1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Lines Interfere with National Elections Act of 2014” or the “LINE Act of 2014”.
Lines Interfere with National Elections Act of 2014
A BILL
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to ensure that voters in elections for Federal office do not wait in long lines in order to vote.
2. Findings and purpose
Findings— Congress finds the following:
Excessive wait times at the election polls create an obstacle to an eligible citizen’s fundamental right to vote.
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration found that, on the date of the 2012 Federal election, over 5,000,000 voters experienced wait times exceeding one hour, and an additional 5,000,000 waited between a half hour and an hour.
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration found that several million eligible voters stand in line for an unacceptably long time in order to cast a vote in a Federal election, year after year.
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration found that excessive wait times are avoidable if the jurisdiction has undergone proper planning and develops systems to inform the responsible authorities when a breakdown occurs.
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration concluded that, as a general rule, no voter should have to wait more than half an hour in order to have an opportunity to vote.
The Presidential Commission on Election Administration offered several recommendations and best practices that could directly reduce voter lines.
Purpose— It is the purpose of this Act to implement the Presidential Commission on Election Administration’s recommendations aimed at reducing long lines at the election polls.
3. Requirements for jurisdictions with substantial voter wait times
Remedial plans for States with excessive wait times—
In general— The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following new title:
“X Remedial plans for States with excessive wait times
“1001. Remedial plans for States with excessive wait times
“(a) In general—Each jurisdiction for which the Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Commission, determines that a substantial number of voters waited more than 30 minutes to cast a vote in the election for Federal office held on November 6, 2012, or any election for Federal office held on or after such date, shall comply with a State remedial plan established under this section in accordance with subsection (b).
“(b) State remedial plans—The Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Commission, shall establish for each State or jurisdiction which is required to comply with this section a State remedial plan to minimize the waiting times of individuals voting in the State or jurisdiction in any election for Federal office.
“(c) Jurisdiction defined—For purposes of this section, the term jurisdiction has the meaning given the term registrar's jurisdiction in section 8(j) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg–6(j)).
“(d) Federal Register notice—Not later than March 1 of the year following the year in which an election for Federal office is held, the Attorney General, to the maximum extent practicable in coordination with the Commission, shall publish in the Federal Register a list of States and jurisdictions that are required to comply with a State remedial plan under this section.
“(e) State remedial plan certification—Not later than September 1 of the year following the year in which the Attorney General publishes in the Federal Register a list described in subsection (d), the governor of each State included on the list shall submit to the Attorney General a letter certifying that the State has made a good faith effort to comply with the State remedial plan established for the State under this section.”
Conforming amendment— Section 401 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C. 15511), as amended by section 2(a)(2), is amended by striking “and 403” and inserting “403, and the requirements of title X”.
Clerical amendment— The table of contents of such Act is amended by adding at the end the following:
Effective date— The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act.