This bill would enact several provisions related to expanding accessibility for voters, including online voter registration, requirements related to early voting and absentee voting, and changes related to voters changing their address in the registration process.
An online version of the federal mail voter registration application would be available to all Americans who are eligible to register to vote. States would be required to create their own registration form that includes all elements of the federal form. This would automatically cancel the voter’s previous registration in another jurisdiction, so if you move across the county line you wouldn’t have to bother cancelling your old registration.
The USPS change of address form would give an individual the opportunity to update their voter registration, or update their information. The voter registration deadline would be changed to give voters four full weeks before Election Day to register to vote.
States would be required to either provide at least one week of early voting or a “no-excuse” absentee ballot without compelling voters to provide an explanation for voting absentee. If a state opts for early voting, it would be required to occur for at least eight hours per day on seven of the 10 days preceding a federal election.
Re-registration requirements that states currently have for voters who move and change their address would be overruled by federal law if this bill is enacted, by allowing voters who had previously registered in that state to update their address all the way up until Election Day.