[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 5001 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 5001

   To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require ballots in 
 elections for Federal office to be received by the close of the polls 
                        on the date of election.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 15, 2026

  Mrs. Moody introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
         referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require ballots in 
 elections for Federal office to be received by the close of the polls 
                        on the date of election.

    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 ``Ballots by Election Day Act''.

SEC. 2. DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF BALLOTS.

    (a) In General.--Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 
U.S.C. 20901 et seq.) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating sections 305 and 306 as sections 306 
        and 307, respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after section 304 the following new 
        section:

``SEC. 305. DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF BALLOTS.

    ``(a) In General.--To be considered validly cast and eligible to be 
counted in any election for Federal office, including a primary, 
runoff, or special election, all ballots (including absentee and mail-
in ballots) must be received by the appropriate election official no 
later than the time polls close on the date of the election and, in the 
case of a general election for Federal office, no later than the time 
polls close on the date established under section 25 of the Revised 
Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 7) for each general election 
for Federal office.
    ``(b) Untimely Ballot.--No State may accept for tabulation any 
ballot (including an absentee or mail-in ballot) that is received by 
the appropriate election official following the time polls close on the 
date of the election.
    ``(c) Exception.--The deadline described in subsection (a) shall 
not apply with respect to ballots cast by absent uniformed services 
voters or overseas voters, as defined in section 107 of the Uniformed 
and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20310).
    ``(d) Effective Date.--This section shall apply with respect to 
elections for Federal office held in 2027 or any succeeding year.''.
    (b) Enforcement.--Section 401 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 2111) is amended by striking ``and 304'' and inserting 
``304, and 305''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 305 and 
        306 as relating to sections 306 and 307, respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 304 the 
        following new item:

``Sec. 305. Deadline for receipt of ballots.''.
                                 <all>