Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands voter registration and voting access, limits removing voters from voter rolls, and requires states to establish independent redistricting commissions to carry out congressional redistricting, among other election-related provisions.

Highlights:

• Establishes online voter registration in all 50 states on the public websites of the appropriate state and local election officials (Title I, Subtitle A, Part 1, Sec. 1001).

• Requires that every state register any eligible individual who wants to vote on the day of a federal election (Title I, Subtitle A, Part 3, Sec. 304).

• Defines “eligible individual” as an individual 18 years old or older who is otherwise qualified to vote in an election (Title I, Subtitle A, Part 3, Sec. 304).

• Specifies that any individual that registers to vote may choose to vote by mail in an upcoming federal election (Title I, Subtitle A, Part 1, Sec. 1001).

• Requires that each state allow a period of early voting beginning 15 days prior to the date of an election, and meets the following criteria, including (Title I, Subtitle H, Sec. 306):

• Allowing early voting for no less than 10 hours each day;

• Having uniform hours each day that early voting occurs; and

• Allowing early voting for some period prior to 9:00 a.m. and after 5:00 p.m.

• Prohibits a state from removing the name of a voter from their list of eligible voters unless the following conditions are met, including (Title I, Subtitle A, Part 4, Sec. 1041):

• The state obtained the voter’s full name, date of birth, and last 4 digits of their social security number in an interstate cross-check; or

• The state obtained documentation that the voter is no longer a resident of the state.

• Requires that the president and vice president, as well as certain candidates for those 2 offices, disclose tax returns from the 10 most recent taxable years for which a return has been filed with the Internal Revenue Service (Title X, Sec. 10001).

• Requires all 50 states to establish independent redistricting commissions in order to carry out congressional redistricting pursuant to the 2020 census (Title II, Subtitle A, Part 5, Subpart B, Sec. 2441).

• Specifies that the independent redistricting commission shall be made up of 15 members appointed by the agency as follows (Title II, Subtitle A, Part 5, Subpart B, Sec. 2441):

• 2 members appointed at random from the majority category of the approved selection pool;

• 2 members appointed at random from the minority category of the approved selection pool;

• 2 members appointed at random from the independent category of the approved selection pool;

• 3 members appointed by the aforementioned 6 members from the majority category of the approved selection pool;

• 3 members appointed by the aforementioned 6 members from the minority category of the approved selection pool; and

• 3 members appointed by the aforementioned 6 members from the independent category of the approved selection pool.

• Authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Elections to expedite a security clearance for the chief state election official in any state, along with other appropriate state personnel involved in the administration of elections, in order to promote the timely sharing of information on threats to election infrastructure (Title III, Subtitle B, Sec. 3101).

• Amends campaign finance laws to close loopholes allowing donations from foreign nationals to any political committee, super PAC, or corporate PAC participating in US elections (Title IV, Subtitle B, Part 1, Sec. 4102).

• Requires the president, in consultation with the Secretaries of Defense, State, Education, Attorney General, Director of National Intelligence, and the Chairman of the Federal Election Commission to issue a national strategy to protect against cyber attacks, influence operations, disinformation campaigns, and other activities that could undermine the security and integrity of United States democratic institutions (Title III, Subtitle C, Sec. 3201).

• Establishes within the legislative branch the National Commission to Protect United States Democratic Institutions in order to counter efforts to undermine democratic institutions within the United States (Title III, Subtitle C, Sec. 3202).

• Requires that any covered organization that makes a campaign-related disbursement over $10,000 in an election reporting cycle to, not later than 24 hours after each disclosure date, file a statement with the aforementioned commission documenting the disbursement under penalty of perjury (Title IV, Subtitle B, Part 2, Sec. 4111).

• Prohibits members, delegates, and resident commissioners of the US House of Representatives from serving on the board of directors of any for-profit entity in order to prevent conflicts of interest (Title IX, Subtitle B, Sec. 9101).

• Requires the Judicial Conference to, no later than 1 year after this act’s enactment date, issue a code of conduct that shall apply to each judge and justice of the United States, including provisions that shall only apply to certain categories of judges or justices, including the US Supreme Court (Title VII, Subtitle A, Sec. 7001).

• Requires disclaimer statements for materials posted on online platforms by agents of foreign principals to be placed directly with the material and not via hyperlink (Title VII, Subtitle B, Sec. 7105).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text