,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #cja  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the
 ,,united ,,states  ,february #h1       
#bjba,mr4 ,scott of ,florida introduced 
the following bill2 which was read twice
 and referred to the ,committee on      
,rules and ,administration  ,a ,,bill   
,to amend the ,help ,america ,vote ,act 
of #bjjb to provide ,federal standards  
for mail-in ballots and reporting of    
election results with respect to        
elections for ,federal office4  #a4     
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,verifiable1 ,orderly1 and ,timely  
,election ,results ,act4  #b4 ,federal  
standards for mail-in ballots  7a7 ,in  
general ,title ,,iii of the ,help       
,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb 7#eb       
,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq47 is amended--  
7#a7 by redesignating sections #cjd and 
#cje as sections #cje and #cjf1         
respectively2 and  7#b7 by inserting    
after section #cjc the following new    
section3  #cjd4 ,federal standards for  
mail-in ballots  7a7 ,in general ,when  

otherwise permitted by ,state law1 any  
vote-by-mail system used in an election 
for ,federal office must be designed and
 implemented to ensure a secure1        
uniform1 and timely system to cast a    
mail-in ballot in accordance with this  
section4  7b7 ,requests  7#a7 ,in       
general ,mail-in ballots may only be    
provided upon request submitted by the  
voter in accordance with this           
subsection4 ,requests for a mail-in     
ballot under a vote-by-mail system      
described in subsection 7a7 may be      
submitted electronically or by postal   
mail using a standardized form approved 
for such requests by the chief ,state   
election official4  7#b7 ,request ,the  
form for such requests must enable an   
election official who receives the      
request to confirm-- 7,a7 the identity  
of the individual submitting the        
request2  7,b7 that the individual is   
validly registered and eligible to vote 
in the jurisdiction where the request is
 submitted2 and  7,c7 that the          

individual continues to reside at the   
physical address where the individual is
 registered to vote 7if different than  
the mailing address where the ballot is 
requested to be sent74  7#c7 ,deadline  
for submission ,such request must be    
submitted by an individual and received 
by the office of the ,state or local    
election supervisor not later than #ba  
days before the date of the election for
 ,federal office4  7#d7 ,methods to     
confirm identity1 registration1 and     
eligibility of requester  7,a7 ,in      
general ,upon receipt of a request for a
 mail-in ballot1 an election official   
shall confirm the identity1 voter       
registration1 and eligibility to vote of
 an individual requesting a mail-in     
ballot1 by comparing the identifying    
information of the individual requester 
with1 at a minimum1 the following       
records and databases3 7i7 ,the voter   
registration record maintained by the   
jurisdiction where the request is       
submitted4  7ii7 ,the ,death ,master    

,file 7as such term is defined in       
section #bjc7;d7 of the ,bipartisan     
,budget ,act of #bjac 7#db ,u4,s4,c4    
#acjf;c7d7774  7iii7 ,the ,e-,verify    
,program described in section #djc7;a7  
of the ,illegal ,immigration ,reform and
 ,immigrant ,responsibility ,act of     
#aiif4  7,b7 ,prompt response to request
 ,within #c days of receiving a request 
for a mail-in ballot from an individual1
 an election official shall take one of 
the following actions with respect to   
such request3 7i7 ,if the election      
official is unable to confirm the       
identity1 voter registration1 or        
eligibility to vote of the individual1  
the election official shall deny the    
request for a mail-in ballot and notify 
the individual in writing of the reason 
for such denial4  7ii7 ,if the election 
official is able to confirm the         
identity1 voter registration1 or        
eligibility to vote of the individual1  
the election official shall fulfill the 
request by mailing a mail-in ballot to  

the individual4  7c7 ,requirements for  
,state or local election officials ,the 
office of the ,state or local election  
supervisor shall-- 7#a7 record the total
 number of mail-in ballots sent to      
voters pursuant to this section2 and    
7#b7 include a notation on the voter    
rolls maintained by the office and      
provided to the individual polling      
locations1 which identifies that a voter
 has received a mail-in ballot and the  
date that mail-in ballot was sent to the
 voter4  7d7 ,ballot requirements  7#a7 
,in general ,to be considered validly   
cast and eligible to be counted in an   
election for ,federal office1 a mail-in 
ballot must-- 7,a7 be marked using blue 
or black ink1 and properly designate the
 individual's vote for each candidate2  
7,b7 be signed by the individual using  
the same signature the individual used  
to register to vote2  7,c7 be dated2    
7,d7 be received by the appropriate     
election official no later than the time
 polls close on the date of the         

election2 and  7,e7 include an          
attestation1 signed by the individual1  
that the individual submitting the      
mail-in ballot is-- 7i7 the individual  
to whom the ballot was mailed2  7ii7    
registered to vote in the jurisdiction  
where the ballot is being submitted2 and
  7iii7 submitting the mail-in ballot in
 lieu of casting a ballot in-person1 and
 will not attempt to cast a ballot      
in-person after submitting the mail-in  
ballot4  7#b7 ,return of ballots        
in-person ,an individual may choose to  
return a mail-in ballot in-person to the
 polling place where the individual is  
registered to vote in lieu of returning 
the ballot by mail4  7e7 ,option ,to    
vote in-,person  7#a7 ,in general ,an   
individual who receives a mail-in ballot
 with respect to an election for        
,federal office may instead vote        
in-person in such election if the       
individual turns in the blank or        
incomplete mail-in ballot received by   
the individual to the polling location  

where the individual plans to vote      
in-person4  7#b7 ,provisional ballot ,if
 the individual attempts to vote        
in-person but does not bring their blank
 or incomplete mail-in ballot to the    
polling location1 the individual shall  
be directed to complete a provisional   
ballot4  7f7 ,persons permitted ,to     
possess mail-,in ballots  7#a7 ,in      
general ,it shall be unlawful for any   
person to possess or return a mail-in   
ballot completed by another person1     
except as provided in this subsection4  
7#b7 ,immediate family member  7,a7 ,in 
general ,a person may possess or return 
a mail-in ballot completed by an        
immediate family member1 provided that  
the person does not possess more than #b
 such completed mail-in ballots other   
than his or her own4  7,b7 ,definition  
of immediate family member ,in this     
paragraph1 the term immediate family    
member means the spouse1 child1 parent1 
grandparent1 or sibling of the person4  
7#c7 ,caregiver  7,a7 ,in general ,a    

caregiver may possess or return a       
mail-in ballot completed by a person    
under the supervision or care of the    
caregiver1 provided that the caregiver  
does not possess more than #b such      
completed mail-in ballots other than his
 or her own4  7,b7 ,definition of       
caregiver ,in this paragraph1 the term  
caregiver means an individual who has   
the responsibility for the care of an   
older individual1 either voluntarily1 by
 contract1 by receipt of payment for    
care1 or as a result of the operation of
 law and means an individual who        
provides 7on behalf of such individual  
or of a public or private agency1       
organization1 or institution7           
compensated or uncompensated care to an 
older individual4  7#d7 ,incidental     
possession excepted ,the prohibition    
under paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply to 
the incidental possession of mail-in    
ballots by a postal worker or election  
official acting within the scope of his 
or her official capacity4  7#e7 ,penalty

 ,any person who violates this          
subsection shall be fined under title   
#ah1 ,united ,states ,code1 or          
imprisoned not more than #a year1 or    
both4  7g7 ,effective date ,this section
 shall apply with respect to elections  
for ,federal office held after the date 
of the enactment of this section4  4    
7b7 ,conforming amendments  7#a7        
,enforcement ,section #dja of such ,act 
7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa7 is amended by    
striking and #cjc and inserting #cjc1   
and #cjd4  7#b7 ,table of contents ,the 
table of contents of such ,act is       
amended-- 7,a7 by redesignating the     
items relating to sections #cjd and #cje
 as relating to sections #cje and #cjf1 
respectively2 and  7,b7 by inserting    
after the item relating to section #cjc 
the following3  ,sec4 #cjd4 ,federal    
standards for mail-in ballots4  4  #c4  
,federal standards for reporting        
election results  7a7 ,in general ,title
 ,,iii of the ,help ,america ,vote ,act 
of #bjjb 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq471

 as amended by section #b7;a71 is       
amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating sections
 #cje and #cjf as sections #cjf and     
#cjg1 respectively2 and  7#b7 by        
inserting after section #cjd the        
following new section3  #cje4 ,federal  
standards for reporting election results
  7a7 ,in general ,the chief ,state     
election official shall ensure that     
ballots validly cast in an election for 
,federal office are able to be counted  
and reported in a timely manner as      
follows3 7#a7 ,mail-in ballots received 
prior to the date of the election shall 
be counted upon receipt 7except in the  
case of a mail-in ballot received prior 
to the date that is #bb days before the 
date of the election1 no earlier than   
the date that is #bb days before the    
date of the election71 provided that the
 results of such votes counted and      
recorded must be kept confidential and  
may not be disclosed until the time     
polls close on the date of the election4
  7#b7 ,one hour after polls close on   

the date of the election1 each voting   
precinct shall report to the chief      
,state election official the following3 
7,a7 ,the total number of mail-in       
ballots received by the voting precinct4
  7,b7 ,the total number of ballots cast
 in-person in the voting precinct4  7,c7
 ,of the ballots reported under         
subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b71 the number 
of such ballots that have been counted  
and the number of such ballots that     
remain to be counted4  7#c7 7,a7 ,all   
ballots validly cast in an election for 
,federal office shall be counted and    
reported within #bd hours after the     
polls close on the date of the election4
  7,b7 ,if the chief ,state election    
official is unable to complete the count
 of votes cast within #bd hours after   
the polls close on the date of the      
election1 the official must identify    
with particularity and publicly report--
 7i7 the reason why the vote count has  
not been completed2  7ii7 the steps the 
official is taking to ensure the vote   

count is completed as expeditiously as  
possible2 and  7iii7 the anticipated    
time when the vote count will be        
completed4  7#d7 ,if more than #bd hours
 have passed after the conclusion of    
voting without a final vote count1 the  
chief ,state election official must     
report the unofficial vote count on an  
hourly basis until the vote count is    
completed4  7b7 ,effective date ,this   
section shall apply with respect to     
elections for ,federal office held after
 the date of the enactment of this      
section4  4  7b7 ,conforming amendments 
7#a7 ,enforcement ,section #dja of such 
,act 7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #baaaa71 as amended 
by section #b7;b71 is amended by        
striking and #cjd and inserting #cjd1   
and #cje4  7#b7 ,table of contents ,the 
table of contents of such ,act1 as      
amended by section #b7;b71 is amended-- 
7,a7 by redesignating the items relating
 to sections #cje and #cjf as relating  
to sections #cjf and #cjg1 respectively2
 and  7,b7 by inserting after the item  

relating to section #cjd the following3 
,sec4 #cje4 ,federal standards for      
reporting election results4  4  #d4     
,promoting voter roll integrity  7a7 ,in
 general ,subtitle ,d of ,title ,,ii of 
the ,help ,america ,vote ,act of #bjjb  
7#eb ,u4,s4,c4 #bjija et seq47 is       
amended by adding at the end the        
following new part3  #g ,promoting voter
 roll integrity  #big4 ,payment         
ineligibility for states without        
adequate voter roll integrity measures  
7a7 ,in general ,a ,state shall be      
ineligible to receive funds under this  
,act unless the ,state meets the        
following requirements with respect to  
each election for ,federal office held  
on or after ,january #a1 #bjba3 7#a7    
,identification required to cast ballot 
,the ,state has in effect a law that--  
7,a7 requires an individual to present a
 current and valid form of photographic 
identification at a polling location    
prior to being able to cast a ballot in 
an election for ,federal office2  7,b7  

specifies approved forms of             
identification for meeting such         
requirement2  7,c7 requires a supervisor
 of elections or other authorized       
elections official to confirm the       
individual is validly registered and    
eligible to vote at that polling        
location2 and  7,d7 requires the        
individual be provided a provisional    
ballot if-- 7i7 the individual is unable
 to present a current and valid approved
 form of identification2 or  7ii7 the   
supervisor of elections or other        
authorized elections official is unable 
to confirm that the individual is       
validly registered and eligible to vote 
at the polling location4  7#b7 ,voter   
signature verification ,the ,state has  
in effect a law that-- 7,a7 requires the
 supervisor of elections or other       
authorized election official to compare 
and confirm that an individual's        
signature on a mail-in ballot matches   
the authorized signature appearing in   
the individual's voter registration     

file2 and  7,b7 specifies procedures for
 a supervisor of elections or other     
authorized elections official-- 7i7 to  
notify the individual if the signature  
on the individual's mail-in ballot is   
determined not to match the authorized  
signature appearing in the individual's 
voter registration file2  7ii7 to permit
 the individual to provide a copy of an 
approved form of photographic           
identification and a sworn statement    
attesting that-- 7,i7 the individual is 
validly registered and eligible to vote 
in the jurisdiction2  7,,ii7 the        
signature on the mail-in ballot belongs 
to that individual2 and  7,,iii7 the    
individual has not cast another ballot  
in the election for ,federal office2 and
  7iii7 to mark the mail-in ballot as   
illegal and ineligible to be counted if 
the individual fails to respond within  
the designated period of time to cure   
the reported defect in the individual's 
authorized signature4  7#c7 ,same-day   
registration prohibited for first-time  

voters ,the ,state has in effect a law  
that prohibits an individual from       
registering to vote for the first time  
and casting a ballot on the same day at 
a polling location4  7#d7 ,audit of     
voter rolls ,the ,state has in effect a 
law that requires the chief election    
official of each jurisdiction or        
precinct to-- 7,a7 complete an audit of 
the voter roll of the registered voters 
within that jurisdiction or precinct in 
each year in which an election for      
,federal office is held2  7,b7 compare  
the names of the registered voters      
within the jurisdiction or precinct     
with-- 7i7 the ,death ,master ,file 7as 
such term is defined in section #bjc7;d7
 of the ,bipartisan ,budget ,act of     
#bjac 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acjf;c7d7772 and  
7ii7 the ,e-,verify ,program described  
in section #djc7;a7 of the ,illegal     
,immigration ,reform and ,immigrant     
,responsibility ,act of #aiif2  7,c7    
promptly notify an individual identified
 as ineligible pursuant to subparagraph 

7,b7 to provide an opportunity to prove 
their eligibility to be registered to   
vote according to procedures defined in 
,state law for that purpose2  7,d7      
remove from the voter roll an individual
 who fails to prove their eligibility to
 vote in an election for ,federal office
 pursuant to subparagraph 7,c72 and     
7,e7 file a written certification with  
the chief ,state election official      
certifying the completion of the audit  
and the accuracy of the voter roll of   
registered voters within the relevant   
jurisdiction or precinct1 which is      
required under such law to be submitted 
not later than #f months prior to the   
date of an election for ,federal office4
  4  7b7 ,table of contents ,the table  
of contents of such ,act is amended by  
inserting after the item relating to    
section #bif the following3  ,part      
#g--,promoting voter roll integrity     
,sec4 #big4 ,payment ineligibility for  
,states without adequate voter roll     
integrity measures4  4