summary
Introduced
In Committee
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
112th Congress
Bill Summary
Military Ballot Integrity Act of 2012 - Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to require states which do not transmit to an absent uniformed services voter a validly requested absentee ballot for a federal election by the deadline required to delay the certification of the election results by the number of days by which the state missed such deadline with respect to the voter, except in elections subject to a state undue hardship waiver. Allows any person aggrieved by a violation of the Act to bring a civil action in an appropriate district court for necessary declaratory or injunctive relief. (Under current law, only the Attorney General may bring such an action.) Allows for the award of reasonable attorney's fees for the prevailing party. Requires a report from the Attorney General in each year in which a general election for federal office is scheduled on the number of attorneys and other staff within the Department of Justice (DOJ) assigned to enforce the Act, as well as a plan to detect noncompliance by state and local election officials with requirements of the Act. Requires the presidential designee responsible for federal functions under the Act to establish and operate a centralized mail forwarding database through which balloting materials for a member of a reserve component called or ordered to active duty are forwarded to the member's correct mailing address after the member is released from active duty.
AI Summary
This bill, the Military Ballot Integrity Act of 2012, amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act to ensure that states promptly send absentee ballots to members of the uniformed services and overseas citizens. If a state fails to transmit a requested absentee ballot by the required deadline for a federal election, it must delay certifying the election results by the same number of days the deadline was missed, unless a state hardship waiver applies. The bill also grants individuals who are harmed by a violation of this Act the right to sue in federal court for necessary court orders, a right previously only available to the Attorney General, and allows for the recovery of attorney's fees for the winning party. Furthermore, the Attorney General must report annually on the Department of Justice's (DOJ) resources dedicated to enforcing this Act and present a plan to identify when state and local election officials are not complying with its requirements. Finally, a designated federal official will be responsible for creating and managing a central database to ensure that voting materials are correctly forwarded to members of reserve components who are called to active duty and are later released.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration. (on 11/16/2012)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location | Created |
|---|---|---|
| State Bill Page | https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/6594/all-info | 04/25/2013 |
| Bill | http://gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr6594ih/pdf/BILLS-112hr6594ih.pdf.pdf | 02/03/2013 |
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