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H.R. 1278House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Know Your Polling Place Act

Sponsored by Colin Z. AllredRep. Colin Z. Allred (D-TX)
Introduced February 24, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 11:13 PM UTC

The Know Your Polling Place Act amends the Help America Vote Act to require states to give voters advance notice when their assigned polling place changes. It mandates that voters be notified at least seven days before a federal election, and if a change occurs less than a week before the election, states must take reasonable steps to let the voter cast a ballot. The rule applies to all registered voters in states for federal elections held on or after January 1 2022.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new subsection to HAVA requiring states to notify any voter whose polling place changes at least 7 days before the election.
  • If a polling place change is made less than 7 days before the election and the voter goes to the old location, the state must make reasonable efforts to enable the voter to vote on election day.
  • The notification requirement takes effect for elections held on or after January 1, 2022.
  • Updates related language in the existing subsection to reflect the new requirement.

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 24, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 24, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Committee on House Administration

February 24, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 24, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1278

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 24, 2021

Mr. Allred (for himself, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Norton, Ms. Sewell, and Mr. Foster) 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 establish minimum notification requirements for voters affected by polling place changes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Know Your Polling Place Act.

2.

Minimum notification requirements for voters affected by polling place changes

(a)

Requirements

Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21082) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (c) the following new subsection:

(d)

Minimum notification requirements for voters affected by polling place changes

(1)

In general

If a State assigns an individual who is a registered voter in a State to a polling place with respect to an election for Federal office which is not the same polling place to which the individual was previously assigned with respect to the most recent election for Federal office in the State in which the individual was eligible to vote—

(A)

the State shall notify the individual of the location of the polling place not later than 7 days before the date of the election; or

(B)

if the State makes such an assignment fewer than 7 days before the date of the election and the individual appears on the date of the election at the polling place to which the individual was previously assigned, the State shall make every reasonable effort to enable the individual to vote on the date of the election.

(2)

Effective date

This subsection shall apply with respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2022.

.

(b)

Conforming amendment

Section 302(e) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21082(f)), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by striking Each State and inserting Except as provided in subsection (d)(2), each State.