118 HR 5658 : Vote by Mail Tracking Act U.S. House of Representatives 2024-11-19 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IIB118th CONGRESS2d SessionH. R. 5658IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESNovember 19, 2024Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental AffairsAN ACTTo 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 Mail3101.(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.