Tagged: elections, voting, political campaign regulation

This resolution establishes the House Select Committee on Electoral Reform to examine current methods of electing Members of Congress, consider alternative methods of election, and report appropriate recommendations to Congress and the President.Specifically, the committee must (1) determine how alternative methods of election would affect the responsiveness, accountability, and functionality of Congress; (2) conduct hearings to take testimony and receive evidence from appropriate expert witnesses; and (3) examine federal barriers to state experimentation with alternative electoral systems. The committee must consider alternatives to current methods that include adopting multi-member congressional districts with proportional representation; adjusting the total number of Members of the House of Representatives; adopting alternative methods of voting (e.g., ranked-choice voting); and holding open and nonpartisan primaries.The committee shall be made up of 14 Members of Congress appointed by the Speaker of the House, 7 of whom shall be appointed in consultation with the minority leader. The committee's co-chairs shall be designated by the Speaker and minority leader, respectively. The resolution provides that the committee must hold its first meeting within 30 days after all of its members have been appointed.The committee shall issue its final report to Congress and the President within one year after the committee's first meeting.

Original Students Voicing Opinions in Today's Elections (VOTE) ActThis bill directs the Election Assistance Commission to carry out a pilot program providing funds, during FY2025, to local educational agencies (LEAs) for initiatives that provide 12th graders with voter registration information.LEAs must consult with their state and local election officials in developing the initiatives.

Election Day Act This bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday.

Let America Vote ActThis bill requires states to allow unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections for federal office. It also restricts certain federal election funding for states that allow noncitizens to vote in state or local elections.Specifically, each state must permit an unaffiliated voter who is registered to vote in a federal election held in the state to vote in any primary election for federal office. A state shall not permit an unaffiliated voter to vote in primary elections for more than one political party.The bill prohibits a state from (1) sharing unaffiliated voter information with a political party or any other person who may reasonably be expected to use the information for political purposes, including soliciting funds; or (2) treating an unaffiliated voter as a member of a political party for purposes of the state's official voter registration list.States must, in order to use federal election administration funds, certify their compliance with these unaffiliated voter requirements. Upon certification, the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must make five-year grants to the state for the costs of permitting unaffiliated voters to vote in primary elections.The bill specifically prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections. (Current federal law prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections.)A state may not use federal election administration funds unless the state certifies to the EAC that it does not permit a noncitizen to vote in state or local elections or vote on any ballot initiative or referendum held in the state.

Securing our Elections Act of 2025This bill establishes certain photo identification requirements for voting in federal elections.Specifically, the bill prohibits a state or local election official from providing a ballot for a federal election to an individual who does not present valid photo identification.Next, the bill outlines the availability of provisional ballots and the requirements for counting those ballots. In particular, an individual who does not present a valid photo identification must be permitted to cast a provisional ballot. However, an election official may not determine that the individual is eligible under state law to vote in the election unless, not later than three days after casting the provisional ballot, the individual presents (1) the identification required, or (2) an affidavit attesting that the individual does not possess the identification because of a religious objection to being photographed.An election official may not allow for voting methods other than in-person voting unless the individual submits the ballot with (1) a copy of their photo identification, or (2) the last four digits of their Social Security number with an affidavit attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain a copy. This prohibition shall not apply to overseas military voters.The bill also requires a state to provide an individual with a valid photo identification without charge if that individual presents an affidavit attesting to an inability to afford or otherwise obtain a valid photo identification.

Restoring Faith in Elections ActThis bill establishes certain standards for voting, including voting by mail, in federal elections. It also establishes certain requirements for voter registration and maintenance of official lists of eligible voters.First, the bill establishes certain requirements for voting by mail in federal elections, including by requiring mail-in ballots to be received by the time the polls close on election day.Additionally, the bill makes it unlawful to possess or return a mail-in ballot completed by another person (commonly referred to as ballot harvesting), with exceptions. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to one year, or both.Further, the bill establishes certain requirements for reporting results of federal elections, including by requiring states to count all eligible ballots within 24 hours after the election.Next, the bill provides for the automatic registration of eligible voters. The Election Assistance Commission must make grants to states to implement these automatic voter registration programs.It also requires states and jurisdictions to use standards that apply equally to all methods of voting used in federal elections, including standards related to signature verification.Finally, the bill establishes the National Deconfliction Voting Database and Clearinghouse to serve as a database and clearinghouse for voter registration records and lists of eligible voters. Additionally, each state must certify that it has removed ineligible voters from the official list of eligible voters prior to the federal election.

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE ActThis bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources.Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters.The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.The bill establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses, including registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.

Mobilizing and Enhancing Georgia’s Options for Building Accountability, Resilience, and Independence Act or the MEGOBARI ActThis bill requires the President to impose sanctions on certain foreign persons, including Georgian government officials, who are undermining Georgia's security or stability.Specifically, the bill requires the President to impose visa-blocking sanctions and authorizes the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person the President determines is involved with actions or policies to undermine Georgia's security or stability. Immediate family members of a sanctioned individual are also subject to these sanctions if they benefited from the sanctioned individual's conduct. The bill also requires the President to impose visa-blocking sanctions on the following foreign persons if the President determines such persons knowingly engaged in significant acts of corruption or acts of violence or intimidation in relation to the blocking of Euro-Atlantic integration in Georgia: any individual who served as a member of the Georgian parliament or as a senior official of a Georgian political party on or after January 1, 2014;any individual who is serving as an official in a leadership position on behalf of the Georgian government; andany immediate family member of such officials who benefited from their conduct.Additionally, for the purpose of potential imposition of sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the President must determine whether there are foreign persons who, on or after the bill's enactment, have engaged in (1) significant corruption in Georgia, or (2) acts to undermine Georgia's security or stability.

Washington, D.C. Admission ActThis bill provides for the establishment of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, and its admission into the United States.The state is composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding a specified area that encompasses the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court building, federal monuments, and federal office buildings adjacent to the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. The excluded territory shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of the government of the United States, as provided for in Article I of the Constitution. The state may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits.The bill provides for the DC Mayor to issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. The bill eliminates the office of Delegate to the House of Representatives.The bill applies current DC laws to the state. DC judicial proceedings and contractual obligations shall continue under the state’s authority. The bill also provides for specified federal obligations to transfer to the state upon its certification that it has funds and laws in place to assume the obligations. These include maintaining a retirement fund for judges and operating public defender services. The bill establishes a commission that is generally comprised of members who are appointed by DC and federal government officials to advise on an orderly transition to statehood.

This bill repeals the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The act established certain voter registration requirements for federal elections, such as the requirement for states to allow individuals to register to vote when they apply for a driver's license.

Voter Integrity Protection Act This bill imposes additional immigration-related penalties for non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who vote in an election for federal office. It shall be an aggravated felony for a non-U.S. national who is unlawfully present to violate an existing prohibition against a non-U.S. national voting in a federal election. (An aggravated felony conviction carries various immigration consequences, such as rendering the non-U.S. national inadmissible, deportable, and barred from establishing good moral character for naturalization.) A non-U.S. national who is unlawfully present and who knowingly violates the prohibition against voting in a federal election shall be deportable.

Drain the Intelligence Community Swamp Act of 2025This bill revokes the security clearances of 51 individuals who signed a statement titled Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails and dated October 19, 2020. It also (1) specifies that a security clearance may not be granted or renewed for any of them, and (2) requires the Departments of Defense and Justice to investigate these individuals.