S.Amdt. 4735

SA 4735. Mr. RICKETTS (for himself and Mrs. Fischer) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 4420 proposed by Mr.
Thune (for Mr. Schmitt) to the bill S. 1383, to establish the Veterans
Advisory Committee on Equal Access, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 42, line 21, strike ``or''.
On page 43, line 3, strike ``subsection (c)(4).'' and
insert ``subsection (c)(4); or''.
On page 43, between lines 3 and 4, insert the following:
(F) is a resident of a rural county with a population of
10,000 residents or less that has been certified to conduct
elections for Federal office by mail in accordance with
subsection (c)(5)(B).
On page 45, between lines 17 and 18, insert the following:
(5) Rural counties.--
(A) Individual requirement.--An individual seeking an
absentee ballot under subsection (a)(1)(F) shall submit,
together with the request required under subsection (b), a
sworn certification that the individual is a resident of a
rural county with a population of 10,000 residents or less
that has been certified to conduct elections for Federal
office by mail under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph,
including documentation that is reasonably sufficient to
establish such residency.
(B) Rural county requirements.--
(i) In general.--A rural county with a population of 10,000
residents or less may conduct elections for Federal office by
mail if the chief election official of the State in which the
rural county is located submits to the Election Assistance
Commission--

(I) a certification that the rural county has a population
of 10,000 residents or less; and
(II) a written plan for the conduct of elections for
Federal office by mail in the applicable rural county,
certifying that the rural county shall--

(aa) maintain not fewer than 1 in-person voting locations;
and
(bb) provide an option for the return of ballots by the
voter, in person, to an office of the appropriate election
official or to a polling place or other location designated
by the State for the return of absentee ballots.
(ii) Responsibilities of the election assistance
commission.--

(I) Review.--The Election Assistance Commission shall
review each certification submitted under clause (i).
(II) Guidance.--The Election Assistance Commission shall
issue guidance relating to additional requirements for the
conduct of elections for Federal office by mail in rural
counties with populations of 10,000 residents or less under
this subparagraph and certifications under clause (i).

On page 45, line 18, strike ``(5)'' and insert ``(6)''.
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