II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5232 

To prohibit the unauthorized possession of a firearm at a Federal election 

site. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024 

Mr. MURPHY (for himself, Mr. CASEY, Mr. MARKEY, and Mrs. SHAHEEN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To prohibit the unauthorized possession of a firearm at a 

Federal election site. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Vote Without Fear 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON UNAUTHORIZED FIREARM POS7 SESSION AT A FEDERAL ELECTION SITE. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 44 of title 18, United 

9 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol10 lowing: 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 5232 IS

1 ‘‘§ 935. Prohibition on unauthorized firearm posses2 sion at a Federal election site 

3 ‘‘(a) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘Federal 

4 election site’ means a building or any part thereof at which 

5 an employee of the United States, a State, or a political 

6 subdivision thereof is engaged in— 

7 ‘‘(1) the administration of a polling place in an 

8 election for Federal office; or 

9 ‘‘(2) the processing or counting of ballots cast 

10 in such an election. 

11 ‘‘(b) POSSESSION OF FIREARM NEAR FEDERAL

12 ELECTION SITE.— 

13 ‘‘(1) OFFENSE.— 

14 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

15 subparagraph (B), it shall be unlawful for an 

16 individual to knowingly possess or cause to be 

17 present a firearm in, or within 100 yards of an 

18 entrance to, a place that the individual knows, 

19 or has reasonable cause to believe, is a Federal 

20 election site. 

21 ‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.—Subparagraph (A) 

22 shall not apply to— 

23 ‘‘(i) the possession of a firearm by a 

24 law enforcement officer employed by the 

25 United States, a State, or a political sub26 division thereof, or a private security guard 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 5232 IS

1 hired or arranged for by the owner or 

2 manager of a building in which there is a 

3 Federal election site, who is authorized by 

4 law to possess a firearm and who is on 

5 duty; 

6 ‘‘(ii) the possession of a firearm in a 

7 vehicle within 100 yards of an entrance to 

8 a Federal election site, if the firearm is not 

9 removed from the vehicle or brandished 

10 while the vehicle is in, or within 100 yards 

11 of the entrance to, a Federal election site; 

12 or 

13 ‘‘(iii) the otherwise lawful possession 

14 of a firearm in a place of residence, in a 

15 place of business, or on private property, 

16 in or within 100 yards of an entrance to 

17 a Federal election site. 

18 ‘‘(2) PENALTY.—Any individual who violates 

19 paragraph (1), or attempts to do so, shall be fined 

20 under this title, imprisoned not more than 1 year, or 

21 both. 

22 ‘‘(c) POSSESSION OF FIREARM NEAR FEDERAL

23 ELECTION SITE WITH INTENT FOR USE IN CRIME.— 

24 ‘‘(1) OFFENSE.—It shall be unlawful for an in25 dividual, with intent that a firearm be used in the 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 5232 IS

1 commission of a crime, to knowingly possess or 

2 cause to be present the firearm in, or within 100 

3 yards of an entrance to, a place that the individual 

4 knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, is a Fed5 eral election site. 

6 ‘‘(2) PENALTY.—Any individual who violates 

7 paragraph (1), or attempts to do so, shall be fined 

8 under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, 

9 or both. 

10 ‘‘(d) HOMICIDE.—An individual who kills any other 

11 individual in the course of a violation of subsection (b) 

12 or (c), or in the course of an attack on a Federal election 

13 site involving the use of a firearm, or attempts or con14 spires to do so, shall be punished as provided in— 

15 ‘‘(1) section 1111, in the case of murder (as de16 fined in that section); 

17 ‘‘(2) section 1112, in the case of manslaughter 

18 (as defined in that section); 

19 ‘‘(3) section 1113, in the case of attempt to 

20 commit murder or manslaughter (as those terms are 

21 so defined); or 

22 ‘‘(4) section 1117, in the case of conspiracy to 

23 commit murder (as so defined).’’. 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 5232 IS

1 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

2 for chapter 44 of title 18, United States Code, is amended 

3 by adding at the end the following: 

‘‘935. Prohibition on unauthorized firearm possession at a Federal election 

site.’’. 

Æ 


ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS