I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5274 
To promote international exchanges on best election practices, cultivate more 
secure democratic institutions around the world, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2018 
Mr. CASTRO of Texas (for himself, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. PRICE of North Caro-
lina, and Mr. ROSKAM) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To promote international exchanges on best election prac-
tices, cultivate more secure democratic institutions 
around the world, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Global Electoral Ex-
change Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) recent elections globally have illustrated the 
urgent need for the promotion and exchange of 
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international best election practices, particularly in 
the areas of cybersecurity, results transmission, 
transparency of electoral data, election dispute reso-
lution, and the elimination of discriminatory reg-
istration practices and other electoral irregularities; 
(2) the advancement of democracy worldwide 
promotes American interests, as stable democracies 
provide new market opportunities, improve global 
health outcomes, and promote economic freedom and 
regional security; 
(3) credible elections are the cornerstone of a 
healthy democracy and enable all persons to exercise 
their basic human right to have a say in how they 
are governed; 
(4) inclusive elections strengthen the credibility 
and stability of democracies more broadly, as demo-
cratic institutions flourish when representative of all 
groups of society; 
(5) at the heart of a strong election cycle is the 
professionalism of the election management body 
and an empowered civil society; and 
(6) the development of local expertise via peer- 
to-peer learning and exchanges promotes the inde-
pendence of such bodies from internal and external 
influence. 
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SEC. 3. GLOBAL ELECTORAL EXCHANGE. 
(a) GLOBAL
ELECTORAL
EXCHANGE.—The Sec-
retary of State shall establish and administer a Global 
Electoral Exchange Program to promote the utilization of 
sound election administration practices in the United 
States and foreign countries. 
(b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Global Electoral 
Exchange Program described in subsection (a) shall in-
clude the promotion and exchange of international best 
election practices, including in the areas of cybersecurity, 
results transmission, transparency of electoral data, elec-
tion dispute resolution, the elimination of discriminatory 
registration practices and electoral irregularities, and 
other sound election administration practices. 
(c) EXCHANGE OF ELECTORAL AUTHORITIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State may, 
in consultation, as appropriate, with the United 
States Agency for International Development and re-
gionally focused independent agencies, make grants 
to any United States-based organization described in 
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986 and exempt from tax under section 501(a) of 
such Code with experience in comparative election 
systems or subject matter expertise in the areas of 
election administration or electoral integrity that 
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submits an application in such form, and satisfying 
such requirements, as the Secretary may require. 
(2) TYPES OF GRANTS.—An organization de-
scribed in paragraph (1) may receive a grant for one 
or more of the following purposes: 
(A) To design and implement programs 
bringing election administrators and officials, 
including government officials, polling workers, 
civil society representatives, members of the ju-
diciary, and others who participate in the orga-
nization and administration of an election in a 
foreign country to the United States to study 
election procedures in the United States for 
educational purposes. 
(B) To design and implement programs 
taking United States or another country’s elec-
tion administrators and officials, including gov-
ernment officials, polling workers, civil society 
representatives, members of the judiciary, and 
others who participate in the organization and 
administration of elections for public office in 
the United States or such other countries to 
foreign countries to study election procedures in 
such countries for educational purposes. 
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(3) COORDINATION.—The Secretary of State 
shall coordinate with State and local governments in 
the United States, in addition to the governments of 
United States territories, to conduct exchanges 
under this section and may enter into memorandums 
of understanding with such governments to guide 
participation by such governments in the Global 
Electoral Exchange Program. 
(4) LIMITS ON ACTIVITIES.—Activities adminis-
tered under the Global Electoral Exchange Program 
may not— 
(A) include election observation for the 
purposes of discussing the validity or legitimacy 
of an election; or 
(B) facilitate any advocacy for a certain 
electoral result by a grantee when participating 
in the Program. 
(5) FURTHER LIMITS.—A recipient of a grant 
under the Global Electoral Exchange Program may 
use such grant for only the purpose for which such 
grant was awarded, unless otherwise authorized by 
the Secretary of State. 
(6) NOT
DUPLICATIVE.—Grants made under 
this subsection may not be duplicative of any other 
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grants made under any other provision of law for 
similar or related purposes. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
(a) INTERNET.—The Secretary of State shall main-
tain a publically available Department of State website de-
tailing the Global Electoral Exchange Program, including 
a list of grants awarded under the Program and the 
amount awarded in each such grant, each annual report 
required under subsection (c), and other information at 
the discretion of the Secretary. 
(b) NOTIFICATION OF GRANTS.—Not later than 30 
days after each grant award under the Global Electoral 
Exchange Program under section 3, the Secretary of State 
shall publish on the website described in subsection (a) 
a summary of such grant, including criteria for selecting 
the grantee and any relevant agreements between the Sec-
retary of State and foreign governments, State and local 
governments in the United States, or the governments of 
United States territories that are associated with such 
grant. The Secretary shall notify the Committee on For-
eign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Foreign Relations of the Senate of such publica-
tion. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORTS.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act and every 
year thereafter, the Secretary of State shall publish 
on the website described in subsection (a) a report 
on the Global Electoral Exchange Program and no-
tify the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign 
Relations of the Senate of such report. 
(2) ELEMENTS.—The reports required by para-
graph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) A summary of all exchanges conducted 
under the Global Electoral Exchange Program, 
including criteria used to select grantees. 
(B) A summary of all memorandum of un-
derstandings with States, local governments, 
and territories in accordance with section 
3(c)(3). 
(d) ANNUAL RECOMMENDATIONS.—In conjunction 
with the annual reports required under subsection (c), the 
Secretary of State may provide recommendations for the 
improvement of the Global Electoral Exchange Program, 
based on the purposes under section 3(b), in a written re-
port to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
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of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tions of the Senate. 
Æ 
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