Subtitle E—Prohibition on Federal 
Agency Political Activities 
SEC. 151. PROHIBITING POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN FEDERAL 
AGENCIES. 
(a) PROHIBITIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Except as specifically au-
thorized by law, a Federal agency may not register 
an individual to vote in an election for Federal of-
fice. 
(2) AGREEMENTS
WITH
NONGOVERNMENTAL 
ORGANIZATIONS.—None of the funds made available 
for the salaries and expenses of a Federal agency 
may be used to solicit or enter into an agreement 
with a nongovernmental organization to conduct 
voter registration or voter mobilization activities, in-
cluding registering voters or providing any person 
with voter registration materials, absentee or vote- 
by-mail ballot applications, voting instructions, or 
candidate-related information, on the property or 
website of the Federal agency. 
(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO 
VOTER REGISTRATION AGENCIES.—Section 7 of the 
National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. 
20506) is amended— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00068
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(A) in subsection (a)(3)(B)(ii), by striking 
‘‘Federal and’’; and 
(B) by amending subsection (b) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(b) PRIVATE SECTOR COOPERATION.—All non-
governmental entities are encouraged, to the great-
est extent practicable, to cooperate with the States 
in carrying out subsection (a).’’. 
(b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion or the amendments made by this section may be con-
strued to prohibit a Federal agency from providing infor-
mation to a State or local election official relating to the 
eligibility of any individual to register to vote in elections 
for Federal office, including information on an individual’s 
citizenship status. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—The prohibitions under this section 
shall not apply to voter registration activities with respect 
to absent uniformed services voters (as such term is de-
fined in section 107(1) of the Uniformed and Overseas 
Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20310(1))). 
(d) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Federal 
agency’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘agency’’ in sec-
tion 3502(1) of title 44, United States Code. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00069
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
TITLE II—ELECTION 
ADMINISTRATION 
Subtitle A—Improving 
Administration of Elections 
SEC. 201. USE OF HAVA FUNDS FOR POST-ELECTION AU-
DITS OF RESULTS. 
(a) AUTHORIZING USE OF FUNDS.—Section 251(b) 
of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
21001(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘paragraphs 
(2) and (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (2), (3), and 
(4)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS FOR CONDUCTING POST- 
ELECTION AUDITS OF RESULTS.—A State may use 
a requirements payment to conduct a post-election 
audit of the results of an election for Federal office 
if the State completes and releases the results of the 
audit prior to the applicable deadline for filing a 
challenge to the results of the election.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
subsection (a) shall apply with respect to payments made 
for fiscal year 2026 or any succeeding fiscal year. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00070
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
Subtitle B—Treatment of Ballots 
SEC. 211. REQUIRING PAPER BALLOTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 301(a)(2) of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(2)) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(2) PAPER BALLOT REQUIREMENT.— 
‘‘(A) 
VOTER-VERIFIABLE
PAPER
BAL-
LOTS.— 
‘‘(i) The voting system shall require 
the use of a paper ballot manually marked 
by the voter or a paper ballot marked 
through the use of a nontabulating ballot 
marking device or system, so long as the 
voter shall have the option at every in-per-
son voting location to manually mark a 
printed ballot that includes all relevant 
contests and candidates. 
‘‘(ii) The paper ballot shall be marked 
by the voter and presented to the voter for 
verification before the voter’s ballot is pre-
served in accordance with subparagraph 
(B), and shall be counted manually or by 
counting device or read by a ballot tabula-
tion device. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00071
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘(iii) The voting system shall provide 
the voter with an opportunity to correct 
any error on the paper ballot before the 
permanent voter-verifiable paper ballot is 
preserved in accordance with subparagraph 
(B). 
‘‘(iv) The voting system shall not pre-
serve the voter-verifiable paper ballots in 
any manner that makes it possible, at any 
time after the ballot has been cast, to asso-
ciate a voter with the record of the voter’s 
vote selections. 
‘‘(v) The voting system shall prevent, 
through mechanical means or through 
independently 
verified 
protections, 
the 
modification or addition of vote selections 
on a printed or marked ballot at any time 
after the voter has been provided an oppor-
tunity to correct errors on the ballot pur-
suant to clause (ii). 
‘‘(B) 
PRESERVATION
AS
OFFICIAL 
RECORD.—The paper ballot required under sub-
paragraph (A) shall constitute the official ballot 
and shall be preserved and used as the official 
ballot for purposes of any recount or audit con-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00072
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
ducted with respect to any election for Federal 
office in which the voting system is used. 
‘‘(C) MANUAL AUDIT SUITABILITY.—Each 
paper ballot used pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
shall be suitable for a manual audit. 
‘‘(D) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The require-
ments of this paragraph shall take effect on the 
date that is 30 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT CLARIFYING APPLI-
CABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE LANGUAGE ACCESSIBILITY.— 
Section 301(a)(4) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 21081(a)(4)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘(including the paper ballots re-
quired under paragraph (2))’’ after ‘‘voting system’’. 
SEC. 212. LIMITATION ON POSSESSION OF MAIL-IN BAL-
LOTS. 
(a) LIMITATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be unlawful for an 
individual to distribute, order, request, deliver, or 
possess— 
(A) any ballot not associated with— 
(i) such individual; 
(ii) an immediate family member of 
such individual; or 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00073
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(iii) another individual for whom such 
individual is a caregiver; and 
(B) more than 4 mail-in ballots for an 
election for Federal office at a time. 
(2) INCIDENTAL POSSESSION EXCEPTED.—The 
limitation under paragraph (1) shall not apply to the 
incidental possession of mail-in ballots by a postal 
worker or election official acting within the scope of 
the official capacity of such postal worker or election 
official. 
(3) PENALTY.—An individual who knowingly 
receives, accepts, or agrees to receive or accept any-
thing of value, personally or for any other person, in 
return for distributing, ordering, requesting, deliv-
ering, or possessing a mail-in ballot in violation of 
paragraph (1) shall be fined in an amount not ex-
ceeding $25,000, or imprisoned not more than 5 
years, or both. 
(b) FORM REQUIRED FOR BALLOT RETURN.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—An individual may not re-
turn a mail-in ballot not associated with such indi-
vidual, unless such individual— 
(A) presents to an election official acting 
within the scope of the official capacity of such 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00074
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
official a government-issued photo identification 
of such individual; and 
(B) provides to such election official, to-
gether with such ballot, a completed affidavit 
described in paragraph (2) that— 
(i) is signed by the voter with whom 
the ballot is associated, or if such voter 
cannot write because of a physical handi-
cap or illiteracy, bears the mark of such 
voter and the signature of a witness to the 
making of the mark; and 
(ii) is signed by such individual, or if 
such individual cannot write because of a 
physical handicap or illiteracy, bears the 
mark of such individual and the signature 
of a witness to the making of the mark. 
(2) AFFIDAVIT DESCRIBED.—The affidavit de-
scribed in this section is a form that— 
(A) is prescribed by the Election Assist-
ance Commission; and 
(B) includes a space for an election official 
to record the form of identification presented 
pursuant to paragraph (1)(A). 
(3) PRESERVATION
OF
RECORDS.—Each au-
thorization form provided pursuant to paragraph 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00075
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(1)(B) must be preserved for at least 2 years as part 
of the record of the election, and the county board 
of voter registration and elections must note the 
time and date of receipt of the authorization form, 
the name of the individual providing the authoriza-
tion form, the relationship of the individual to the 
voter, and the form of identification presented pur-
suant to paragraph (1)(A). 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) CAREGIVER.—The term ‘‘caregiver’’ means 
an individual who provides frequent and regular 
medical or health care assistance to a person in a 
residence, nursing care institution, hospice facility, 
assisted living center, assisted living facility, assisted 
living home, or residential care institution. 
(2) IMMEDIATE
FAMILY
MEMBER.—The term 
‘‘immediate family member’’ means the spouse, par-
ent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the 
individual or of the spouse of the individual. 
SEC. 213. PROHIBITING STATES FROM USING RANKED 
CHOICE VOTING IN GENERAL ELECTIONS 
FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Subtitle A of title III of the 
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.) 
is amended— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00076
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(1) by redesignating sections 305 and 306 as 
sections 306 and 307, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 304 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 305. PROHIBITING STATES FROM USING CERTAIN 
VOTING SYSTEMS WITH RESPECT TO A GEN-
ERAL ELECTION FOR FEDERAL OFFICE. 
‘‘A State may not carry out a general election for 
Federal office in the State using a voting system that— 
‘‘(1) permits a voter to vote for more than one 
candidate for the same office; 
‘‘(2) permits a voter to rank multiple can-
didates for the same office; or 
‘‘(3) reallocates the vote of a voter from one 
candidate to another candidate for the same office.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 305 and 306 as relating to sections 306 and 
307, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 304 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 305. Prohibiting States from using certain voting systems with respect to 
a general election for Federal office.’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00077
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6211
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply with respect to Federal elections 
held on or after the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 214. ABOLISHING UNIVERSAL VOTE BY MAIL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—A State may only provide a mail- 
in ballot for an election for Federal office to a voter upon 
request of the voter submitted electronically or by postal 
mail using a standardized form described in subsection 
(b). 
(b) FORM OF REQUEST.—A standardized form de-
scribed in this subsection— 
(1) has been approved for such requests by the 
appropriate chief State election official; and 
(2) enables the appropriate election official to 
confirm— 
(A) the identity of the individual submit-
ting the request; 
(B) that the individual is validly registered 
and eligible to vote in the jurisdiction for which 
the request is submitted; and 
(C) that the individual resides at the phys-
ical address for which the individual is reg-
istered to vote (if different than the mailing ad-
dress where the ballot is requested to be sent). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00078
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(c) DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION.—Such request must 
be submitted and received by the appropriate State elec-
tion official not later than 30 days before the date of each 
election for Federal office. 
(d) EXCEPTION.—The requirements of subsection (a) 
shall not apply with respect to ballots provided to an over-
seas voter or absent uniformed services voter (as such 
terms are defined in section 107 of the Uniformed and 
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 
20310)). 
SEC. 215. BARCODE TRACKING FOR MAIL-IN BALLOTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title 39, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after chapter 30 the following new 
chapter: 
‘‘CHAPTER 31—ELECTION MAIL 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘3101. Trackable election mail. 
‘‘§ 3101. Trackable election mail 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—No entity of government shall 
furnish a ballot envelope for the purpose of being carried 
or delivered by mail unless such envelope— 
‘‘(1) contains a Postal Service barcode (or suc-
cessive service or marking) that enables tracking of 
each individual ballot consistent with parameters 
that the Postal Service may promulgate by regula-
tion; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00079
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘(2) satisfies requirements for ballot envelope 
design that the Postal Service may promulgate by 
regulation; 
‘‘(3) satisfies requirements for machineable let-
ters that the Postal Service may promulgate by reg-
ulation; and 
‘‘(4) includes the Official Election Mail Logo 
(or any successor label that the Postal Service may 
establish for ballots). 
‘‘(b) APPLICATION.—Subsection (a) does not apply to 
a Federal write-in absentee ballot under section 103 of 
the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act 
(52 U.S.C. 20303). 
‘‘(c) INFORMATION.—Not later than June 1 of each 
calendar year, the Postmaster General shall provide, to the 
entities described in the matter preceding paragraph (1) 
of subsection (a), the information necessary to comply 
with the requirements of this subsection, including how 
to access Postal Service tools to assist in generating the 
barcode or successive marking required by subsection 
(a)(1).’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of chapters 
for part IV of title 39, United States Code, is amended 
by adding after the item relating to chapter 30 the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘31. Election Mail .............................................................................. 3101’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00080
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6211
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendment made by sub-
section (a) shall apply to any election for Federal office 
occurring on or after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 216. RECEIPT, PROCESSING, AND COUNTING OF AB-
SENTEE AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 20901 et seq.), as amended 
by section 214(a), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 306 and 307 as 
sections 307 and 308, respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after section 305 the following 
new section: 
‘‘SEC. 306. RECEIPT, PROCESSING, AND COUNTING OF AB-
SENTEE AND MAIL-IN BALLOTS. 
‘‘(a) DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF BALLOTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—To be considered validly 
cast and eligible to be counted in an election for 
Federal office, an absentee or mail-in ballot must be 
received by the appropriate election official no later 
than the time polls close on the date of the election 
and, in the case of a general election for Federal of-
fice, no later than the time polls close on the date 
established under section 25 of the Revised Statutes 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00081
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
of the United States (2 U.S.C. 7) for each general 
election for Federal office. 
‘‘(2) UNTIMELY BALLOT.—No State may accept 
for tabulation an absentee or mail-in ballot that is 
received by the appropriate election official following 
the time polls close on the date of the election. 
‘‘(3) EXCEPTION.—The deadline described in 
subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to ballots 
cast by absent uniformed services voter or overseas 
voters, as defined in section 107 of the Uniformed 
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 
U.S.C. 20310). 
‘‘(b) BALLOTS PROCESSED UPON RECEIPT.—The 
chief State election official shall ensure that mail-in ballots 
cast in an election for Federal office and received prior 
to the date of the election shall be processed upon receipt 
(except in the case of a mail-in ballot received prior to 
the date that is 22 days before the date of the election, 
no earlier than the date that is 22 days before the date 
of the election), including— 
‘‘(1) reviewing the ballots for defects that re-
quire curing; and 
‘‘ (2) any other action necessary to prepare the 
ballots to be counted. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00082
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
‘‘(c) TABULATION OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS.—The chief 
State election official shall ensure that mail-in ballots in 
an election for Federal office are not counted for the pur-
pose of determining and reporting election results before 
the time polls close on the date of the election. 
‘‘(d) PAYMENTS
WITHHELD
FOR
NONCOMPLI-
ANCE.—If the Attorney General determines that a State 
is not in compliance with this section with respect to an 
election for Federal office— 
‘‘(1) no payment described in section 101(a) 
may be made to such State; and 
‘‘(2) such State shall return any such payment 
made to such State during the period when such 
State was not in compliance with this section, as de-
termined by the Attorney General. 
‘‘(e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall apply 
with respect to elections for Federal office held in 2027 
or any succeeding year.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act, as amended by section 214(c), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sec-
tions 306 and 307 as relating to sections 307 and 
308, respectively; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00083
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS
(2) by inserting after the item relating to sec-
tion 305 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 306. Receipt, processing, and counting of mail-in ballots.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:20 Jan 31, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00084
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H7300.IH
H7300
ssavage on LAPJG3WLY3PROD with BILLS