[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7874 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7874
To prohibit a State from distributing unsolicited ballots for voting by
mail in any election for Federal office, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 9, 2026
Mr. Higgins of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. Stutzman, Mr. Gosar, Mr.
Timmons, Mr. Fine, Mrs. Biggs of South Carolina, and Mrs. Luna)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
House Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To prohibit a State from distributing unsolicited ballots for voting by
mail in any election 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 ``Mail Ballot Integrity Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON UNSOLICITED MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND LIMITATION ON
ELIGIBLE REQUESTS.
(a) Prohibition on Unsolicited Mail-In Ballots.--No State or
political subdivision of a State may send, distribute, or otherwise
provide a ballot to vote by mail in an election for Federal office to
any individual who does not request the State or political subdivision
of such State to provide the ballot.
(b) Requirements for Mail-In Voting in Federal Elections.--
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a State shall not issue or
transmit a ballot for voting by mail to any individual in the State in
an election for Federal office held in the State unless each of the
following conditions are met:
(1) Request required.--The individual submits (in person,
by mail, or electronically) a written or electronic request for
the ballot that includes an affirmation, under penalty of
perjury, that the individual meets one or more of the
eligibility criteria under paragraph (2).
(2) Eligibility criteria.--An individual who is on the
official list of eligible voters in an election for Federal
office in a State is eligible to request and receive a mail-in
ballot for a Federal election in the State only if the
individual--
(A) is a member of the uniformed services (as
defined in section 101(a) of title 10, United States
Code) on active duty, or the spouse or dependent of
such a member;
(B) is a student, instructor, or professor at an
institution of higher education located outside the
county in which the voter is registered to vote and
resides outside that county by reason thereof, or is
the spouse or dependent accompanying and residing with
such individual;
(C) is a minister, priest, rabbi, or other member
of the clergy assigned to a religious post outside the
county of registration, or is the spouse or dependent
accompanying and residing with such individual;
(D) expects to be temporarily absent from the
county in which the voter is registered to vote during
the early voting period and on election day;
(E) after the close of voter registration, has
moved residence to another county more than 100 miles
from the county seat of the former residence;
(F) is involuntarily confined in an institution for
mental treatment outside the county of registration and
is not interdicted or judicially declared incompetent;
(G) resides outside the United States;
(H) expects to be hospitalized on election day and
did not have knowledge of the hospitalization until
after the time for early voting expired (or was
hospitalized during early voting, or is restricted to
bed by a physician during early voting and on election
day);
(I) meets the criteria for participation in a
former State program for voters with disabilities in
any State that has such a program;
(J) is incarcerated in an institution inside or
outside the county of registration but is not serving a
sentence for a felony conviction;
(K) is a participant in a State address
confidentiality program;
(L) has a disability and submits documentation with
respect to--
(i) a current mobility impairment
identification card with photograph and
international symbol of accessibility;
(ii) current documentation of eligibility
for Social Security disability benefits,
veterans disability benefits, paratransit
services, benefits from a State office for
citizens with developmental disabilities, or
benefits from State rehabilitation services; or
(iii) current proof of disability from a
physician, optometrist, physician assistant, or
nurse practitioner; or
(M) has attained the age of 65 years or older.
(c) No Permanent or Automatic Mail-In Lists for Unqualified
Voters.--A State may maintain a list of voters who have previously
qualified for and requested mail-in ballots in an election for Federal
office in the State, but only with respect to voters who continue to
meet one or more of the criteria described under subsection (b)(2) as
determined under State law.
(d) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to
elections for Federal office occurring on and after the date of the
enactment of this Act.
<all>