Voting materials postage

(a) Prepayment of postage on return envelopes (1) In general Subtitle A of title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as amended by section 131(a), section 201(a), section 202(a), section 203(a)(1), section 204(a), section 801(a), section 901(a), section 902(a), and section 903(b), is amended— (A) by redesignating sections 314 and 315 as sections 315 and 316, respectively; and (B) by inserting after section 313 the following new section: 314. Prepayment of postage on return envelopes for voting materials (a) Provision of return envelopes (1) In general The appropriate State or local election official shall provide a self-sealing return envelope with— (A) any voter registration application form transmitted to a registrant by mail; (B) any application for an absentee ballot transmitted to an applicant by mail; and (C) any blank absentee ballot transmitted to a voter by mail. (2) Reasonable efforts A State shall be treated as meeting the requirements of paragraph (1) if the State makes all reasonable efforts to provide self-sealing return envelopes as provided in such paragraph. (b) Prepayment of postage Consistent with regulations of the United States Postal Service, the State or the unit of local government responsible for the administration of the election involved shall prepay the postage on any envelope provided under subsection (a). (c) No effect on ballots or balloting materials transmitted to absent military and overseas voters Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the treatment of any ballot or balloting materials transmitted to an individual who is entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.). (d) Effective date This section shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of the enactment of this section, except that State and local jurisdictions shall make arrangements with the United States Postal Service to pay for all postage costs that such jurisdictions would be required to pay under this section if this section took effect on the date of enactment.. (2) Clerical amendments The table of contents of such Act, as amended by section 131(c), section 201(d), section 202(c), section 203(a)(3), section 204(c), section 801(c), section 901(b), section 902(c), and section 903(b), is amended— (A) by redesignating the items relating to sections 314 and 315 as relating to sections 315 and 316, respectively; and (B) by inserting after the item relating to section 313 the following new item: Sec. 314. Prepayment of postage on return envelopes for voting materials.. (b) Role of United States Postal Service (1) In general Chapter 34 of title 39, United States Code, as amended by section 903(a), is amended by inserting after section 3407 the following: 3408. Carriage of voting materials (a) Treatment as first-Class mail Any voter registration application, absentee ballot application, or absentee ballot with respect to any election for Federal office shall be carried in accordance with the service standards established for first-class mail, regardless of the class of postage prepaid. (b) Definitions As used in this section, the terms absentee ballot and election for Federal office have the meanings given those terms in section 3407. (c) Rule of construction Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the treatment of any ballot or balloting materials transmitted to an individual who is entitled to vote by absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20301 et seq.).. (2) Clerical amendment The table of sections for chapter 34 of such title, as amended by section 903(a), is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 3407 the following: 3408. Carriage of voting materials..