Election Mail Act

Key Points

• The bill requires the Postal Service to process all mail-in ballots on the same day they arrive at a facility, ensuring faster delivery to election officials and reducing the chance of ballots arriving late.
• Completed absentee and mail-in ballots for federal elections would be carried free of postage, removing a cost barrier for voters. All election mail would also be treated as first-class mail, meaning faster delivery standards.
• States must use intelligent mail barcodes on ballot return envelopes so voters and officials can track ballots through the mail. The Postal Service must also postmark every ballot to document the exact date it was mailed.
• A new national rule would require states to accept ballots postmarked by Election Day as long as they arrive within 7 days, starting with the November 2026 elections. This prevents ballots from being thrown out due to mail delays voters cannot control.
• The Postal Service would be banned from removing mailboxes or shutting down mail sorting machines during the 120 days before a federal election, preventing operational disruptions that could slow ballot delivery.
• The Postmaster General must consult with Indian Tribes every year about postal service barriers to voting on Indian lands, addressing long-standing challenges tribal communities face with mail-based voting.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.