Restoring Faith in Elections Act

Key Points

• States would be required to automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they interact with government agencies like the DMV, Medicaid, or colleges. People could opt out within 30 days. Individuals as young as 16 could be pre-registered so they are ready to vote at 18.
• The bill creates national standards for mail-in ballots. Voters must request a ballot at least 21 days before Election Day, and the ballot must be signed, dated, and received by the time polls close. Only immediate family members or caregivers may return someone else's completed ballot, with violations punishable by fines or up to one year in prison.
• States would be required to begin counting mail-in ballots at least one week before Election Day and to count and report all valid ballots within 24 hours after polls close. Each precinct must also report total ballot counts one hour after polls close.
• A new National Deconfliction Voting Database would be created within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to help states remove deceased voters and people registered in multiple states. The Postal Service would share change-of-address data and Social Security would share death records.
• The bill authorizes $500 million in grants to help states build the technology and systems needed to implement automatic voter registration. States that cannot meet the January 2027 deadline can apply for an extension to January 2029.