Vote Without Fear Act

Key Points

• The bill would make it a federal crime to knowingly possess a firearm at or within 100 yards of any building where federal election voting, ballot processing, or ballot counting takes place.
• A "Federal election site" is defined broadly to include any building where government employees run a polling place for federal elections or process and count ballots from those elections.
• Law enforcement on duty, hired private security guards, people with guns stored in vehicles (as long as they stay in the vehicle), and residents or businesses within the 100-yard zone are all exempt from the ban.
• A basic violation carries up to 1 year in prison and a fine, while possessing a firearm near an election site with intent to commit a crime carries up to 5 years in prison.
• Anyone who kills another person during a violation of this law or during an attack on a federal election site would face federal murder or manslaughter charges under existing federal law.