SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Climate Resilient Elec-
tions Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress makes the following findings: 
(1) In January 2017, the Department of Home-
land Security determined that the Nation’s election 
infrastructure qualifies as critical infrastructure for 
national security purposes. 
(2) According to the Department of Homeland 
Security, ‘‘[t]his designation recognizes that the 
United States’ election infrastructure is of such vital 
importance to the American way of life that its inca-
pacitation or destruction would have a devastating 
effect on the country’’. 
(3) Election administration consistently faces 
substantial threats because of severe natural disas-
ters. Delayed elections or damaged or destroyed poll-
ing places, voting machines, ballots, or transpor-
tation and utility infrastructure may disenfranchise 
voters, undermine confidence in elections, or even 
alter election outcomes. 
(4) Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New 
York and New Jersey just days before the 2012 
presidential election, displacing as many as 776,000 
residents and causing unprecedented election admin-
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istration challenges. The jurisdictions most affected 
by Hurricane Sandy saw significantly worse voter 
turnout in the 2012 presidential election than those 
unaffected by the storm. 
(5) In 2016, California experienced 12 major 
fires in the three months leading up to Election 
Day. In 2018, the State experienced 15 major fires 
leading up to Election Day. These fires displaced 
voters, burned residences, and damaged polling sta-
tions. Climate change has extended wildfire season 
in the American west into the late Fall: On Novem-
ber 8, 2018, just two days after Election Day, the 
Camp Fire ignited, eventually claiming 85 lives and 
destroying over 18,000 structures—the deadliest fire 
in California history. Evacuation orders because of 
wildfires displace hundreds of thousands of voters 
each year, well into the days leading up to the elec-
tion. 
(6) In 2018, Hurricane Michael hit the Florida 
panhandle just 27 days before the midterm elections, 
causing at least 16 deaths, damaging or destroying 
an estimated 40,000 homes, and resulting in ap-
proximately $25 billion in damages. The destruction 
displaced tens of thousands of voters and forced the 
closure of polling places, significantly depressing 
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turnout amongst voters recovering from the hurri-
cane who were forced to travel longer distances to 
cast a ballot. 
(7) In 2021, Hurricane Ida forced the Governor 
of Louisiana to delay several elections, scheduled for 
October, and relocate and consolidate polling places 
due to devastating damage. In the hardest hit parts 
of the State, some voters had to cast their ballots in 
large tents because of the significant damage. 
(8) In 2022, voters in Kentucky displaced by 
tornadoes that ravaged the State in the months lead-
ing up to the primary election had to vote absentee 
in order to cast a ballot in their home counties. 
(9) Hurricane Helene caused significant dam-
age and devastation throughout the southeastern 
United States—particularly in Florida, Georgia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Vir-
ginia—when it made landfall in September 2024. 
The hurricane’s destruction was extreme, occurring 
during the early and mail voting period for the No-
vember 2024 elections and displacing thousands 
while disrupting mail services for countless voters 
who rely on the United States Postal Service to cast 
a ballot. 
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(10) Hurricane Milton caused billions of dollars 
in damage, spawned numerous deadly tornadoes, 
and displaced countless voters less than a month be-
fore the November 2024 elections. 
(11) The United States Election Assistance 
Commission has published a web page on contin-
gency planning to help election officials prepare for 
unexpected circumstances, including natural and 
other disasters. 
(12) The United States Forest Service has de-
clared that ‘‘[i]n the past 20 years, many States 
have had record catastrophic wildfires, harming peo-
ple, communities and natural resources and causing 
billions of dollars in damage. In running 5-year av-
erage number of structures destroyed by wildfires 
each year rose from 2,873 in 2014 to 12,255 in 
2020 – a fourfold increase in just six years’’. As 
these trends continue, the impacts of climate change 
on American lives and American infrastructure will 
grow. 
(13) The National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration has cautioned that ‘‘extreme weather 
events [caused by climate change] that bring heavy 
rains, floods, wind, snow, or temperature changes 
can stress existing structures and facilities. In-
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creased temperatures require more indoor cooling, 
which can put stress on an energy grid. Sudden 
heavy rainfall can lead to flooding that shuts down 
highways and major business areas’’. Each of these 
factors may strain election infrastructure if they 
occur during a voting period. 
(14) The Department of Defense has declared 
that ‘‘[r]ising temperatures, changing precipitation 
patterns, and more frequent, extreme, and unpre-
dictable weather conditions caused by climate change 
are worsening existing security risks and creating 
new challenges for the United States’’. These secu-
rity risks and challenges are amplified when they 
threaten the elections that form the bedrock of our 
Republic. 
(15) The Department of Energy has noted that 
‘‘severe weather—the leading cause of power outages 
and fuel supply disruption in the United States—is 
projected to worsen, with eight of the 10 most de-
structive hurricanes of all time having happened in 
the last 10 years’’. The catastrophic effects of severe 
weather threaten the sanctity of American elections, 
and we must ensure that our election systems are 
prepared for worsening climate change-based weath-
er events. 
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(16) The Department of the Interior has clari-
fied that ‘‘the climate crisis disproportionately af-
fects underserved communities’’. These communities 
already face significant barriers to the ballot. 
(17) President Trump’s budget request pro-
poses the elimination of the Election Security Grants 
funding program that supports State and local elec-
tion administration, in addition to drastic cuts to the 
Election Assistance Commission—cuts that would 
harm States’ ability to conduct secure, safe, and fair 
elections in the face of natural disasters. 
(18) It is incumbent upon election administra-
tors nationwide to ensure the resiliency of our elec-
tions—and through our elections, our very democ-
racy—in the face of the worsening climate crisis. 
SEC. 3. ENSURING ELECTION ADMINISTRATORS PREPARE 
AND RETAIN CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS 
PLANS FOR USE IN THE EVENT OF DISASTER. 
(a) REQUIREMENT.—Title IX of the Help America 
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21141 et seq.) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘SEC. 907. CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS PLAN REQUIRE-
MENT. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Each State that receives a grant 
or other payment under this Act after the date of the en-
actment of this section— 
‘‘(1) shall, not later than September 30, 2028, 
submit to the Commission a continuity of operations 
plan to ensure the successful administration of elec-
tions in the event of disaster, accounting for the dis-
asters most likely to occur in the jurisdiction of such 
recipient, including a major disaster (as defined in 
section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122)); 
‘‘(2) shall, not later than September 30, 2033, 
and not less frequently than every 5 years thereafter 
until September 30, 2043, update such plan to re-
flect evolving risks or changing conditions and 
promptly submit the updated version of such plan to 
the Commission; 
‘‘(3) may, after September 30, 2043, update 
such plan to reflect evolving risks or changing condi-
tions and submit the updated version of such plan 
to the Commission; 
‘‘(4) shall retain each plan submitted under 
paragraph (1), (2), or (3) until the date that is 5 
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years after the date such plan was submitted to the 
Commission; and 
‘‘(5) may coordinate with the Commission, 
other States, Tribal governments, units of local gov-
ernment, or other resources or entities when pre-
paring such plan. 
‘‘(b) PUBLICATION.—The Commission shall dissemi-
nate to the public (through the internet, published reports, 
and other methods the Commission considers appropriate) 
any continuity of operations plan received pursuant to this 
section, except that no information so disseminated may 
expose personally identifiable information or endanger na-
tional security, public infrastructure, or public safety.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
of such Act is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 906 the following new item: 
‘‘Sec. 907. Continuity of operations plan requirement.’’. 
SEC. 4. REPORT ON VOTER REGISTRATION AND FEDERAL 
ASSISTANCE FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRA-
TION IN THE EVENT OF A MAJOR DISASTER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct— 
(1) an analysis of the effect of natural disasters 
on voter registration rates in areas affected by such 
disasters; 
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(2) an analysis of ways that the Federal Gov-
ernment may better assist States and units of local 
government in the administration of elections in the 
event of a covered major disaster, including the ways 
existing Federal resources in regions potentially af-
fected by such a covered major disaster that are not 
allocated to life-saving or national security measures 
should be engaged to support election infrastructure; 
and 
(3) a study of legislative authorizations, if any 
are needed, that Congress may consider to ensure 
the efficient and effective deployment of emergency 
resources to support election infrastructure in the 
event that the President declares a covered major 
disaster. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than September 30, 2026, 
the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee 
on House Administration of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Rules and Administration of the 
Senate a report on the analysis and study required under 
subsection (a). 
(c) LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY.—No provision of 
this Act may be construed to authorize any power of the 
Federal Government to seize or hold any ballot or voting 
machine. 
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SEC. 5. GRANTS FOR STRENGTHENING AMERICAN ELEC-
TIONS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE-DRIVEN 
DISASTERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Election Assistance Commis-
sion shall make grants to assist States in strengthening 
the resiliency of State voting systems against potential 
covered major disasters to improve the quality, reliability, 
accuracy, accessibility, affordability, and security of voting 
equipment, election systems, and voting technology. 
(b) USE OF FUNDS.—A State shall use the funds 
provided under a grant made under this section to carry 
out one or more of the following activities: 
(1) Improving the administration of elections 
for Federal office with specific regard to disaster 
preparedness. 
(2) Educating voters concerning State plans for 
election administration during or immediately after 
a covered major disaster. 
(3) Training election officials, poll workers, and 
election volunteers with respect to disaster prepared-
ness. 
(4) Developing or publishing the continuity of 
operation plan required by section 3 of this Act. 
(5) Improving, acquiring, leasing, modifying, or 
replacing voting systems and technology and meth-
ods for casting and counting votes, provided that 
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such improvements, acquisitions, leases, modifica-
tions, or replacements will enhance the resiliency of 
a Federal election in the State. 
(6) Establishing or modifying a toll-free hotline 
that voters may use to obtain information on how 
and where to vote in the event of a covered major 
disaster. 
(c) LIMITATION.—A State may not use the funds pro-
vided under a grant made under this section— 
(1) to pay the costs associated with any litiga-
tion, except to the extend that such costs otherwise 
constitute permitted uses of a grant under this sec-
tion; 
(2) for the payment of any judgment; or 
(3) for any use that would violate a State or 
Federal court order. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this 
section— 
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; 
(2) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; 
(3) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2028; 
(4) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2029; and 
(5) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2030. 
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SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) COVERED
MAJOR
DISASTER.—The term 
‘‘covered major disaster’’ means a major disaster de-
clared by the President during the voting period of 
a Federal election pursuant to section 401 of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) in response to— 
(A) a natural catastrophe, including hurri-
cane, tornado, storm, high water, wind-driven 
water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic 
eruption, landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, ex-
treme heat, and drought; 
(B) a fire, flood, or explosion, regardless of 
cause; or 
(C) an act of terrorism. 
(2) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean-
ing given such term in section 901 of the Help 
America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21141). 
Æ 
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