Preparing Election Administrators for AI Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2346
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Last Updated
- 2025-08-01T16:16:49Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The "Preparing Election Administrators for AI Act" (S. 2346) aims to help election officials manage the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in elections. It requires the Election Assistance Commission (EAC)—a federal agency that supports state and local election administration—to create voluntary guidelines on using AI safely and addressing its risks, such as spreading false information.
Key Provisions
- Short Title (Section 1): The law is officially named the "Preparing Election Administrators for AI Act."
- Development of Voluntary Guidelines (Section 2):
- Within 60 days of the law's enactment, the EAC must consult with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST—a federal agency focused on technology standards) to produce a report.
- The report includes voluntary (non-binding) guidelines for election offices, covering:
- Risks and benefits of using AI for tasks like voter registration or ballot counting.
- Cybersecurity threats from AI, such as hacking or data manipulation in election systems.
- How AI-generated content (e.g., fake images or text) can spread inaccurate election information and how officials should respond.
- Ways AI can fuel election disinformation (false or misleading info) that erodes public trust in voting.
- The report must be sent to Congress, shared with state and local election offices, and posted publicly.
- Study on AI in 2024 Elections (Section 3):
- By July 31, 2026, the EAC (again consulting NIST) must conduct a study on AI's use and effects in the 2024 federal elections.
- The study covers how AI-generated information was shared and how election offices used AI.
- A report on the study's findings must be submitted to Congress, issued to election offices, and made public.
- Based on the study, the EAC must review and update the voluntary guidelines if needed.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
This bill introduces new requirements for the EAC to specifically address AI in elections, which is not covered in current federal election laws like the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Previously, the EAC provided general voluntary standards for election security and administration, but nothing targeted AI technologies. These guidelines are voluntary, so they do not create new legal mandates but build on the EAC's existing role in offering non-binding best practices.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The EAC and NIST will need to allocate resources for quick report development and a future study, potentially straining budgets but enhancing their expertise in emerging tech. State and local election offices gain free tools to improve operations without federal oversight.
- On Citizens: Voters may benefit from reduced AI-driven misinformation, leading to greater confidence in election results and more accurate information about voting processes.
- On International Relations: Indirectly positive, as stronger U.S. election safeguards could bolster the country's global image as a secure democracy, deterring foreign interference via AI (e.g., from adversarial nations using deepfakes).
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Election Assistance Commission (EAC): Leads the development of guidelines and studies.
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Provides technical consultation on AI risks.
- State and Local Election Offices: Primary recipients of guidelines and reports to apply in daily operations.
- Congress: Receives reports for oversight and potential future legislation.
- The Public (Voters and Citizens): Benefits from guidelines aimed at protecting election integrity and combating disinformation.
- AI Technology Developers and Users: Indirectly influenced, as guidelines may encourage ethical AI practices in election-related tools.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: The voluntary nature avoids imposing new federal rules on states, respecting the decentralized U.S. election system under the Constitution (where states primarily run elections). It could serve as a model for future binding regulations if AI threats grow.
- Constitutional: Supports Article I's framework for fair elections by promoting tools to prevent disinformation, which could undermine voter rights without infringing on free speech (as guidelines focus on administration, not content regulation).
- Political: Introduced bipartisanship (by Sens. Klobuchar (D), Collins (R), and Kelly (D)), signaling broad concern over AI's role in democracy. It addresses timely issues like deepfakes in elections but may face debates over federal involvement in state matters.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME], Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-17: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- 2025-07-17: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Preparing Election Administrators for AI Act — issued 2025-07-17 — PDF (3 pages)