I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1617 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to prohibit certain 
State election administration officials from actively participating in elec-
toral campaigns. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 25, 2015 
Mrs. DAVIS of California introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
the Committee on House Administration 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to 
prohibit certain State election administration officials 
from actively participating in electoral campaigns. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Election Integ-
rity Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds that— 
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(1) chief State election administration officials 
have served on political campaigns for Federal can-
didates whose elections those officials will supervise; 
(2) such partisan activity by the chief State 
election 
administration 
official, 
an 
individual 
charged with certifying the validity of an election, 
represents a fundamental conflict of interest that 
may prevent the official from ensuring a fair and ac-
curate election; 
(3) this conflict impedes the legal duty of chief 
State election administration officials to supervise 
Federal elections, undermines the integrity of Fed-
eral elections, and diminishes the people’s confidence 
in our electoral system by casting doubt on the re-
sults of Federal elections; 
(4) the Supreme Court has long recognized that 
Congress’s power to regulate Congressional elections 
under article I, section 4, clause 1 of the Constitu-
tion is both plenary and powerful; and 
(5) the Supreme Court and numerous appellate 
courts have recognized that the broad power given to 
Congress over congressional elections extends to 
Presidential elections. 
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SEC. 3. PROHIBITION ON CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY CHIEF 
STATE 
ELECTION 
ADMINISTRATION 
OFFI-
CIALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Federal Election 
Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 319 the following new 
section: 
‘‘CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES BY CHIEF STATE ELECTION 
ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS 
‘‘SEC. 319A. (a) PROHIBITION.—It shall be unlawful 
for a chief State election administration official to take 
an active part in political management or in a political 
campaign with respect to any election for Federal office 
over which such official has supervisory authority. 
‘‘(b) CHIEF STATE ELECTION ADMINISTRATION OF-
FICIAL.—The term ‘chief State election administration of-
ficial’ means the highest State official with responsibility 
for the administration of Federal elections under State 
law. 
‘‘(c) ACTIVE PART IN POLITICAL MANAGEMENT OR 
IN A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN.—The term ‘active part in po-
litical management or in a political campaign’ means— 
‘‘(1) serving as a member of an authorized com-
mittee of a candidate for Federal office; 
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‘‘(2) the use of official authority or influence 
for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the 
result of an election for Federal office; 
‘‘(3) the solicitation, acceptance, or receipt of a 
contribution from any person on behalf of a can-
didate for Federal office; and 
‘‘(4) any other act which would be prohibited 
under paragraph (2) or (3) of section 7323(b) of 
title 5, United States Code, if taken by an individual 
to whom such paragraph applies (other than any 
prohibition on running for public office). 
‘‘(d) EXCEPTION FOR CAMPAIGNS OF OFFICIAL OR 
IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—This section does not apply 
to a chief State election administration official with 
respect to an election for Federal office in which the 
official or an immediate family member of the offi-
cial is a candidate. 
‘‘(2) IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER DEFINED.— 
In paragraph (1), the term ‘immediate family mem-
ber’ means, with respect to a candidate, a father, 
mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband, 
wife, father-in-law, or mother-in-law.’’. 
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