Sec. 314. Requirements for availability of sufficient polling places, equipment, and resources
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Subtitle D of title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, as added by section 312(a) and as amended by section 313(a), is amended by adding at the end the following new section: In accordance with the standards established under subsection (b), each State shall provide for— an appropriate number and geographic distribution of voting sites on the day of any election for Federal office and on any days during which such State allows early voting in such elections; and the minimum required number of voting systems and other election resources (including all other voting equipment and supplies) for each such voting site.
Not later than June 30, 2017, the Commission shall conduct a study and, on the basis of the findings of the study, issue standards for States to follow in establishing an appropriate number and geographic distribution of voting sites in elections for Federal office on the day of any Federal election and on any days during which the State allows early voting in such elections, and in providing for the minimum number of voting systems and other election resources (including all other voting equipment and supplies) for each such voting site.
The standards described in paragraph
(1)shall provide for a uniform and nondiscriminatory distribution of such sites, systems, and other resources, and, to the extent possible, shall take into account, among other factors, the following: The voting age population. Voter turnout in past elections. The number of voters registered. The number of voters who have registered since the most recent Federal election. Census data for the population served by each voting site. The educational levels and socioeconomic factors of the population served by each voting site. The needs and numbers of voters with disabilities and voters with limited English proficiency. The type of voting systems used. The standards shall provide that the distribution of voting sites, systems, and resources should take into account the totality of all relevant factors, and no single factor shall be dispositive under the standards. To the extent possible, the standards shall provide for a distribution of voting sites, systems, and resources with the goals of— ensuring a fair and equitable waiting time for all voters in the State; and preventing a waiting time of over 1 hour at any voting site. The standards described in paragraph
(1)shall permit States, upon giving reasonable public notice, to deviate from any allocation requirements in the case of unforeseen circumstances such as a natural disaster or terrorist attack. This section shall apply with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2018. . The table of contents of such Act, as amended by section 312(c) and section 313(b), is amended by adding at the end of the items relating to subtitle D of title III the following: Sec. 333. Availability of sufficient polling places, equipment, and resources. .