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Title 52 — Voting and ElectionsRelease 119-73

§20902 Replacement of punch card or lever voting machines

Title 52 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - Voting Assistance and Election Administration › Chapter CHAPTER 209— - ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENT › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENTS AND REPLACEMENT OF PUNCH CARD AND LEVER VOTING MACHINES › § 20902

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

A federal official had to set up, within 45 days after October 29, 2002, a program to pay states that had precincts using punch‑card or lever voting machines in the November 2000 federal election. States must use the money (including to reimburse costs back to January 1, 2001 or under multiyear contracts) to replace those machines with voting systems that do not use punch cards or levers and that meet federal voting rules. States had to replace all such machines in time for the regularly scheduled November 2004 federal election. If a state certifies by January 1, 2004 that it cannot meet that date for good cause and explains why, it may instead finish replacements by the first federal election held after November 1, 2010. To get funds, a state had to notify the Administrator within six months after October 29, 2002 and promise to follow the rules and buy compliant systems. Payment is $4,000 for each qualifying precinct, but that per‑precinct amount can be cut if there is not enough money. If a state misses its deadline, it must pay back a share of the funds equal to the share of its precincts that missed the deadline. Punch‑card systems named in the law: C.E.S. — a punch‑card voting machine; Datavote — a punch‑card voting machine; PBC Counter — a punch‑card voting machine; Pollstar — a punch‑card voting machine; Punch Card — a punch‑card voting system; Vote Recorder — a punch‑card voting machine; Votomatic — a punch‑card voting machine.

Full Legal Text

Title 52, §20902

Voting and Elections — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Not later than 45 days after October 29, 2002, the Administrator shall establish a program under which the Administrator shall make a payment to each State eligible under subsection (b) in which a precinct within that State used a punch card voting system or a lever voting system to administer the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2000 (in this section referred to as a “qualifying precinct”).
(2)A State shall use the funds provided under a payment under this section (either directly or as reimbursement, including as reimbursement for costs incurred on or after January 1, 2001, under multiyear contracts) to replace punch card voting systems or lever voting systems (as the case may be) in qualifying precincts within that State with a voting system (by purchase, lease, or such other arrangement as may be appropriate) that—
(A)does not use punch cards or levers;
(B)is not inconsistent with the requirements of the laws described in section 21145 of this title; and
(C)meets the requirements of section 21081 of this title.
(3)(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), a State receiving a payment under the program under this section shall ensure that all of the punch card voting systems or lever voting systems in the qualifying precincts within that State have been replaced in time for the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office to be held in November 2004.
(B)If a State certifies to the Administrator not later than January 1, 2004, that the State will not meet the deadline described in subparagraph (A) for good cause and includes in the certification the reasons for the failure to meet such deadline, the State shall ensure that all of the punch card voting systems or lever voting systems in the qualifying precincts within that State will be replaced in time for the first election for Federal office held after November 1, 2010.
(b)(1)A State is eligible to receive a payment under the program under this section if it submits to the Administrator a notice not later than the date that is 6 months after October 29, 2002 (in such form as the Administrator may require) that contains—
(A)certifications that the State will use the payment (either directly or as reimbursement, including as reimbursement for costs incurred on or after January 1, 2001, under multiyear contracts) to replace punch card voting systems or lever voting systems (as the case may be) in the qualifying precincts within the State by the deadline described in subsection (a)(3);
(B)certifications that the State will continue to comply with the laws described in section 21145 of this title;
(C)certifications that the replacement voting systems will meet the requirements of section 21081 of this title; and
(D)such other information and certifications as the Administrator may require which are necessary for the administration of the program.
(2)In the case of a State that requires State legislation to carry out an activity covered by any certification submitted under this subsection, the State shall be permitted to make the certification notwithstanding that the legislation has not been enacted at the time the certification is submitted and such State shall submit an additional certification once such legislation is enacted.
(c)(1)Subject to paragraph (2) and section 20903(b) of this title, the amount of payment made to a State under the program under this section shall be equal to the product of—
(A)the number of the qualifying precincts within the State; and
(B)$4,000.
(2)If the amount of funds appropriated pursuant to the authority of section 20904(a)(2) of this title is insufficient to ensure that each State receives the amount of payment calculated under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall reduce the amount specified in paragraph (1)(B) to ensure that the entire amount appropriated under such section is distributed to the States.
(d)(1)If a State receiving funds under the program under this section fails to meet the deadline applicable to the State under subsection (a)(3), the State shall pay to the Administrator an amount equal to the noncompliant precinct percentage of the amount of the funds provided to the State under the program.
(2)In this subsection, the term “noncompliant precinct percentage” means, with respect to a State, the amount (expressed as a percentage) equal to the quotient of—
(A)the number of qualifying precincts within the State for which the State failed to meet the applicable deadline; and
(B)the total number of qualifying precincts in the State.
(e)For purposes of this section, a “punch card voting system” includes any of the following voting systems:
(1)C.E.S.
(2)Datavote.
(3)PBC Counter.
(4)Pollstar.
(5)Punch Card.
(6)Vote Recorder.
(7)Votomatic.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 15302 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Amendments

2009—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 111–8 substituted “
November 1, 2010” for “
March 1, 2008”. 2007—Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 110–28 substituted “
March 1, 2008” for “
January 1, 2006”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 Amendment Pub. L. 111–8, div. D, title VI, § 625(b), Mar. 11, 2009, 123 Stat. 678, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 [Pub. L. 107–252, see Tables for classification].”

Effective Date

of 2007 Amendment Pub. L. 110–28, title VI, § 6301(b), May 25, 2007, 121 Stat. 171, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 [Pub. L. 107–252, see Tables for classification].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

52 U.S.C. § 20902

Title 52 — Voting and Elections

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73