§20503 — Title 52 Voting and Elections | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires each State to make ways for people to register to vote in federal elections. States must let people register when they apply for a driver’s license, by mail, and in person at their local registration site or at federal, state, or nongovernmental offices the State designates. These methods are in addition to any other state registration options. Two exceptions apply. A State is exempt if it has had no voter registration requirement for federal elections continuously since August 1, 1994. A State is also exempt if, since August 1, 1994, or under a law enacted on or before that date that was to take effect when this chapter began, every voter may register at the polling place during a general federal election and that law remains in effect.

Title 52, §20503

Voting and Elections — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in subsection (b), notwithstanding any other Federal or State law, in addition to any other method of voter registration provided for under State law, each State shall establish procedures to register to vote in elections for Federal office—

(1)by application made simultaneously with an application for a motor vehicle driver’s license pursuant to section 20504 of this title;

(2)by mail application pursuant to section 20505 of this title; and

(3)by application in person—

(A)at the appropriate registration site designated with respect to the residence of the applicant in accordance with State law; and

(B)at a Federal, State, or nongovernmental office designated under section 20506 of this title.

(b)This chapter does not apply to a State described in either or both of the following paragraphs:

(1)A State in which, under law that is in effect continuously on and after August 1, 1994, there is no voter registration requirement for any voter in the State with respect to an election for Federal office.

(2)A State in which, under law that is in effect continuously on and after August 1, 1994, or that was enacted on or prior to August 1, 1994, and by its terms is to come into effect upon the enactment of this chapter, so long as that law remains in effect, all voters in the State may register to vote at the polling place at the time of voting in a general election for Federal office.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Upon the enactment of this chapter, referred to in subsec. (b)(2), means the date of enactment of Pub. L. 103–31, which was approved May 20, 1993. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 1973gg–2 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section. Amendment by Pub. L. 104–91 is based on section 116(a) of H.R. 2076, One Hundred Fourth Congress, as passed by the House of Representatives on Dec. 6, 1995, which was enacted into law by Pub. L. 104–91.

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–91, as amended by Pub. L. 104–99, substituted “

August 1, 1994” for “

March 11, 1993” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1996 Amendment section 116(b) of H.R. 2076, One Hundred Fourth Congress, as passed by the House of Representatives on Dec. 6, 1995, and as enacted into law by Pub. L. 104–91, title I, § 101(a), Jan. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 11, as amended by Pub. L. 104–99, title II, § 211, Jan. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 37, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect as if included in the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 [Pub. L. 103–31, see Tables for classification].”

§20503 National Procedures for Voter Registration for Elections for Federal Office

Summary

Title 52, §20503

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Amendments

Citations & Metadata