Legislation We Endorse 

• The Voter Empowerment Act (HR 5799): Modernizes voter registration, promotes the right to vote in federal elections, and provides better access to voters with disabilities. Referred to Committee on 5/17/12.
• HJR 28: The Right to Vote Amendment. Proposed constitutional amendment granting all U.S. citizens who are 18 years of age or older the right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution on 2/28/11.
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• HJR 36: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to abolish the Electoral College and provide for the direct election of the President and Vice President by the popular vote of all citizens of the United States regardless of place of residence, with a majority requirement. Referred to the House Subcommittee on the Constitution 2/28/11.
• District of Columbia Equal Representation Act of 2011 (HR 266): Treats the District of Columbia as a state for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution on 2/7/11 and the Subcomittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives on 2/8/11.
• District of Columbia House Voting Rights Act of 2011 (HR 267): Treats the District of Columbia as a state for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution on 2/7/11 and the Subcomittee on Health Care, District of Columbia, Census and the National Archives on 2/8/11.
• Redistricting Transparency Act of 2011 (HR 419): Winner-take-all elections make the partisan composition of legislative districts determinative for who wins most elections - and whether they are even remotely competitive. It's time to put as much of the redistricting process in the sunlight as possible. The proposed legislation requires states to post congressional redistricting proposals on the Internet and to allow the public the opportunity to participate in the development of such proposals prior to their adoption. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution on 2/7/11.

Legislation Of Note (including bills of concern to reformers)

• HJR 25: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding presidential election voting rights for residents of all United States territories and commonwealths. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution on 2/14/11.
• Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act (S. 694): Prohibits a state that has been redistricted after an apportionment from being redistricted again until after the next apportionment of Representatives, unless the state is ordered by a court in order to comply with the U.S. Constitution, or enforce the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary on 3/31/2011. Similar bills have been referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution in the House (John Tanner Fairness and Independence in Redistricting Act (HR 453) and Redistricting Reform Act of 2011 (HR 590)).
• Caging Prohibition Act of 2011 (HR 107): Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit state or local election officials from preventing an individual from registering or voting in any election for federal office if the basis for such decision is a voter caging document or voter caging list, an unverified match list, or an error or omission on voter application or registration documents that is not material to an individual's eligibility to vote. Referred to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on 1/24/11.
• Voting Opportunity and Technology Enhancement Rights Act of 2011 (HR 108): Amends several provisions of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, including those with respect to the use of the federal write-in absentee ballot, verified ballots, and requirements for counting provisional ballots. Also increases federal criminal penalties for voter intimidation, prohibits voter caging, and makes Election Day a public holiday. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution on 1/24/11 and to the Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, U.S. Postal Service, and Labor Policy on 2/8/11.
• Presidential Funding Act (HR 414): Amends the Internal Revenue Code and the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to revise the system of public financing for presidential primary and general elections. Referred to the House Subcommittee on Elections on 4/1/11.
• District of Columbia Voting Rights Restoration Act of 2011 (HR 597): Restores the right of District of Columbia residents to participate as Maryland residents in congressional elections and presidential elections. Referred to the House Subcommittee on Elections on 4/1/11.
• Election Support Consolidation and Efficiency Act (HR 672): Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to terminate the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), the EAC Standards Board, and the EAC Board of Advisors. Failed on motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill on 6/22/11.
• HR 702: Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) to prohibit a state from certifying the results of a regularly scheduled election for federal office until it has counted all valid ballots of absent servicemember voters collected by the presidential designee and delivered to the appropriate state election officials. Referred to the House Subcommittee on Elections on 4/1/11.
• EAC Improvements Act of 2011 (HR 1937): Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to improve the operations of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC). Referred to the House Subcommittee on Elections on 8/11/11.
• Universal Right to Vote by Mail Act of 2011 (HR 2084): Proposed legislation requiring states to allow eligible voters to cast by ballots by mail in federal elections. Referred to the House Subcommittee on Elections on 8/11/11.
• Democracy Restoration Act of 2011 (HR 2212): Declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence in a correctional institution or facility. Referred to the House Subcommittee on the Constitution on 8/25/11.
• Voting Integrity and Verification Act of 2011 (S. 111): Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require each voting system purchased after December 31, 2012, and used in an election for federal office to produce an individual permanent paper record for each ballot that is cast. Referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on 1/25/11.
• Voter Fraud Prevention Act (S. 168): Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prescribe standards for paid distribution of voter registration application forms and registration requirements for organizations. Individuals would be prohibited from distributing voter registration applications for federal elections if they are a convicted felon or receive financial compensation based on the number of forms they submit. Referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration on 1/25/11.
• HR 359 and S. 194: Reduces Federal spending and the deficit by terminating taxpayer financing of presidential election campaigns and party conventions. Passed the House on 1/26/11.
• Military and Overseas Voters’ Relief Act (S. 331): Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to allow any person aggrieved by a violation of voting rights under the Act to bring a civil action for necessary declaratory or injunctive relief. Under current law, only the U.S. Attorney General may bring an enforcement action under UOCAVA. Referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration on 2/14/11.

Last Updated 6/7/12