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H.R. 4911: People Over Long Lines Act

This bill, titled the "People Over Long Lines Act" (POLL Act), seeks to improve voting experiences in elections for federal office by addressing long wait times at polling places. Below are key components of the bill:

Objective

The main goal of the bill is to ensure that voters do not have to wait longer than 30 minutes to cast their votes. It aims to promote equitable waiting times for all voters, including those with disabilities, thus enhancing voter participation and confidence in the electoral process.

State Responsibilities

Each state is required to create and publicly disclose a written plan detailing measures to achieve this goal:

Plans must be made public 60 days before each federal election and must provide an equitable waiting time for all voters.
States must consider feedback from the public concerning their plans to ensure community needs are met.

Management of Waiting Times

If a state does not meet the waiting time standard of 30 minutes, it is required to implement a remedial plan that includes:

A review of voter wait times after each federal election, with findings published for transparency.
A state remedial plan if substantial wait times or violations of standards are detected.
These plans will be coordinated with the Attorney General and the Election Commission to monitor compliance.

Emergency Procedures

The bill provides provisions for handling unexpected disruptions at polling places. In cases of equipment failure or significant delays, voters will have the option to use emergency paper ballots, which must be available in the same languages as regular ballots and include all necessary candidate information.

Civil Actions for Violations

The legislation also incorporates a private right of action, allowing voters who experience excessive waiting times to file lawsuits. If a court finds that a state violated the 30-minute rule, penalties can include:

A base fine, with additional penalties accumulating for each additional hour waited.
Recoverable attorney fees for those filing suit.

Minimum Requirements for Voting Resources

States will be mandated to allocate sufficient voting systems, poll workers, and other resources at each voting site based on established standards designed to ensure no excessively long waiting times occur.

Funding and Support to States

The bill also authorizes federal payments to states aimed at preventing long wait times. States must outline their plans for fund utilization and report on their implementation of the standards from the bill. An authorized funding amount of $500 million per fiscal year is designated to assist states in achieving the bill's objectives.

Campaign Activity Restrictions

To maintain impartiality in elections, the bill prohibits chief state election officials from participating in federal campaign activities where they have supervisory authority. Exceptions are made for cases involving personal conflicts of interest.

Implementation Timeline

All provisions of the bill will begin to take effect 180 days after its enactment, with requirements for voting systems and poll workers to be met starting January 1, 2027.