Ballots by Election Day Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10276 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10276 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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 3, 2026 Ms. Lee of Florida introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on House 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 mai