Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

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                                               A BILL

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                                               23-865

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                    IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

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 To amend, on a temporary basis, the District of Columbia Election Code of 1955 to require the

       Board of Elections, for the November 3, 2020, General Election, to operate Vote Centers,

       operate no fewer than 80 polling places, including one for eligible individuals

       incarcerated in the Central Detention Facility and Correctional Treatment Facility, mail

       every registered voter an absentee ballot and postage-paid return envelope, publish and

       mail a paper voter guide, and email registered voters a voter guide and information about

       the General Election, to require voter registration agencies to promote the Boards plans

       for the General Election, to remove the requirement that the Board post a list of qualified

       electors registered to vote in libraries and public buildings, and for other purposes.

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        BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this

 act may be cited as the General Election Preparations Temporary Amendment Act of 2020.

        Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Election Code of 1955, approved August 12, 1955 (69

 Stat. 699; D.C. Official Code  1-1001.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:

        (a) Section 2(31) (D.C. Official Code  1-1001.02(31)) is amended by striking the phrase

 For the June 2, 2020, Primary Election and the June 16, 2020, Ward 2 Special Election and

 inserting the phrase For elections held in calendar year 2020 in its place.

        (b) Section 5(a) (D.C. Official Code  1-1001.05(a)) is amended as follows:

                (1) Paragraph (9) is amended by striking the phrase polling places and inserting

 the phrase polling places; provided, that for the November 3, 2020, General Election, the Board

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 shall operate no fewer than 80 polling places, including a polling place for individuals

 incarcerated in the Department of Corrections custody at the Central Detention Facility and

 Correctional Treatment Facility, if public health guidance permits in its place.

                (2) A new paragraph (9B) is added to read as follows:

                (9B) For the November 3, 2020, General Election, mail every registered

 qualified elector an absentee ballot and a postage-paid return envelope;.

                (3) Paragraph (12) is amended to read as follows:

                (12) Take all reasonable steps to inform all residents and voters of elections and

 means of casting votes therein, including by establishing a system to permit voters to elect to

 receive a voter guide by electronic means in lieu of by mail, if such a guide is published by the

 Board; provided, that for the November 3, 2020, General Election, the Board shall:

                        (A) Publish and mail a paper voter guide; and

                        (B) Email registered voters, for whom the Board maintains email

 addresses, at least once with an electronic voter guide and lay-friendly instructions, separate

 from the electronic voter guide, about mail-in voting, early voting, polling place locations, how

 to check polling place wait times, and how to update their voter registration information;.

        (c) Section 7 (D.C. Official Code  1-1001.07) is amended as follows:

                (1) Subsection (d)(2)(E) is amended by striking the phrase For the June 2, 2020,

 Primary Election and the June 16, 2020, Ward 2 Special Election and inserting the phrase For

 elections held in calendar year 2020 in its place.

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                 (2) Subsection (h)(4) is amended by striking the phrase the June 2, 2020,

 Primary Election and the June 16, 2020, Ward 2 Special Election and inserting the phrase any

 election held in calendar year 2020 in its place.

         (d) Section 8(f) (D.C. Official Code  1-1001.08(f)) is amended as follows:

                 (1) The existing text is designated as paragraph (1).

                 (2) The newly designated paragraph (1) is amended by striking the phrase A

 political party and inserting the phrase Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection,

 a political party in its place.

                 (3) A new subsection (2) is added to read as follows:

                 (2) For the November 3, 2020, General Election, a political party which does not

 qualify under subsection (d) of this section may have the names of its candidates for President

 and Vice President of the United States printed on the general election ballot provided a petition

 nominating the appropriate number of candidates for presidential electors signed by at least 250

 registered qualified electors of the District of Columbia, as shown by the records of the Board as

 of the 144th day before the date of the presidential election, is presented to the Board on or

 before the 90th day before the date of the presidential election..

         (e) Section 9(e) (D.C. Official Code  1-1001.09(e)) is amended as follows:

                 (1) Paragraph (2) is amended by striking the phrase In sufficient time to comply

 with the requirements of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voter Act, approved

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 August 28, 1986 (100 Stat. 924; 42 U.S.C.  1973ff et seq.), the Board and inserting the phrase

 The Board in its place.

                 (2) Paragraph (3) is amended by striking the phrase shall take place not later than

 2 days after that election and inserting the phrase no earlier than 8 days and no later than 10

 days after that election in its place.

                 (3) Paragraph (4) is amended by striking the phrase not later than 2 days after

 any election and inserting the phrase no earlier than 8 days and no later than 10 days after any

 election in its place.

         Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.

         The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement provided by the Chief Financial Officer as

 the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of

 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code  1-301.47a).

         Sec. 4. Effective date.

         (a) This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by

 the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review

 as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December

 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code  1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of

 Columbia Register.

         (b) This act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.

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