# 119-hr-4911: POLL Act 119-hr-4911, POLL Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA); status introduced (as of 2026-08-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4911 - As of: 2026-08-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: 119-hr-4911 - Congress: 119 - Title: POLL Act - Status: introduced - Introduced: 2025-08-05 - Sponsor: Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5] (D-GA) - Cosponsors: 39 - Policy area: Government Operations and Politics - Touches household money: no - Last recorded action: 2026-08-01 ## Summary **Cap long voter wait times** and provide federal funding and enforcement to prevent long lines in federal elections. The bill would set a 30‑minute waiting-time standard and require public state plans before each federal election. - Voters: Emergency paper ballots would be available when equipment or delays occur. Those ballots must include all candidate names, match languages used by other ballots, and would be counted like regular ballots. - States and local sites: States would have to publish plans 60 days before each federal election and meet minimum resources at every voting site, guided by standards the Attorney General and the Election Assistance Commission would issue within 6 months. - Election officials: The Chief State Election Administration Official would be barred from campaigning in federal races, with narrow recusal rules if an immediate family member is a candidate. - Enforcement and remedies: Individuals could sue in federal court for violations, with civil penalties set at a base $50 plus $50 per additional hour for wait breaches and higher penalties of $650 plus $150 per hour for intentional suppression. *Would authorize $500 million per year in new federal payments to states for wait-time prevention, increasing federal outlays.* ## Cosponsors (39) - Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30] (D-TX), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3] (D-AZ), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11] (D-OH), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7] (D-IN), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (D-NY), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20] (D-FL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17] (D-PA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37] (D-TX), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3] (D-PA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6] (D-LA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2] (D-AL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4] (D-IL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9] (D-TX), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1] (D-IL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4] (D-GA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8] (D-IL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12] (D-PA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (D-MA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4] (D-VA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10] (D-NJ), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5] (D-NY), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7] (D-MD), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (D-DC), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3] (D-IL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6] (D-OR), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] (D-IL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] (D-VA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7] (D-AL), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12] (D-CA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10] (D-WA), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13] (D-OH), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13] (D-MI), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2] (D-MS), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12] (D-MI), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2025-08-05T00:00:00.000Z - Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1] (D-MO), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z ## Provisions PRIA read - 30-minute limit on voting lines: benefit, high. This bill would cap waits at 30 minutes to vote in federal elections. Each State would need to publish a plan 60 days before each federal election to meet this goal. A draft plan would be public 30 days earlier for comments. States would also need a yearly plan to receive federal payments. These ru… - Federal grants to cut wait times: benefit, high. The bill would provide $500 million each year to help States cut voting wait times. Each eligible State would get a minimum share and a share based on its voting‑age population. States must file an annual plan and use the funds for wait‑time and resource rules. Payments would be made no later than… - Federal reviews and fixes for long lines: benefit, high. After each federal election, the Election Assistance Commission would review voter wait times and publish results. If many people waited over 60 minutes or standards were violated, the Attorney General would require a remedial plan. That duty would end after two straight regular general elections w… - Minimum voting machines and staff required: benefit, high. The Attorney General would set minimum numbers of voting machines, poll workers, and other resources within six months. States would have to meet these minimums at each voting site on election day and during early voting. The rules must consider population, turnout, disability and language needs, a… - Emergency paper ballots for delays: benefit, medium. If equipment fails or delays are unreasonable, people waiting would be told they can use an emergency paper ballot. Upon request, they would get the ballot and supplies to mark it. Ballots must list all federal candidates at that site and be in the same languages. They would be counted like regular… - Right to sue for long waits: benefit, medium. If you waited more than 30 minutes to vote in a federal election, you could sue in federal court. The basic penalty would be $50 plus $50 for each extra hour you waited. If the court finds intentional suppression or reckless disregard, the base would be $650 plus $150 per extra hour. Courts could a… - Ban campaigning by top election official: benefit, low. The top State election official would be barred from active political campaigning in federal elections they supervise. This includes serving on a candidate’s committee or soliciting donations. The ban would not apply if the official fully recuses and the replacement does not report to them. It woul… ## Related bills - 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act - 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act - 119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act - 119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act - 119-hr-15: Equality Act - 119-hr-4914: Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act ## Sources - [119-hr-4911 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4911) ## Related - [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973) - [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977) - [119-hr-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-51) - [119-hr-5390: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5390) - [119-hr-15: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-15) - [119-hr-4914: Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4914) - [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4911 (as of 2026-08-01).