Ballots by Election Day Act
Sponsored By: Representative Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15]
Introduced
Summary
Would require that all ballots for Federal elections, including absentee and mail ballots, be received by election officials by the time polls close on Election Day.
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It would add that receipt deadline to the Help America Vote Act's list of enforceable provisions, preserve an exception for absent uniformed services and overseas voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA), and apply beginning with Federal elections in 2027.
- Voters and households: Mail and absentee voters would need to make sure ballots arrive by polls closing or those ballots could not be counted. This creates a single nationwide receipt deadline.
- State and local election officials: States would be barred from tabulating ballots received after polls close and would need to update counting and processing rules to comply with the new HAVA requirement.
- Military and overseas voters: Ballots from absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters covered by UOCAVA are explicitly exempt from the receipt deadline.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New federal deadline for mail ballots
This bill would require that all ballots for Federal office, including absentee and mail ballots, be received by election officials no later than the time the polls close on election day. For general Federal elections the deadline would follow the polls-closing time set under 2 U.S.C. 7. The rule would take effect for Federal elections held in 2027 and after. Ballots received after polls close could not be counted, but ballots from absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters under UOCAVA would be exempt. The bill would also add this deadline to the Help America Vote Act so HAVA enforcement tools could be used for disputes about late ballots.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Lee, Laurel M. [R-FL-15]
FL • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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