---
kind: "section"
citation: "52 U.S.C. § 20902"
title: "52"
title_heading: "Voting and Elections"
number: "20902"
heading: "Replacement of punch card or lever voting machines"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/52/20902"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Voting Assistance and Election Administration"
  - "Chapter 209 — Election Administration Improvement"
  - "Subchapter I — Payments to States for Election Administration Improvements and Replacement of Punch Card and Lever Voting Machines"
---

# §20902. Replacement of punch card or lever voting machines

- (a) **Establishment of program—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 45 days after October 29, 2002, the Administrator shall establish a program under which the Administrator shall make a payment to each [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) eligible under [subsection (b)](#b) in which a precinct within that [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) used a punch card voting system or a lever voting system to administer the regularly scheduled general [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) for [Federal office](/usc/52/20310.md?p=3) held in November 2000 (in this section referred to as a “qualifying precinct”).
  - (2) **Use of funds—** A [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall use the funds provided under a payment under this section (either directly or as reimbursement, including as reimbursement for costs incurred on or after January 1, 2001, under multiyear contracts) to replace punch card voting systems or lever voting systems (as the case may be) in qualifying precincts within that [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) with a voting system (by purchase, lease, or such other arrangement as may be appropriate) that—
    - (A) does not use punch cards or levers;
    - (B) is not inconsistent with the requirements of the laws described in [section 21145 of this title](/usc/52/21145.md); and
    - (C) meets the requirements of [section 21081 of this title](/usc/52/21081.md).
  - (3) **Deadline—**
    - (A) **In general—** Except as provided in [subparagraph (B)](#a-3-B), a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) receiving a payment under the program under this section shall ensure that all of the punch card voting systems or lever voting systems in the qualifying precincts within that [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) have been replaced in time for the regularly scheduled general [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) for [Federal office](/usc/52/20310.md?p=3) to be held in November 2004.
    - (B) **Waiver—** If a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) certifies to the Administrator not later than January 1, 2004, that the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) will not meet the deadline described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-3-A) for good cause and includes in the certification the reasons for the failure to meet such deadline, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall ensure that all of the punch card voting systems or lever voting systems in the qualifying precincts within that [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) will be replaced in time for the first [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) for [Federal office](/usc/52/20310.md?p=3) held after November 1, 2010.
- (b) **Eligibility—**
  - (1) **In general—** A [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) is eligible to receive a payment under the program under this section if it submits to the Administrator a notice not later than the date that is 6 months after October 29, 2002 (in such form as the Administrator may require) that contains—
    - (A) certifications that the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) will use the payment (either directly or as reimbursement, including as reimbursement for costs incurred on or after January 1, 2001, under multiyear contracts) to replace punch card voting systems or lever voting systems (as the case may be) in the qualifying precincts within the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) by the deadline described in [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3);
    - (B) certifications that the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) will continue to comply with the laws described in [section 21145 of this title](/usc/52/21145.md);
    - (C) certifications that the replacement voting systems will meet the requirements of [section 21081 of this title](/usc/52/21081.md); and
    - (D) such other information and certifications as the Administrator may require which are necessary for the administration of the program.
  - (2) **Compliance of States that require changes to State law—** In the case of a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) that requires [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) legislation to carry out an activity covered by any certification submitted under this subsection, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall be permitted to make the certification notwithstanding that the legislation has not been enacted at the time the certification is submitted and such [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall submit an additional certification once such legislation is enacted.
- (c) **Amount of payment—**
  - (1) **In general—** Subject to [paragraph (2)](#c-2) and [section 20903(b) of this title](/usc/52/20903.md?p=b), the amount of payment made to a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under the program under this section shall be equal to the product of—
    - (A) the number of the qualifying precincts within the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5); and
    - (B) $4,000.
  - (2) **Reduction—** If the amount of funds appropriated pursuant to the authority of [section 20904(a)(2) of this title](/usc/52/20904.md?p=a-2) is insufficient to ensure that each [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) receives the amount of payment calculated under [paragraph (1)](#c-1), the Administrator shall reduce the amount specified in [paragraph (1)(B)](#c-1-B) to ensure that the entire amount appropriated under such section is distributed to the [States](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5).
- (d) **Repayment of funds for failure to meet deadlines—**
  - (1) **In general—** If a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) receiving funds under the program under this section fails to meet the deadline applicable to the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under [subsection (a)(3)](#a-3), the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall pay to the Administrator an amount equal to the noncompliant precinct percentage of the amount of the funds provided to the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under the program.
  - (2) **Noncompliant precinct percentage defined—** In this subsection, the term “noncompliant precinct percentage” means, with respect to a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5), the amount (expressed as a percentage) equal to the quotient of—
    - (A) the number of qualifying precincts within the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) for which the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) failed to meet the applicable deadline; and
    - (B) the total number of qualifying precincts in the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5).
- (e) **Punch card voting system defined—** For purposes of this section, a “punch card voting system” includes any of the following voting systems:
  - (1) C.E.S.
  - (2) Datavote.
  - (3) PBC Counter.
  - (4) Pollstar.
  - (5) Punch Card.
  - (6) Vote Recorder.
  - (7) Votomatic.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–252, title I, § 102, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1670; Pub. L. 110–28, title VI, § 6301(a), May 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 171; Pub. L. 111–8, div. D, title VI, § 625(a), Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 678.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 15302 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Amendments

2009—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 111–8 substituted “November 1, 2010” for “March 1, 2008”.

2007—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 110–28 substituted “March 1, 2008” for “January 1, 2006”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2009 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–8, div. D, title VI, § 625(b), Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 678, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 [Pub. L. 107–252, see Tables for classification].”

### Effective Date of 2007 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–28, title VI, § 6301(b), May 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 171, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 [Pub. L. 107–252, see Tables for classification].”