# 119-s-5001: Ballots by Election Day Act

119-s-5001, Ballots by Election Day Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL] (R-FL); status introduced (as of 2026-09-24).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5001
- As of: 2026-09-24
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-5001
- Congress: 119
- Title: Ballots by Election Day Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-07-15
- Sponsor: Sen. Moody, Ashley [R-FL] (R-FL)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-24

## Summary

**This bill would require that ballots in federal elections be received by the close of polls on Election Day to be counted.** It adds a new section to the Help America Vote Act to make that receipt deadline a mandatory counting rule and phases the rule in starting with elections held in 2027. Absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act are exempt from the deadline. - Voters who use mail or absentee ballots would need to ensure their ballots arrive by polls closing on Election Day or risk not having them counted. This raises the importance of timely delivery and local return options. - Absent uniformed services and overseas voters keep their existing protections under UOCAVA and are not subject to the new receipt deadline. - State and local election officials would enforce the new deadline because HAVA enforcement is expanded to cover the added section 305, making missed receipt deadlines subject to HAVA remedies.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Mail ballots must arrive by Election Day: cost, high. This bill would require that all ballots for Federal office be received by the appropriate election official by the time polls close on Election Day to be counted. If you vote by mail or absentee, your ballot would need to arrive by that poll-closing time in order to be accepted for tabulation. The…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act
- 119-s-4328: FLEX Act

## Sources
- [119-s-5001 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5001)

## Related
- [119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2120)
- [119-s-1541: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1541)
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4378)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [119-s-4328: FLEX Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4328)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5001 (as of 2026-09-24).