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H.R. 411 114th Congress House

Streamlined and Improved Methods at Polling Locations and Early (SIMPLE) Voting Act of 2015

Official title: To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to promote early voting in elections for Federal office and to prevent unreasonable waiting times for voters at poll… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to promote early voting in elections for Federal office and to prevent unreasonable waiting times for voters at polling places used in such elections, and for other purposes.

Introduced: January 20, 2015 Introduced by: Steve Cohen Democratic · Tennessee See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCivil actions and liabilityCongressional electionsCongressional oversight
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Elections, voting, political campaign regulationFederal Election Commission (FEC)Legal fees and court costsPublic transitState and local government operationsVoting rights
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 20, 2015
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Jan 20, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action January 20, 2015

Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Streamlined and Improved Methods at Polling Locations and Early (SIMPLE) Voting Act of 2015

Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) to require each state to allow individuals to vote in a federal election on each day during the 15-day period ending on the second day immediately preceding the election date in the same manner as voting is allowed on election day.

Requires a state to ensure that each polling place that allows early voting in a federal election is located within reasonable walking distance of a stop on a public transportation route.

Requires the Election Assistance Commission to issue standards for the administration of early voting in a federal election.

Requires each state to provide a sufficient number of voting systems, poll workers, and other election resources (including physical resources) at a polling place used in a federal election to ensure: (1) a fair and equitable waiting time for all voters in the state, and (2) that no individual will be required to wait longer than one hour to cast a ballot at the polling place.

Requires each state to develop, and implement to the greatest extent practicable, a contingency plan under which it shall provide any polling place on a federal election day whose waiting times exceed one hour with additional poll workers, machines, ballots, and other equipment and supplies, including a polling place at which individuals may cast ballots before the election date.

Requires the Commission to report to Congress biennially on the impact of this Act's early voting and waiting time provisions on the administration of elections for federal office.

Prescribes requirements for the counting of provisional ballots that will be treated as votes.

Allows civil money penalties, intervention by aggrieved parties, and private actions to address HAVA violations by a state or jurisdiction.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 411: Streamlined and Improved Methods at Polling Locations and Early (SIMPLE) Voting Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-411/
MLA
"H.R. 411: Streamlined and Improved Methods at Polling Locations and Early (SIMPLE) Voting Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-411/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 411, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-411/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 411: Streamlined and Improved Methods at Polling Locations and Early (SIMPLE) Voting Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-411/)
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