---
kind: "section"
citation: "52 U.S.C. § 21112"
title: "52"
title_heading: "Voting and Elections"
number: "21112"
heading: "Establishment of State-based administrative complaint procedures to remedy grievances"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/52/21112"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Voting Assistance and Election Administration"
  - "Chapter 209 — Election Administration Improvement"
  - "Subchapter IV — Enforcement"
---

# §21112. Establishment of State-based administrative complaint procedures to remedy grievances

- (a) **Establishment of State-based administrative complaint procedures to remedy grievances—**
  - (1) **Establishment of procedures as condition of receiving funds—** If a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) receives any payment under a program under this chapter, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall be required to establish and maintain [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5)-based administrative complaint procedures which meet the requirements of [paragraph (2)](#a-2).
  - (2) **Requirements for procedures—** The requirements of this paragraph are as follows:
    - (A) The procedures shall be uniform and nondiscriminatory.
    - (B) Under the procedures, any person who believes that there is a violation of any provision of subchapter III (including a violation which has occurred, is occurring, or is about to occur) may file a complaint.
    - (C) Any complaint filed under the procedures shall be in writing and notarized, and signed and sworn by the person filing the complaint.
    - (D) The [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) may consolidate complaints filed under [subparagraph (B)](#a-2-B).
    - (E) At the request of the complainant, there shall be a hearing on the record.
    - (F) If, under the procedures, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) determines that there is a violation of any provision of subchapter III, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall provide the appropriate remedy.
    - (G) If, under the procedures, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) determines that there is no violation, the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall dismiss the complaint and publish the results of the procedures.
    - (H) The [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall make a final determination with respect to a complaint prior to the expiration of the 90-day period which begins on the date the complaint is filed, unless the complainant consents to a longer period for making such a determination.
    - (I) If the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) fails to meet the deadline applicable under [subparagraph (H)](#a-2-H), the complaint shall be resolved within 60 days under alternative dispute resolution procedures established for purposes of this section. The record and other materials from any proceedings conducted under the complaint procedures established under this section shall be made available for use under the alternative dispute resolution procedures.
- (b) **Requiring Attorney General approval of compliance plan for States not receiving funds—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than January 1, 2004, each nonparticipating [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) shall elect—
    - (A) to certify to the Commission that the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) meets the requirements of [subsection (a)](#a) in the same manner as a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) receiving a payment under this chapter; or
    - (B) to submit a compliance plan to the Attorney General which provides detailed information on the steps the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) will take to ensure that it meets the requirements of subchapter III.
  - (2) **States without approved plan deemed out of compliance—** A nonparticipating [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) (other than a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) which makes the [election](/usc/52/20502.md?p=1) described in [paragraph (1)(A)](#b-1-A)) shall be deemed to not meet the requirements of subchapter III if the Attorney General has not approved a compliance plan submitted by the [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under this subsection.
  - (3) **Nonparticipating State defined—** In this section, a “nonparticipating [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5)” is a [State](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) which, during 2003, does not notify any office which is responsible for making payments to [States](/usc/52/20107.md?p=5) under any program under this chapter of its intent to participate in, and receive funds under, the program.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–252, title IV, § 402, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1715.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), (3), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 107–252, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1666, known as the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Subchapter III, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(B), (F) and (b)(1)(B), (2), was in the original “title III”, meaning title III of Pub. L. 107–252, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1704, which is classified principally to subchapter III (§ 21081 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of title III to the Code, see Tables.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 15512 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.