 7,b7 ,description of attempts to contact voters to provide notice as required by this section4 7,c7 ,description of the cure process developed by such ,state pursuant to this section1 including the number of ballots determined valid as a result of such process4 7#b7 ,federal election cycle defined ,for purposes of this subsection1 the term ,federal ,for election cycle means the period beginning on ,january #a of any odd numbered year and ending on ,december #ca of the following year4 7e7 ,research and development ,the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,standards and ,technology shall expand the research and develop best practices or guidelines for the acceptance1 verification1 and curing of signatures for mail-in ballots4 7f7 ,effective date ,this section shall apply with respect to the general election for ,federal office held in #bjbj and any subsequent election for ,federal office4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cbc1 as added by section #f1 the following new item3 ,sec4 #cbd4 ,signature mismatch on ballot submitted by mail or provisional ballot4 4 #i4 ,requirement for acceptance of voter registration applications 7a7 ,in general ,subtitle ,c of title ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb1 as added by section #c and amended by sections #e1 #f1 and #h1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #cbe4 ,acceptance of voter registration applications 7a7 ,requirements for voter registration applications ,each ,state and local jurisdiction shall-- 7#a7 accept and process voter registration applications submitted in person1 by mail1 or online at least #ba days prior to the date of an election for ,federal office1 except nothing this paragraph shall preclude a ,state or local jurisdiction from allowing for the acceptance and processing of voter registration applications submitted or received after such required period2 and 7#b7 ensure that any voter registration applications provided by the ,state permit the voter1 at the time of submitted the application1 to register to vote by mail in accordance with the requirements under section #cba7;c74 7b7 ,exception ,this section shall not apply with respect to any ,state or local jurisdiction that allows-- 7#a7 voter registration during early voting2 or 7#b7 same day voter registration4 7c7 ,effective date ,this section shall apply beginning on the date that is #fj days after the date of enactment of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of contents of such ,act is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #cbd1 as added by section #h1 the following new item3 ,sec4 #cbe4 ,acceptance of voter registration applications4 4 #aj4 ,accommodations for voters residing in indian lands 7a7 ,accommodations 7#a7 ,in general ,the following requirements shall apply with respect to the general election for ,federal office held in #bjbj and any subsequent election for ,federal office3 7,a7 ,given the widespread lack of residential mail delivery in ,indian ,country1 an ,indian ,tribe may designate buildings as ballot pickup and collection locations at no cost to the ,indian ,tribe4 ,an ,indian ,tribe may designate one building per precinct located within ,indian lands4 ,the applicable ,state or political subdivision shall collect ballots from those locations4 ,the applicable ,state or political subdivision shall provide the ,indian ,tribe with accurate precinct maps for all precincts located within ,indian lands #fj days before any election4 7,b7 ,the ,state or political subdivision shall provide mail-in and absentee ballots to each registered voter residing on ,indian lands in the ,state or political subdivision without requiring a residential address or a mail-in or absentee ballot request4 7,c7 ,the address of a designated building that is a ballot pickup and collection location may serve as the residential address and mailing address for voters living on ,indian lands if the tribally designated building is in the same precinct as that voter4 ,if there is no tribally designated building within a voter's precinct1 the voter may use another tribally designated building within the ,indian lands where the voter is located4 ,voters using a tribally designated building outside of the voter's precinct may use the tribally designated building as a mailing address and may separately designate the voter's appropriate precinct through a description of the voter's address1 as specified in section #idbh4d7;a77#b7 of title #aa1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations4 7,d7 ,in the case of a ,state or political subdivision that is a covered ,state or political subdivision under section #bjc of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #ajejc71 that ,state or political subdivision shall provide absentee or mail-in voting materials in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the ,english language1 bilingual election voting assistance1 and written translations of all voting materials in the language of the applicable minority group1 as required by section #bjc of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #ajejc7 as amended by subsection 7b74 7#b7 ,clarification ,nothing in this section alters the ability of an individual voter residing on ,indian lands to request a ballot in a manner available to all other voters in the ,state4 7#c7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7,a7 ,indian ,the term ,indian has the meaning given the term in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7,b7 ,indian lands ,the term ,indian lands includes-- 7i7 any ,indian country of an ,indian ,tribe1 as defined under section #aaea of title #ah1 ,united ,states ,code2 7ii7 any land in ,alaska owned1 pursuant to the ,alaska ,native ,claims ,settlement ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afja et seq471 by an ,indian ,tribe that is a ,native village 7as defined in section #c of that ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjb77 or by a ,village ,corporation that is associated with an ,indian ,tribe 7as defined in section #c of that ,act 7#dc ,u4,s4,c4 #afjb772 7iii7 any land on which the seat of the ,tribal ,government is located2 and 7iv7 any land that is part or all of a ,tribal designated statistical area associated with an ,indian ,tribe1 or is part or all of an ,alaska ,native village statistical area associated with an ,indian ,tribe1 as defined by the ,census ,bureau for the purposes of the most recent decennial census4 7,c7 ,indian tribe ,the term ,indian ,tribe has the meaning given the term ,indian tribe in section #d of the ,indian ,self-,determination and ,education ,assistance ,act 7#be ,u4,s4,c4 #ecjd74 7,d7 ,tribal government ,the term ,tribal ,government means the recognized governing body of an ,indian ,tribe4 7#d7 ,enforcement 7,a7 ,attorney general ,the ,attorney ,general may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for such declaratory or injunctive relief as is necessary to carry out this subsection4 7,b7 ,private right of action 7i7 ,a person or ,tribal ,government who is aggrieved by a violation of this subsection may provide written notice of the violation to the chief election official of the ,state involved4 7ii7 ,an aggrieved person or ,tribal ,government may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for declaratory or injunctive relief with respect to a violation of this subsection1 if-- 7,i7 that person or ,tribal ,government provides the notice described in clause 7i72 and 7,,ii7 7aa7 in the case of a violation that occurs more than #abj days before the date of an election for ,federal office1 the violation remains and #ij days or more have passed since the date on which the chief election official of the ,state receives the notice under clause 7i72 or 7bb7 in the case of a violation that occurs #abj days or less before the date of an election for ,federal office1 the violation remains and #bj days or more have passed since the date on which the chief election official of the ,state receives the notice under clause 7i74 7iii7 ,in the case of a violation of this section that occurs #cj days or less before the date of an election for ,federal office1 an aggrieved person or ,tribal ,government may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for declaratory or injunctive relief with respect to the violation without providing notice to the chief election official of the ,state under clause 7i74 7b7 ,bilingual election requirements ,section #bjc of the ,voting ,rights ,act of #aife 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #ajejc7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7b77#c77;,c71 by striking #aiij and inserting #bjaj2 and 7#b7 by striking subsection 7c7 and inserting the following3 7c7 ,provision of voting materials in the language of a minority group 7#a7 ,in ,general ,whenever any ,state or political subdivision subject to the prohibition of subsection 7b7 of this section provides any registration or voting notices1 forms1 instructions1 assistance1 or other materials or information relating to the electoral process1 including ballots1 it shall provide them in the language of the applicable minority group as well as in the ,english language4 7#b7 ,exceptions 7,a7 ,in ,general 7i7 ,in the case of a minority group that is not ,american ,indian or ,alaska ,native and the language of that minority group is oral or unwritten1 the ,state or political subdivision shall only be required to furnish1 in the covered language1 oral instructions1 assistance1 translation of voting materials1 or other information relating to registration and voting4 7ii7 ,in the case of a minority group that is ,american ,indian or ,alaska ,native1 the ,state or political subdivision shall only be required to furnish in the covered language oral instructions1 assistance1 or other information relating to registration and voting1 including all voting materials1 if the ,tribal ,government of that minority group has certified that the language of the applicable ,american ,indian or ,alaska ,native language is presently unwritten or the ,tribal ,government does not want written translations in the minority language4 7#c7 ,written translations for election workers ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#b71 the ,state or political division may be required to provide written translations of voting materials1 with the consent of any applicable ,indian ,tribe1 to election workers to ensure that the translations from ,english to the language of a minority group are complete1 accurate1 and uniform4 4 #aa4 ,reimbursements to ,states for costs of complying with natural disaster and emergency ballot act of #bjbj with respect to #bjbj general election 7a7 ,in general ,title ,,ii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bajja et seq471 as amended by section #g7;e71 is amended by adding at the end the following new part3 #i ,reimbursement to ,states for ,costs of ,complying with ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with ,respect to #bjbj ,general ,election #bii4 ,reimbursements to ,states for costs of complying with natural disaster and emergency ballot act of #bjbj with respect to #bjbj general election 7a7 ,in general ,the ,commission shall make payments to each ,state equal to the costs incurred by the ,state 7and local jurisdictions within the ,state7 in complying with the following requirements with respect to the #bjbj general election occurring on ,november #c1 #bjbj3 7#a7 ,costs of establishing contingency plans pursuant to section #b of the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj1 including initiatives to recruit pollworkers pursuant to subsection 7b7 of such section4 7#b7 ,costs of establishing a system for voters to submit an online request for an absentee ballot pursuant to section #b7;c7 of such ,act4 7#c7 ,costs of implementing requirements with respect to availability of voting prior to election day pursuant to section #cba of this ,act4 7#d7 ,costs associated with purchasing additional and upgrading high speed ballot printers1 inserters1 ballot sorters1 envelope extractors1 and scanners to send and process absentee ballots and costs associated with purchasing ballot drop boxes4 7#e7 ,costs associated with the development or purchase1 implementation1 and use of technology to allow election officials to electronically verify a voter's signature on a ballot envelope against a voter's signature on file without physically handling the envelope1 provided that the technology is not connected to the internet4 7#f7 ,costs associated with the use of downloadable and printable ballots by qualified individuals under section #ajc;,c the ,uniformed and ,overseas ,citizens ,absentee ,voting ,act4 7#g7 ,costs associated with developing or purchasing secure accessible remote ballot marking systems for use by voters with disabilities1 provided that such systems do not cause the voter's ballot selections to be transmitted over the internet and do not allow for the electronic submission of a marked ballot4 7#h7 ,costs associated with developing or purchasing and implementing signature verification software4 7#i7 ,costs for providing return envelopes and the postage associated with such envelopes pursuant to section #cbc of this ,act4 7b7 ,primary elections 7#a7 ,payments to ,states ,in addition to any payments under subsection 7a71 the ,commission shall make payments to each ,state equal to any costs that the ,state 7and local jurisdictions within the ,state7 incurs in voluntarily electing to comply with and implementing the provisions of1 and amendments made by1 the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with respect to the #bjbj primary election in the ,state4 7#b7 ,state party-run primaries ,the ,commission shall make payments to ,state parties for costs incurred by such parties to send absentee ballots and return envelopes with prepaid postage to eligible voters participating in such primaries during #bjbj4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations 7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized to be appropriated for payments under this section any sums necessary to reimburse ,states for costs described in subsections 7a7 and 7b7 with respect to the #bjbj general election occurring on ,november #c1 #bjbj4 7#b7 ,availability of funds ,amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under this subsection shall remain available without fiscal year limitation4 7d7 ,insufficient funds ,if the amount appropriated under subsection 7b7 is less than the aggregate costs incurred by all ,states for the activities described in subsections 7a77#a7 and 7b7 for any period1 the amount of payment made under each such subsection to each ,state shall not exceed the amount which bears the same ratio to the aggregate amount of costs described in such subsection for such ,state for such period as-- 7#a7 the voting age population of the ,state 7as reported in the most recent decennial census72 bears to 7#b7 the total voting age population of all ,states 7as reported in the most recent decennial census74 7e7 ,pass-,through of funds to local jurisdictions 7#a7 ,in general ,if a ,state receives a payment under this section for costs that include costs incurred by a local jurisdiction within the ,state1 the ,state shall pass through to such local jurisdiction or ,tribal government a portion of such payment that is equal to the amount of the costs incurred by such local jurisdiction4 7#b7 ,insufficient funds ,if a ,state receives a payment for a period under this section that1 as a result of the application of subsection 7d71 is less than the aggregate amount of costs described in subsections 7a7 and 7b7 for such ,state for such period1 than the portion of such payment that the ,state is required to pass through to a local jurisdiction or ,tribal government under paragraph 7#a7 shall not exceed the amount which bears the same ratio to the total amount of costs incurred by such local jurisdiction or ,tribal government for such period as-- 7,a7 the amount of the payment received by the ,state under this section for the period2 bears to 7,b7 the aggregate amount of costs described in subsection 7a7 and 7b7 for such ,state for such period4 7f7 ,limitation ,no funds may be provided to a ,state under this section for costs attributable to the electronic return of marked ballots by any voter4 4 7b7 ,conforming amendments 7#a7 ,section #bjb of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjibb71 as amended by section #g7;e71 is amended by redesignating paragraphs 7#g7 and 7#h7 as paragraphs 7#h7 and 7#i71 respectively1 and by inserting after paragraph 7#f7 the following new paragraph3 7#g7 carrying out the duties described in part #i 7relating to reimbursements to ,states for costs of complying with the ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with respect to the #bjbj general election72 4 7#b7 ,the table of contents for such ,act is amended by inserting after the item related to section #big the following3 ,part #i--,reimbursement to ,states for ,costs of ,complying with ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with ,respect to #bjbj ,general ,election,sec4 #bii4 ,reimbursements to ,sstates for costs of complying with ,natural ,disaster and ,emergency ,ballot ,act of #bjbj with respect to #bjbj general election4 4 #ab4 ,additional appropriations for the election assistance commission 7a7 ,in general ,in addition to any funds otherwise appropriated to the ,election ,assistance ,commission for fiscal year #bjbj1 there is authorized to be appropriated #c1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbj in order for the ,commission to provide additional assistance and resources to ,states for improving the administration of elections4 7b7 ,availability of funds ,amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under this subsection shall remain available without fiscal year limitation4