RACE Act

Bill Number

H.R. 529

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-01-16: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.

Last Updated

2025-02-19T21:23:54Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 529: Restoring American Confidence in Elections Act (RACE Act)

Purpose

This bill aims to increase trust in U.S. elections by setting firm deadlines for states to complete ballot counting and certify results in federal elections. It amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), a law that sets standards for voting systems and election administration, to promote timely and efficient processes.

Key Provisions

• Ballot Counting Deadline: States must finish counting all ballots in federal elections (e.g., for President, Congress) by 10:00 p.m. local time on election day.
• Results Certification Deadline: States must officially certify election results no later than 48 hours after election day.
• Exceptions: These deadlines do not apply if delays are caused by genuine emergencies, such as major disasters (defined under federal disaster relief law as events causing widespread damage and suffering), or technical issues like faulty voting machines or software.
• Enforcement Integration: The bill updates HAVA's enforcement section to include these new deadlines, allowing federal oversight for compliance.
• Effective Date: The changes apply to all federal elections held after the bill becomes law.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Adds a new section (305) to HAVA's Title III, which previously focused on uniform poll closing and other election standards but lacked specific timelines for counting and certification.
• Renumbers existing sections and updates the law's table of contents for clarity.
• Builds on recent amendments from the COCOA Act of 2024 (which clarified some HAVA provisions) by incorporating these deadlines into the enforcement framework.
• Introduces mandatory timelines where none existed before, shifting from flexible state practices to federally imposed uniformity for federal races.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: State and local election offices may need to overhaul processes, such as accelerating vote tabulation or pre-election preparations, to meet deadlines. This could increase administrative burdens and costs, with federal enforcement possibly leading to audits or penalties for non-compliance.
• Citizens: Voters could see quicker election outcomes, potentially reducing uncertainty and boosting public confidence in results. However, rushed counting might raise concerns about accuracy, especially in close races or with high turnout.
• International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic federal elections without addressing foreign influence or global standards.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• State and Local Election Officials: Primarily responsible for compliance, facing new pressures to meet timelines.
• Voters and the Public: Benefit from faster results but may experience changes in how elections are run in their states.
• Political Candidates and Parties: Affected by certification speed, which could influence post-election challenges or transitions (e.g., for Congress or the presidency).
• Federal Agencies: Such as the Election Assistance Commission, which oversees HAVA, may gain roles in monitoring and enforcing the new rules.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Strengthens federal standards under HAVA but could invite lawsuits if states argue the deadlines interfere with their ability to ensure accurate counts, potentially testing enforcement mechanisms like civil actions or Attorney General intervention.
• Constitutional: Raises questions under the 10th Amendment, which reserves election administration to states; the bill's federal mandates might be seen as overreach into state powers, though HAVA has historically balanced this with voluntary guidelines.
• Political: Addresses ongoing debates about election integrity and delays (e.g., from 2020), aiming to restore public faith, but could polarize views on federal versus state control, influencing future voting rights discussions.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]

Cosponsors (2)

Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36], Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24]

Recent Actions

• 2025-01-16: Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
• 2025-01-16: Introduced in House
• 2025-01-16: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Restoring American Confidence in Elections Act — issued 2025-01-16 — PDF (3 pages)