SET Act

Key Points

• States would be required to hold a special election to fill an empty seat in the House of Representatives within 180 days. This applies if a member of Congress resigns, passes away, or can no longer do their job.
• The only exception to this rule is if a regular general election is already scheduled to happen within that same 180-day window. This helps avoid the cost and effort of holding two major elections back-to-back.
• If a state fails to hold the election on time, the U.S. Attorney General or even regular citizens can sue the state's governor to force them to act. The Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader would also have the power to sue.
• The goal is to make sure Americans living in a district with a vacancy are not left without a representative for a long time. Right now, some states have no strict deadlines, leaving people without a vote in Congress for months.

Impact Analysis

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