Gateway to Democracy Act of 2004 - Amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to allow individuals under the minimum legal voting age, but who will reach such age before voting, to fill out the voter registration application forms when they get their driver's license.
Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to maintain information on such individuals and make it available to election officials.
[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4972 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4972
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to permit certain
individuals who are under the minimum legal voting age to complete
voter registration application forms, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 22, 2004
Mr. Markey (for himself, Ms. Linda T. Sanchez of California, Mr.
McNulty, Mr. Ryan of Ohio, Mr. Lewis of Georgia, Mrs. Christensen, Mr.
Frost, Mr. Owens, Mr. Hinchey, and Mr. Deutsch) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House
Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to permit certain
individuals who are under the minimum legal voting age to complete
voter registration application forms, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Gateway to Democracy Act of 2004''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSE.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The right of citizens of the United States to vote is a
fundamental right.
(2) It is the responsibility of the Federal, State, and
local governments to ensure that voter registration laws and
procedures enhance the participation of eligible citizens as
voters.
(3) Young adults often fail to participate in the first
election for which they are eligible to vote.
(4) Young adults are consistently the age group with the
lowest voter turnout. According to the Bureau of the Census, in
the 2000 general election only 45.4% of 18 to 24 year olds were
registered to vote and only 32.3% voted. The statistics for the
1998 general election were even more dismal, as 39.2% of such
individuals were registered and a mere 16.6% actually went to
the polls.
(5) One of the reasons for the failure of young adults to
vote is that most States require registration prior to the
election itself, so that it is too late to establish voter
eligibility on Election Day.
(6) The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 established
that the simultaneous application for voter registration with
the application for a motor vehicle driver's license provides
the government with an effective mechanism for increasing
access to voter registration.
(7) While many States allow individuals to get their
license before they meet the age requirement for voter
registration, few States allow registration at that time if the
potential voter has not yet reached the minimum voting age.
(8) In order to remove this barrier, increase the
effectiveness of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993,
and ensure that the maximum number of young adults is given the
opportunity to register to vote, a procedure should be
established to allow young adults who do not yet meet the
voting age requirement to nevertheless register to vote at the
time they apply for their driver's licenses.
(9) Hawaii, Connecticut, Iowa, Florida, Maine, Missouri,
and Texas have already implemented successful pre-registration
programs which allow individuals to register to vote prior to
meeting all of the eligibility requirements for registration.
(b) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act--
(1) to increase the effectiveness of the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993;
(2) to expand the categories of individuals who are given
the opportunity to register to vote under the National Voter
Registration Act of 1993 to include young adults who do not yet
meet the minimum age requirement to vote; and
(3) to encourage civic engagement by young adults.
SEC. 3. PERMITTING CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS UNDER MINIMUM LEGAL VOTING AGE
TO COMPLETE VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION FORMS.
(a) Forms Provided With Applications for Motor Vehicle Driver's
License.--Section 5(c)(2)(C)(ii) of the National Voter Registration Act
of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-3(c)(2)(C)(ii)) is amended by striking
``requirement'' and inserting the following: ``requirement (or, in the
case of an applicant who is under the minimum legal voting age, an
attestation that the applicant will reach such age prior to voting)''.
(b) Forms Provided by Other Designated Voter Registration
Agencies.--Section 7(a)(6)(A)(i)(II) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-
5(a)(6)(A)(i)(II)) is amended by striking ``requirement'' and inserting
the following: ``requirement (or, in the case of an applicant who is
under the minimum legal voting age, an attestation that the applicant
will reach such age prior to voting)''.
(c) Mail Voter Registration Form.--
(1) In general.--Section 9(b)(2)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1973gg-7(b)(2)(B)) is amended by striking ``requirement'' and
inserting the following: ``requirement (or, in the case of an
applicant who is under the minimum legal voting age, an
attestation that the applicant will reach such age prior to
voting)''.
(2) Conforming amendment regarding check-off box for age.--
Section 303(b)(4)(A)(ii) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002
(42 U.S.C. 15483(b)(4)(A)(ii)) is amended to read as follows:
``(ii) The question `If you are under the
minimum legal voting age, will you certify that
you understand that this application will not
become effective and you will not be able to
vote in any election prior to reaching that
age?' and boxes for the applicant to check to
indicate whether or not the applicant will so
certify.''.
(d) Rule of Construction Regarding Minimum Age for Submission of
Forms.--Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42
U.S.C. 1973gg-6) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (k); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (i) the following new
subsection:
``(j) Minimum Age for Submission of Forms.--Nothing in this Act may
be construed to require a State to accept any voter registration
application form from an individual who, at the time of submitting the
form, has not attained the age at which the individual may apply for a
motor vehicle driver's license in the State.''.
SEC. 4. MAINTENANCE AND AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ON INDIVIDUALS
UNDER MINIMUM LEGAL VOTING AGE.
Section 303(a)(1)(A) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (42
U.S.C. 15483(a)(1)(A)) is amended by adding at the end the following
new clause:
``(ix) In addition to the information on
legally registered voters which is maintained
on the list, the State shall maintain
information on those individuals in the State
who have completed applications for voter
registration prior to reaching the minimum
legal voting age, and shall make the
information available to election officials in
the State.''.
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply with respect to
applications to register to vote in elections occurring in a State
after the date on which the State is required to comply with the
requirements of section 303(a) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002
(relating to the implementation of a computerized Statewide voter
registration list).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1501)
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
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