[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9144 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9144

  To require States to permit unaffiliated voters to vote in primary 
         elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 25, 2024

 Mr. Fitzpatrick (for himself, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Garbarino, and 
  Ms. Perez) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on 
   the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
  Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To require States to permit unaffiliated voters to vote in primary 
         elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Let America Vote Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING STATES TO PERMIT UNAFFILIATED VOTERS TO VOTE IN 
              PRIMARY ELECTIONS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the right 
of a citizen of the United States to vote in any taxpayer-funded 
election for public office shall not be denied or abridged by the 
United States or by any State on the grounds of political party 
affiliation or lack thereof.
    (b) Requirements for Elections for Federal Office.--
            (1) Access of unaffiliated voters to primaries.--Each State 
        shall permit an unaffiliated voter who is registered to vote in 
        an election for Federal office held in the State to vote in any 
        primary election for such office held in the State, except that 
        the State shall not permit an unaffiliated voter to vote in 
        primary elections for such office of more than one political 
        party.
            (2) Restrictions relating to unaffiliated voters.--
                    (A) Restrictions on sharing of information.--A 
                State shall not share information relating to an 
                unaffiliated voter in a primary election for Federal 
                office, including the voter's name and contact 
                information, with a political party or with any other 
                person who may reasonably be expected to use the 
                information for a political or politically-connected 
                commercial purpose, including soliciting funds.
                    (B) Restrictions on status of voter on official 
                registration list.--For purposes of a State's official 
                voter registration list, a State shall not treat an 
                individual who is an unaffiliated voter as a member of, 
                or as an individual who is otherwise affiliated with, 
                the political party who held the primary election in 
                which the individual voted solely on the grounds that 
                the individual voted in that primary election.
    (c) Elections for State and Local Office.--Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, a State may not use any funds provided by the 
Federal Government directly for election administration purposes unless 
the State certifies to the Election Assistance Commission that--
            (1) the State permits an unaffiliated voter who is 
        registered to vote in an election for State or local office 
        held in the State to vote in any primary election for such 
        office held in the State, except that the State shall not 
        permit an unaffiliated voter to vote in primary elections for 
        such office of more than one political party;
            (2) the State applies the restrictions on sharing 
        information relating to unaffiliated voters in primary 
        elections for Federal office, as described in subsection 
        (a)(2)(A), to information relating to unaffiliated voters in 
        primary elections for State and local office; and
            (3) the State applies the restrictions on treating 
        unaffiliated voters in primary elections for Federal office as 
        members of, or as individuals who are otherwise affiliated 
        with, a political party, as described in subsection (a)(2)(B), 
        to unaffiliated voters in primary elections for State and local 
        office.
    (d) Transition Assistance Grants.--
            (1) Payment of grants.--If a State certifies to the 
        Election Assistance Commission that the State is in compliance 
        with the requirements of this section with respect to a fiscal 
        year, the Commission shall make a payment to the State during 
        that fiscal year and each of the 4 succeeding fiscal years in 
        an amount equal to 2 percent of the total amount of 
        requirements payments made to the State under section 251 of 
        the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21001).
            (2) Use of funds.--A State shall use the payment received 
        under this subsection to cover the costs of permitting 
        unaffiliated voters who are registered to vote in elections for 
        Federal, State, or local office held in the State to vote in 
        any primary election for such office held in the State.
            (3) Authorization of appropriations.--There are authorized 
        to be appropriated for fiscal year 2025 and each succeeding 
        fiscal year such sums as may be necessary for grants under this 
        subsection.
    (e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            (1) the terms ``election'' and ``Federal office'' have the 
        meanings give such terms in section 301 of the Federal Election 
        Campaign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30101);
            (2) the term ``primary election'' means an election 
        (including a primary election held for the expression of a 
        preference for the nomination of individuals for election to 
        the office of President) held by any political party to 
        nominate individuals who would appear on a general election 
        ballot as a candidate for election for Federal office, 
        including a convention or caucus of a political party which has 
        authority to nominate such a candidate;
            (3) the term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 901 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 
        21141); and
            (4) the term ``unaffiliated voter'' means an individual who 
        is not registered to vote as a member of a political party or 
        otherwise affiliated with a political party.
    (f) Effective Date.--This Act shall apply with respect to elections 
held after the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITING NONCITIZENS FROM VOTING.

    (a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States 
that no person who is not a citizen shall be permitted or granted the 
right to vote in any taxpayer-funded election for public office held by 
or in the United States or any State.
    (b) Elections for Federal Office.--No State shall permit any person 
who is not a citizen of the United States to vote in any election for 
Federal office held in the State.
    (c) Elections for State and Local Office.--Notwithstanding any 
other provision of law, a State may not use any funds provided by the 
Federal Government directly for election administration purposes unless 
the State certifies to the Election Assistance Commission that the 
State does not permit any person who is not a citizen of the United 
States to vote in any election for State or local office or any ballot 
initiative or referendum held in the State.
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