HR 5946
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5946
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to provide
for election day registration.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 1, 2008
Mr. ELLISON (for himself, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. WALZ of Minnesota,
Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. FILNER, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. WATT, Ms. WATSON,
Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina,
Ms. BALDWIN, and Mr. KAGEN) introduced the following bill; which was referred
to the Committee on House Administration
A BILL
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to provide
for election day registration.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Election Day Registration Act'.
SEC. 2. ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION.
(a) In General- Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42 U.S.C.
15481 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 304 and 305 as sections 305 and 306; and
(2) by inserting after section 303 the following new section:
`SEC. 304. ELECTION DAY REGISTRATION.
`(1) REGISTRATION- Notwithstanding section 8(a)(1)(D) of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-6), each State shall permit any
eligible individual on the day of a Federal election--
`(A) to register to vote in such election at the polling place using a
form that meets the requirements under section 9(b) of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993; and
`(B) to cast a vote in such election.
`(2) EXCEPTION- The requirements under paragraph (1) shall not apply to
a State in which, under a State law in effect continuously on and after
the date of the enactment of this section, there is no voter registration
requirement for individuals in the State with respect to elections for Federal
office.
`(b) Eligible Individual- For purposes of this section, the term `eligible
individual' means any individual who is otherwise qualified to vote in a Federal
election in such State.
`(c) Effective Date- Each State shall be required to comply with the requirements
of subsection (a) for the regularly scheduled general election for Federal
office occurring in November 2008 and for any subsequent election for Federal
office.'.
(b) Conforming Amendments- (1) Section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 15511) is
amended by striking `and 303' and inserting `303, and 304'.
(2) The table of contents of such Act is amended--
(A) by redesignating the items relating to sections 304 and 305 as relating
to sections 305 and 306; and
(B) by inserting after the item relating to section 303 the following
new item:
`Sec. 304. Election day registration.'.
END
