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Title 52, Voting and ElectionsRelease 119-110

§21112 Establishment of State-based Administrative Complaint Procedures to Remedy Grievances

Title 52 › Subtitle II — Voting Assistance and Election Administration › CHAPTER 209 — ELECTION ADMINISTRATION IMPROVEMENT › SUBCHAPTER IV — ENFORCEMENT › § 21112

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

States that get any payment under this chapter must create and keep a state-level complaint process that follows specific rules. The process must be fair and apply to everyone. Anyone who thinks a rule in subchapter III was, is, or will be broken can file a written, notarized, signed, and sworn complaint. The State can combine similar complaints. The complainant can ask for a hearing on the record. If the State finds a violation, it must fix the problem. If it finds none, it must dismiss the complaint and publish the results. The State must make a final decision within 90 days after the complaint is filed unless the complainant agrees to more time. If the State misses that 90-day deadline, the complaint must be resolved in 60 days through alternative dispute resolution using the case record. By January 1, 2004, any State that did not tell the payment office in 2003 that it would take part and receive funds must either certify to the Commission that it meets these rules or send the Attorney General a detailed plan saying how it will comply. If the Attorney General does not approve the plan, the State is treated as not meeting the requirements of subchapter III.

Full Legal Text

Title 52, §21112

Voting and Elections, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment of State-based administrative complaint procedures to remedy grievances
(1)Establishment of procedures as condition of receiving funds
If a State receives any payment under a program under this chapter, the State shall be required to establish and maintain State-based administrative complaint procedures which meet the requirements of paragraph (2).
(2)Requirements for procedures
The requirements of this paragraph are as follows:
(A)The procedures shall be uniform and nondiscriminatory.
(B)Under the procedures, any person who believes that there is a violation of any provision of subchapter III (including a violation which has occurred, is occurring, or is about to occur) may file a complaint.
(C)Any complaint filed under the procedures shall be in writing and notarized, and signed and sworn by the person filing the complaint.
(D)The State may consolidate complaints filed under subparagraph (B).
(E)At the request of the complainant, there shall be a hearing on the record.
(F)If, under the procedures, the State determines that there is a violation of any provision of subchapter III, the State shall provide the appropriate remedy.
(G)If, under the procedures, the State determines that there is no violation, the State shall dismiss the complaint and publish the results of the procedures.
(H)The State shall make a final determination with respect to a complaint prior to the expiration of the 90-day period which begins on the date the complaint is filed, unless the complainant consents to a longer period for making such a determination.
(I)If the State fails to meet the deadline applicable under subparagraph (H), the complaint shall be resolved within 60 days under alternative dispute resolution procedures established for purposes of this section. The record and other materials from any proceedings conducted under the complaint procedures established under this section shall be made available for use under the alternative dispute resolution procedures.
(b)Requiring Attorney General approval of compliance plan for States not receiving funds
(1)In general
Not later than January 1, 2004, each nonparticipating State shall elect—
(A)to certify to the Commission that the State meets the requirements of subsection (a) in the same manner as a State receiving a payment under this chapter; or
(B)to submit a compliance plan to the Attorney General which provides detailed information on the steps the State will take to ensure that it meets the requirements of subchapter III.
(2)States without approved plan deemed out of compliance
A nonparticipating State (other than a State which makes the election described in paragraph (1)(A)) shall be deemed to not meet the requirements of subchapter III if the Attorney General has not approved a compliance plan submitted by the State under this subsection.
(3)Nonparticipating State defined
In this section, a “nonparticipating State” is a State which, during 2003, does not notify any office which is responsible for making payments to States under any program under this chapter of its intent to participate in, and receive funds under, the program.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (a)(1) and (b)(1)(A), (3), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 107–252, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1666, known as the Help America Vote Act of 2002, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables. Subchapter III, referred to in subsecs. (a)(2)(B), (F) and (b)(1)(B), (2), was in the original “title III”, meaning title III of Pub. L. 107–252, Oct. 29, 2002, 116 Stat. 1704, which is classified principally to subchapter III (§ 21081 et seq.) of this chapter. For complete classification of title III to the Code, see Tables. Codification Section was formerly classified to section 15512 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

52 U.S.C. § 21112

Title 52, Voting and Elections

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110