# 119-s-2576: Election Mail Act

119-s-2576, Election Mail Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN); status introduced (as of 2026-08-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2576
- As of: 2026-08-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2576
- Congress: 119
- Title: Election Mail Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-31
- Sponsor: Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-01

## Summary

**Modernize and protect mailed ballots** by requiring same-day USPS processing and national standards for tracking and acceptance, including intelligent mail barcodes, postmarks that show the mailed date, and a uniform 7-day receipt window after Election Day. - Absentee voters would get clearer tracking and more time for late-arriving ballots. Ballots postmarked by Election Day would be accepted if received within 7 days, starting with the November 2026 general election. - The Postal Service would be required to process received ballots the same day when practicable and to use intelligent mail barcodes on return envelopes beginning January 1, 2026. The bill also bans certain operational changes that could slow delivery within 120 days before an election and creates Election Mail Coordinators at area and district offices. - Tribal communities would gain an annual consultation with the Postal Service on voting barriers on Indian lands. States and election officials must follow new visibility and labeling rules for ballot trays and use Official Election Mail markings to improve handling.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Faster processing and postal protections: benefit, high. This bill would treat most election mail as first-class and, as much as practicable, require USPS to process mailed absentee ballots the same day a facility receives them. The Post Office would be barred from major operational changes that slow election mail in the 120 days before an election. USPS…
- Uniform late-arrival ballot rule: benefit, high. This bill would require states to accept a mailed federal ballot if USPS shows it was mailed on or before election day and it arrives within seven days after the election. States could still allow longer acceptance under their own laws. The Help America Vote Act enforcement tools would cover these…
- More tracking and visible ballots: benefit, medium. This bill would require return envelopes for federal ballots to include a USPS intelligent mail barcode, unless a state uses an approved alternative. The Postal Service would mark ballot envelopes with a postmark or other date showing when mailed. State and local officials would also need to label…
- No postage on returned ballots: benefit, low. This bill would let you mail a completed absentee or mail-in ballot without postage. It would not apply to ballots covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act. The free-postage rule would start after the 180-day period beginning on the bill's enactment.
- Annual tribal postal consultation: benefit, low. This bill would require the Postmaster General to meet each year with federally recognized Tribes about postal issues that make voting harder on Indian lands. It defines which lands and Tribes are covered. The consultations would begin when the bill is enacted.

## Related bills

- 119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026
- 119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026
- 119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-5283: Momnibus Act
- 119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-2576 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2576)

## Related
- [119-s-3923: Weather Research and Forecasting Innovation Reauthorization Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3923)
- [119-s-5071: Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5071)
- [119-s-2838: Protecting Our Democracy Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2838)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-5283: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5283)
- [119-s-4504: Full-Service Community School Expansion Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4504)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2576 (as of 2026-08-01).