H.R. 641 – Polling Change Awareness Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 9:57 PM UTC

The Polling Change Awareness Act amends the Help America Vote Act to require states to inform voters when their assigned polling place changes. It sets a minimum notification deadline and specifies how the notice must be delivered. The bill also mandates signage at former polling locations and applies to federal elections held on or after January 1, 2022.

Key Provisions

States must notify any voter whose polling place changes at least 7 days before the election or the start of early voting, using mail, telephone, text message, and email where available.
If a change is made less than 7 days before the election and a voter goes to the old location, the state must make reasonable efforts to allow the voter to cast a ballot on election day.
States must post signs at locations that were polling places in the previous election but are not in the current one, providing notice that the site is closed, listing the new polling locations, and giving contact information for election officials.
The notification and signage requirements take effect for elections held on or after January 1, 2022.

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 1, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 1, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Committee on House Administration

February 1, 2021

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 1, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 641

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 1, 2021

Mr. Brown 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 meet notification requirements for voters affected by polling place changes, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Polling Change Awareness 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 the first day of an early voting period (whichever occurs first); 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)

Methods of notification

The State shall notify an individual under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) by mail, telephone, and (if available) text message and electronic mail.

(3)

Placement of signs at closed polling places

If a location which served as a polling place in an election for Federal office does not serve as a polling place in the next election for Federal office held in the jurisdiction involved, the State shall ensure that signs are posted at such location on the date of the election and during any early voting period for the election containing the following information:

(A)

A statement that the location is not serving as a polling place in the election.

(B)

The locations serving as polling places in the election in the jurisdiction involved.

(C)

Contact information, including a telephone number and website, for the appropriate State or local election official through which an individual may find the polling place to which the individual is assigned for the election.

(4)

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(e)), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by striking Each State and inserting Except as provided in subsection (d)(4), each State.