Election Assistance and Voter Registration Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on House Administration.
Election Assistance and Voter Registration Act - Establishes within the Bureau of the Census the Election Assistance and Voter Registration Administration. Provides that the President shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, and Administrator and two Associate Administrators for terms of four years each. Sets forth the duties and powers of the Administration. Authorizes the Administration to provide assistance by grant to States and political subdivisions thereof in improving their voter registration procedures to assure efficient elections. Authorizes the Administration to make grants and provide such other assistance as may be necessary to any State or political subdivision thereof to carry out programs to ensure the efficient conduct of elections and the convenience of voters in casting their ballots. Stipulates that a grant made under this Act shall not be in excess of total of 10 cents for each potential voter in the jurisdiction, or $35,000 whichever is greater. Authorizes the Administration to make grants to any State or political subdivision thereof for the purpose of carrying out existing voter registration procedures. Provides that such grants shall not be in excess of 30 percent of the direct costs of carrying out the voter registration procedures of the jurisdiction receiving the grant. Authorizes the Administration to make additional grants to any State or political subdivision thereof which increases the percentage of eligible voters who are registered. States that the amount of such grant shall be 10 percent of the costs of carrying out the voter registration procedures for each 5 percent increase in the percentage of eligible voters registered above the percentage of eligible voters registered at the time of the most recent general election held in such jurisdiction. Authorizes the Administration to make grants to any State of political subdivision thereof for planning and evaluating a system of voter registration utilizing electronic data processing or other similar procedures. Provides that a grant for such purpose shall not exceed a total of 1/2 cent for each potential voter in the jurisdiction receiving the grant, or $15,000 whichever is greater. Provides that the Administrator may make grants to any State or political subdivision thereof to carry out programs of voter registration by postal card. Authorizes the Administrator to provide technical assistance in developing programs for the prevention and control of fraud to any State or political subdivision thereof for improving voter registration and participation. States that any individual who is absent from the place of his voting residence or is physically unable to vote in person shall be entitled to vote by absentee ballot in any election held in his election district if he is otherwise eligible to vote in that election. Sets forth requirements which an application for assistance under this Act shall contain. Authorizes the Administrator to issue rules and regulations for the administration of this Act. Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on January 3, 1973. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on January 3, 1973: Referred to House Committee on House Administration.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 93rd Congress (1973-74), 651 of the 23,396 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 2.8 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JONATHAN BINGHAM (D-NY) introduced it on January 3, 1973. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on January 3, 1973, 19655 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 19655 days ago, on January 3, 1973.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 93rd Congress has not finished by January 3, 1975 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers