H.R. 1438House116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to allow same day registration for Federal elections, and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 2:22 AM UTC

The bill changes the Help America Vote Act to make it mandatory for every state to let eligible voters register on the same day they vote in any federal election. It applies to all federal contests and would take effect for the November 2020 general election and all later federal elections.

Key Provisions

Each state must allow any eligible person to register (or update their registration) at the polling place on Election Day or any day early voting is allowed, and then cast a ballot in that federal election.
The rule does not apply to a state that already has no voter‑registration requirement for federal elections.
The term “eligible individual” means anyone who meets the usual qualifications to vote in a federal election.
States must comply by the November 2020 general election and for all subsequent federal elections.
Minor technical changes: existing HAVA sections are renumbered, and the enforcement and table‑of‑contents sections are updated to reflect the new same‑day registration provision.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Committee on House Administration

February 28, 2019

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 28, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Committee on House Administration

February 28, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 28, 2019

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1438

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 28, 2019

Ms. Haaland (for herself, Mr. Welch, Mr. Cooper, Mrs. Kirkpatrick, Mr. Evans, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Mr. Himes, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Rouda, Mr. Garamendi, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Phillips, Mrs. Craig, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Dean, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Ms. Sewell of Alabama, Mrs. Dingell, and Ms. Omar) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House Administration

A BILL

To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require States to allow same day registration for Federal elections, and for other purposes.

Same day registration

(a)

In general

Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating sections 304 and 305 as sections 305 and 306; and

(2)

by inserting after section 303 the following new section:

304.

Same day registration

(a)

In general

(1)

Registration

Notwithstanding section 8(a)(1)(D) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 20507(a)(1)(D)), each State shall permit any eligible individual on the day of a Federal election and on any day when voting, including early voting, is permitted for a Federal election—

(A)

to register to vote in such election at the polling place using a form that meets the requirements under section 9(b) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (or, if the individual is already registered to vote, to revise any of the individual’s voter registration information); and

(B)

to cast a vote in such election.

(2)

Exception

The requirements under paragraph (1) shall not apply to a State in which, under a State law in effect continuously on and after the date of the enactment of this section, there is no voter registration requirement for individuals in the State with respect to elections for Federal office.

(b)

Eligible individual

For purposes of this section, the term eligible individual means, with respect to any election for Federal office, an individual who is otherwise qualified to vote in that election.

(c)

Effective date

Each State shall be required to comply with the requirements of subsection (a) for the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office occurring in November 2020 and for any subsequent election for Federal office.

(b)

Conforming amendment relating to enforcement

Section 401 of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21111) is amended by striking sections 301, 302, and 303 and inserting subtitle A of title III.

(c)

Clerical amendment

The table of contents of such Act is amended—

(1)

by redesignating the items relating to sections 304 and 305 as relating to sections 305 and 306; and

(2)

by inserting after the item relating to section 303 the following new item:

Sec. 304. Same day registration.