2012 US Code
Title 42 - The Public Health and Welfare
Chapter 20 - ELECTIVE FRANCHISE (§§ 1971 - 1974e)
Subchapter I-H - NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION (§§ 1973gg - 1973gg-10)
Section 1973gg - Findings and purposes

The Congress finds that—

(1) the right of citizens of the United States to vote is a fundamental right;

(2) it is the duty of the Federal, State, and local governments to promote the exercise of that right; and

(3) discriminatory and unfair registration laws and procedures can have a direct and damaging effect on voter participation in elections for Federal office and disproportionately harm voter participation by various groups, including racial minorities.

The purposes of this subchapter are—

(1) to establish procedures that will increase the number of eligible citizens who register to vote in elections for Federal office;

(2) to make it possible for Federal, State, and local governments to implement this subchapter in a manner that enhances the participation of eligible citizens as voters in elections for Federal office;

(3) to protect the integrity of the electoral process; and

(4) to ensure that accurate and current voter registration rolls are maintained.

(Pub. L. 103–31, §2, May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 77.)

This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 103–31, May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 77, as amended, which is classified principally to this subchapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1971 of this title and Tables.

Pub. L. 103–31, §13, May 20, 1993, 107 Stat. 89, provided that: “This Act [see Short Title note set out under section 1971 of this title] shall take effect—

“(1) with respect to a State that on the date of enactment of this Act [May 20, 1993] has a provision in the constitution of the State that would preclude compliance with this Act unless the State maintained separate Federal and State official lists of eligible voters, on the later of—

“(A) January 1, 1996; or

“(B) the date that is 120 days after the date by which, under the constitution of the State as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act, it would be legally possible to adopt and place into effect any amendments to the constitution of the State that are necessary to permit such compliance with this Act without requiring a special election; and

“(2) with respect to any State not described in paragraph (1), on January 1, 1995.”

This subchapter is known as the “National Voter Registration Act of 1993”, see Short Title note set out under section 1971 of this title.

Pub. L. 104–132, title IX, §902, Apr. 24, 1996, 110 Stat. 1317, provided that: “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a Federal, State, or local government agency may not use a voter registration card (or other related document) that evidences registration for an election for Federal office, as evidence to prove United States citizenship.”

Similar provisions were contained in section 117 of H.R. 2076, One Hundred Fourth Congress, as passed by the House of Representatives on Dec. 6, 1995, and as enacted into law by Pub. L. 104–91, title I, §101(a), Jan. 6, 1996, 110 Stat. 11, as amended by Pub. L. 104–99, title II, §211, Jan. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 37.