United States Code

52 U.S.C. § 10305

Use of observers

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Bills that would change it 21

  • HR 9222 Drain the Swamp Act Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • S 2523 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • HR 14 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 119th Congress
  • S 4 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2024 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 14 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 118th Congress
  • HR 7905 Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 5008 Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act of 2021 Amends 10305(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 5746 Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • S 4 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 4 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • S 2702 Frank Harrison, Elizabeth Peratrovich, and Miguel Trujillo Native American Voting Rights Act of 2021 Amends 10305(a) · introduced · 117th Congress
  • HR 4 Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 1799 Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2019 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 1694 Native American Voting Rights Act of 2019 Amends 10305(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • S 739 Native American Voting Rights Act of 2019 Amends 10305(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • S 561 Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2019 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 116th Congress
  • HR 5785 Jobs and Justice Act of 2018 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 5297 To make technical amendments to update statutory references to certain provisions classified to title 52, United States Code. Amends · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 3239 Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2017 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • HR 2978 Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 115th Congress
  • S 1419 Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2017 Amends 10305(a)(2)(B), 10305(a) · introduced · 115th Congress

The law today

From the official United States Code, current through Public Law 119-121.

(a) Assignment Whenever— (1) a court has authorized the appointment of observers under section 10302(a) of this title for a political subdivision; or (2) the Attorney General certifies with respect to any political subdivision named in, or included within the scope of, determinations made under section 10303(b) of this title, unless a declaratory judgment has been rendered under section 10303(a) of this title, that— (A) the Attorney General has received written meritorious complaints from residents, elected officials, or civic participation organizations that efforts to deny or abridge the right to vote under the color of law on account of race or color, or in contravention of the guarantees set forth in section 10303(f)(2) of this title are likely to occur; or (B) in the Attorney General’s judgment (considering, among other factors, whether the ratio of nonwhite persons to white persons registered to vote within such subdivision appears to the Attorney General to be reasonably attributable to violations of the 14th or 15th amendment or whether substantial evidence exists that bona fide efforts are being made within such subdivision to comply with the 14th or 15th amendment), the assignment of observers is otherwise necessary to enforce the guarantees of the 14th or 15th amendment; the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall assign as many observers for such subdivision as the Director may deem appropriate. (b) Status Except as provided in subsection (c), such observers shall be assigned, compensated, and separated without regard to the provisions of any statute administered by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and their service under chapters 103 to 107 of this title shall not be considered employment for the purposes of any statute administered by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, except the provisions of section 7324 of title 5 prohibiting partisan political activity. (c) Designation The Director of the Office of Personnel Management is authorized to, after consulting the head of the appropriate department or agency, designate suitable persons in the official service of the United States, with their consent, to serve in these positions. (d) Authority Observers shall be authorized to— (1) enter and attend at any place for holding an election in such subdivision for the purpose of observing whether persons who are entitled to vote are being permitted to vote; and (2) enter and attend at any place for tabulating the votes cast at any election held in such subdivision for the purpose of observing whether votes cast by persons entitled to vote are being properly tabulated. (e) Investigation and report Observers shall investigate and report to the Attorney General, and if the appointment of observers has been authorized pursuant to section 10302(a) of this title, to the court.
Official text at uscode.house.gov ↗