,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #iee  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!       
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #bh1 #bjai ,mr4   
,m]kley introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0  
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,rules & ,adm9i/ration  ,a ,,bill  ,to  
am5d ! ,help ,am]ica ,vote ,act ( #bjjb 
to r$uce wait+ times = vot]s 9 ,f$]al   
elections4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act   
may be cit$ z ! ,poll+ ,place           
,protection ,act ( #bjai4  #b4 ,r$uc+   
wait+ times = vot]s 9 ,f$]al elections  
7a7 ,requirem5ts = ,/ates  7#a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,subtitle ,a ( title ,,iii ( ! ,help   
,am]ica ,vote ,act ( #bjjb 7#eb         
,u4,s4,c4 #bajha et seq47 is am5d$--    
7,a7 by r$esignat+ sections #cjd z      
section #cjg2 &  7,b7 by ins]t+ aft]    
section #cjc ! foll[+ new section3      
#cjd4 ,prev5t+ unreasonable wait+ times 
= vot]s  7a7 ,prev5t+ unreasonable wait+
 times  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,ea* ,/ate &      
jurisdiction :i* is responsible =       
adm9i/]+ elections = ,f$]al (fice %all  
provide a suffici5t numb] ( vot+ sy/ems1

 poll work]s1 & o!r election res\rces1  
includ+ physical res\rces1 at a poll+   
place us$ 9 any election = ,f$]al (fice1
 includ+ a poll+ place at :i*           
individuals may ca/ ballots prior to !  
date ( ! election1 to ensure-- 7,a7 a   
reasonably uni=m ratio ( election /aff &
 vot+ sy/ems to regi/]$ vot]s 9 !       
jurisdiction2  7,b7 a reasonably uni=m &
 geographic di/ribution ( poll+ places  
to ensure t all vot]s 9 a jurisdiction h
 equal access to poll+ places2  7,c7 a  
fair & equitable wait+ "t = all vot]s 9 
! ,/ate2 &  7,d7 t no individual w be   
requir$ to wait long] ?an #cj m9utes to 
ca/ a ballot at ! poll+ place4  7#b7    
,crit]ia ,9 det]m9+ ! numb] ( vot+      
sy/ems1 poll work]s1 & o!r election     
res\rces provid$ at a poll+ place =     
purposes ( p>agraph 7#a71 ! jurisdiction
 %all take into acc\nt ! foll[+ factors3
  7,a7 ,! vot+ age population4  7,b7    
,vot] turn\t 9 pa/ & simil> elections4  
7,c7 ,! numb] ( vot]s regi/]$4  7,d7 ,! 
numb] ( vot]s :o h regi/]$ s9ce ! mo/   

rec5t ,f$]al election4  7,e7 ,c5sus data
 = ! population s]v$ by ! poll+ place1  
su* z ! proportion ( ! vot+ age         
population :o are "u #be ye>s ( age or  
:o are naturaliz$ citiz5s4  7,f7 ,! ne$s
 & numb]s ( vot]s ) disabilities & vot]s
 ) limit$ ,engli% pr(ici5cy4  7,g7 ,!   
type ( vot+ sy/ems us$4  7,h7 ,! l5g? & 
complexity ( initiatives1 ref]5da1 & o!r
 que/ions on ! ballot4  7,i7 ,compla9ts 
receiv$ dur+ & foll[+ prior elections   
ab\t long wait times or o!r problems    
vot]s exp]i5c$ at poll+ places 9 !      
jurisdiction1 includ+ :e!r & 9 :i* ways 
poll+ places work$ to rem$y su*         
compla9ts4  7,j7 ,su* o!r factors1 if   
available1 includ+ relevant demographic 
factors relat+ to ! population s]v$ by !
 poll+ place det]m9$ by ! ,/ate or      
jurisdiction4  7#c7 ,guidel9es ,n lat]  
?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (
 ?is section1 ! ,commission %all e/abli%
 & publi% guidel9es to assi/ ,/ates &   
jurisdictions 9 meet+ ! requirem5ts (   
?is subsection4  7#d7 ,rule (           

con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is subsection may  
be con/ru$ to au?orize a ,/ate or       
jurisdiction to meet ! requirem5ts ( ?is
 subsection by clos+ any poll+ place1   
prohibit+ an individual f ent]+ a l9e at
 a poll+ place1 or refus+ to p]mit an   
individual :o has arriv$ at a poll+     
place prior to clos+ "t f vot+ at !     
poll+ place4  7b7 ,developm5t &         
implem5tation ( election adm9i/ration   
plans1 includ+ cont+5cy plans  7#a7 ,9  
g5]al ,ea* jurisdiction :i* adm9i/]s    
elections = ,f$]al (fice %all develop1 &
 implem5t to ! greate/ ext5t            
practicable1 an election adm9i/ration   
plan = ea* election = ,f$]al (fice1 9   
accordance ) applicable ,f$]al & ,/ate  
law4 ,su* election adm9i/ration plan    
%all include a cont+5cy plan "u :i* !   
jurisdiction %all provide additional    
poll work]s1 ma*9es1 ballots1 & o!r     
equipm5t & supplies 7z ! case may be7 on
 ! date ( ! election to any poll+ place 
us$ 9 an election = ,f$]al (fice1       
includ+ a poll+ place at :i* individuals

 may ca/ ballots prior to ! date ( !    
election1 at :i* wait+ times exce$ #cj  
m9utes4 ,ea* su* cont+5cy plan %all also
 include a provision by :i* !           
jurisdiction %all ext5d ! clos+ "t = !  
poll+ place 9 ! case :]e !re is a delay 
9 ! timely op5+ or op]ation ( a poll+   
place or :5 vot]s h wait$ m ?an #cj     
m9utes to ca/ a ballot4 ,su* ext5d$ poll
 h\rs %all be comm5surate ) ! total "t (
 ! delay$ op5+ or op]ation ( ! poll+    
place & = ! total p]iod ( "t exce$+ #cj 
m9utes t vot]s _h to wait 9 ord] to ca/ 
a ballot at ! poll+ place f ! "t (      
arrival4  7#b7 ,approval ( plan by      
,commission ,not)/&+ section #bji1 !    
,/ate %all ensure t ! cont+5cy plan     
develop$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 is approv$ by 
! ,commission prior to ! date ( !       
election involv$1 9 accordance ) su*    
proc$ures z ! ,commission may e/abli%4  
7c7 ,effective date ,?is section %all   
apply ) respect to elections held on or 
aft] ! date t is #ahj days aft] ! date (
 enactm5t ( ?is section4  4  7#b7       

,en=cem5t2 private "r ( action =        
unreasonable wait+ times = vot]s  7,a7  
,9 g5]al ,section #dja ( ! ,help ,am]ica
 ,vote ,act ( #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4      
#baaaa7 is am5d$--  7i7 by /rik+ !      
section head+ & ins]t+ ! foll[+3        
,en=cem5t2  7ii7 by /rik+ ,! ,attorney  
,g5]al & ins]t+ 7a7 ,9 g5]al4--,!       
,attorney ,g5]al2  7iii7 9 subsection   
7a71 z add$ by subp>agraph 7,b71 by     
/rik+ 8& #cjc0 & ins]t+ 8#cjc1 & #cjd02 
&  7iv7 by add+ at ! end ! foll[+ new   
subsection3  7b7 ,private "r ( action   
7#a7 ,availability ,a p]son :o is       
aggriev$ by a ,/ate's or jurisdiction's 
violation ( section #cjd1 relat+ to     
prev5t+ unreasonable wait+ times = vot]1
 may br+ a civil action 9 an appropriate
 ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt = su*     
decl>atory or injunctive relief z may be
 necess>y to c>ry out ! requirem5ts (   
su* section4  7#b7 ,co/s & attorney fees
 ,! c\rt may aw>d to a p]son aggriev$ by
 a violation ( section #cjd :o prevails 
9 an action br\ght "u p>agraph 7#a7 !   

co/s ( ! action1 includ+ a reasonable   
attorney fee4  7c7 ,ext5sion ( poll+    
h\rs ,a ,unit$ ,/ates ,di/rict ,c\rt may
 ext5d ! h\rs = a poll+ location 9 any  
action br\ght "u subsection 7a7 or 7b7  
to en=ce ! provisions ( su* section     
#cjd4  4  7,b7 ,cl]ical am5dm5t ,! table
 ( cont5ts ( su* ,act is am5d$ by am5d+ 
! item relat+ to section #dja to read z 
foll[s3  ,sec4 #dja4 ,en=cem5t4  4  7#c7
 ,con=m+ am5dm5t relat+ to rulemak+     
au?ority ,section #bji ( su* ,act 7#eb  
,u4,s4,c4 #bjibi7 is am5d$ by /rik+ ,!  
,commission & ins]t+ ,except z provid$ 9
 section #cjd7;b77#b71 ! ,commission4   
7#d7 ,cl]ical am5dm5ts ,! table (       
cont5ts ( su* ,act is am5d$--  7,a7 by  
r$esignat+ ! item relat+ to section #cjd
 z relat+ to section #cjg2 &  7,b7 by   
ins]t+ aft] ! item relat+ to section    
#cjc ! foll[+ new item3  ,sec4 #cjd4    
,prev5t+ unreasonable wait+ times =     
vot]s4  4  7b7 ,report by election      
assi/ance commission ,n lat] ?an ,june  
#cj ( ea* odd-numb]$ ye>1 ! ,election   

,assi/ance ,commission %all submit to   
,congress a report assess+ ! impact (   
section #cjd ( ! ,help ,am]ica ,vote    
,act ( #bjjb 7z add$ by subsection 7a77 
on ! adm9i/ration ( elections = ,f$]al  
(fice dur+ ! prec$+ #b-ye> p]iod1 & %all
 include 9 ! report su* recomm5dations z
 ! ,commission consid]s appropriate4    
7c7 ,no effect on au?ority ( ,/ate ,to  
provide = long] p]iods ( e>ly vot+ or   
great] am\nt ( res\rces at poll+ places 
,no?+ 9 ?is section or 9 any am5dm5t    
made by ?is section may be con/ru$ to   
prohibit a ,/ate1 ) respect to any      
election = ,f$]al (fice f provid+ 79 an 
equitable & nondiscrim9atory mann]7 a   
great] numb] ( sy/ems1 poll work]s1 &   
o!r election res\rces at any poll+ place
 ?an ! m9imum numb] requir$ "u section  
#cjd ( su* ,act 7z add$ by subsection   
7a774