FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 2001

Schumer Statement on Senate Bipartisan Election Reform Compromise

US Senator Chuck Schumer today made the following statement at the announcement of a bipartisan compromise between Schumer, Senate Rules Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), Ranking Member Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Kit Bond (R-Mo.), and Robert Torricelli (D-N.J.) on election reform legislation.

“A year ago today, Al Gore conceded the 2000 Presidential election to George W. Bush, putting an end to a very difficult chapter in our history. No matter which party you belong to or which candidate you supported, the 2000 election made the dramatic need for voting reform painfully clear.

“And as someone who comes from the state hit hardest by the terrorist attacks ofSeptember 11, I’ve never felt stronger about the need to secure our democracy, and that means making sure that people can believe in the integrity and accuracy of our voting system.

“Just because we’re the world’s oldest Democracy doesn’t mean we have to have the world’s oldest voting equipment. And since election day last year, the five of us have worked to figure out a way to improve our voting system. I think today we have.

“Our solution, our legislation, can put an end, once and for all, to inadequately maintained registration lists, to confusingly designed ballots, and to phone lines that are so busy that voters can not get through to confirm their registration status. Our legislation gives states the resources they need to upgrade their voting technology and the standards we need to give everyone complete confidence in our system. Our bill is a compromise, but it’s a good compromise, and it can work.

“By making $3.5 billion dollars available to the states to upgrade their voting systems and processes, requiring that states improve their voting technology, and allowing voters to check their ballots and correct any mistakes, we can ensure that no one will walk away from the voting booth worrying over
whether their ballot would be understood and their vote would be counted.

“By ensuring that voting is accessible to the disabled, to those with limited proficiency in English, and by providing provisional balloting to those who may have mistakenly been left off the registration rolls, we ensure that no one is shut out of the process.

“By establishing a statewide computerized registration list, and by making conspiring to commit voter fraud and providing false information about citizenship and age when registering to vote both federal crimes, we create strong new protections against voter fraud.

“By establishing a new bipartisan Commission that will oversee the grant program and monitor our election processes, and by requiring states to submit a state plan that shows they are in compliance with federal laws and provides for public review and comment, we build confidence in our system.

“This is a bill that works, this is a bill that can pass, this is a bill that can change things. And that’s why we’re here.”

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The Bipartisan Election Reform Bill (S. 565)
Introduced by Senators Dodd, McConnell, Schumer, Bond and Torricelli

The bipartisan election reform legislation will provide $3.5 billion to states to improve their voting systems, will set forth three election technology requirements for states, and will establish an independent bipartisan Election Administration Commission.

Title I. Uniform & Nondiscriminatory Election Technology & Administration Requirements

The bill imposes three requirements on the states to improve voting technology to make voting easier and more accessible, and to deter and reduce fraud. These requirements shall be enforced by the Department of Justice.

Voting Systems Standards – By 2006, voting systems must:

Notify voters of overvotes, allow voters to verify their votes and allow voters to correct the ballot before it is cast;

Be accessible to the disabled;

Be accessible to voters with limited English proficiency;

and Conform to the error rate established by the voting system standards issued by the FEC.

Nothing in the bill shall be read to prohibit the use of any particular type of voting system.

Provisional Voting and Voter Information Requirements – By 2004:

States and localities must allow a voter who is not on the registration rolls or who is otherwise alleged to be ineligible to vote to cast a provisional ballot.

The provisional ballot is to be set aside and verified by an election official before being counted.
If the ballot is not counted, the voter must be notified in writing and states must set up a free access system (toll free number or internet) that voters can check to see their ballot was counted.

Effective immediately, voting information, including a sample ballot, must be posted at the polling place on election day.

Computerized Statewide Voter Registration Lists and Requirements for Voters Who Register by Mail:

By 2004, states must establish a statewide computerized registration list, containing the name and registration information (including a unique identifier) for every legally registered voter in the state.

Effective immediately, first time voters who registered by mail must provide identification when they vote, unless they provided confirmation of their identity with their mail-in registration form. Anyone who cannot
provide such confirmation must be allowed to vote provisionally.

Effective immediately, federal mail-in voter registration forms must include questions asking whether the person registering is a citizen and whether he will be 18 by election day, and the statement, “If you checked “no” in response to either of these questions, do not complete this form.”

Title II. Grants Programs

The bill established three grant programs, making $3.5 billion dollars available to states and localities.

Uniform and Nondiscriminatory Election Technology and Administration
Requirements Grant Program

The bill provides $3 billion to states and localities to meet the requirements in the bill. These grants are 100% federal funds (e.g., no state match needed). When applying, states must submit a state plan that assures that they are in compliance with federal laws and provides for public review and comment.

Federal Election Reform Incentive Grant Program

The bill provides $400 million to states and localities for grants to make improvements in their voting systems. These grants are an 80% - 20% federal - state match. When applying, states must be certified by the Department of Justice that they are in compliance with federal laws.

Federal Election Accessibility Grant Program

The bill provides $100 million to states and localities for grants to makepolling places more accessible to the disabled. These grants are an 80% - 20% federal - state match.

Title III. Election Administration Commission

New Commission – The bill establishes a bipartisan Election Administration Commission, which:

Shall consist of four Commissioners (no more than two of which can be from the same political party) serving six year terms;

Shall:
Serve as a clearinghouse concerning issues relating to elections for federaloffice;

Carry out the provisions of Section 9 of the National Voter RegistrationAct of 1993;

Make information about federal elections available to the public and media;

Compile and make available to the public certified results of elections for public office and statistics regarding national voter registration and turnout;

Shall establish an internet website to provide information and public discussion about the activities of the Commission;

Shall conduct studies on election technology and administration;

Shall administer the requirements established in Title I;

Shall administer the grant programs established in Title II.

Shall include the Office of Election Administration (which will be transferred from the Federal Election Commission) and carry out its functions.

Title IV. Miscellaneous

New Anti-Fraud Crimes

The bill expands existing federal law to make it a crime to conspire to commit voter fraud and to provide false information about citizenship and age when registering to vote.

Click here for a side-by-side comparison of S. 565 (substitute amendment) and H.R. 3295.