Vote by Mail Tracking Act

Bill: 118-hr-5658
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Porter, Katie [D-CA-47]
Introduced: 2023-09-21
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Elections, voting, political campaign regulation

Postal service
Latest action: action_date: 2024-11-19
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2023-09-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Vote by Mail Tracking Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires mail-in ballots to (1) contain a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) barcode that enables tracking of each individual ballot, (2) satisfy USPS requirements for ballot envelope design and machinable letters, and (3) include the official election mail logo.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5658 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES November 19, 2024 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs AN ACT To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Vote by Mail Tracking Act . 2. Mail-in ballots and Postal Service barcode service (a) In general Title 39, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 30 the following new 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 successive service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual ballot consistent with parameters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; (2) satisfies requirements for ballot envelope design that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; (3) satisfies requirements for machineable letters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; 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 following: 31. Election Mail 3101 . (c) Application The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any election for Federal office occurring in 2026 and any succeeding year.

Passed the House of Representatives November 18, 2024. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5658 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Vote by Mail Tracking Act . 2. Mail-in ballots and Postal Service barcode service (a) In general Title 39, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 30 the following new 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 successive service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual ballot consistent with parameters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; (2) satisfies requirements for ballot envelope design that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; (3) satisfies requirements for machineable letters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; 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 following: 31. Election Mail 3101 . (c) Application The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any election for Federal office occurring in 2026 and any succeeding year.

Passed the House of Representatives November 18, 2024. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5658 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 21, 2023 Ms. Porter (for herself, Ms. Mace , Mr. Mfume , Mr. Donalds , Mr. Connolly , Mr. Fitzpatrick , Ms. Norton , and Mr. Ciscomani ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability A BILL To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Vote by Mail Tracking Act . 2. Mail-in ballots and Postal Service barcode service (a) In general Section 3001 of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (p) Any ballot sent within the United States for an election for Federal office is nonmailable and shall not be carried or delivered by mail unless the ballot is mailed in an envelope that— (1) contains a Postal Service barcode (or successive service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual ballot; (2) satisfies requirements for ballot envelope design that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; (3) satisfies requirements for machineable letters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; and (4) includes the Official Election Mail Logo (or any successor label that the Postal Service may establish for ballots). . (b) Application The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any election for Federal office occurring after the date of enactment of this Act.