Bill · S. 5001· Senate(119-S-5001)
Ballots by Election Day Act
- Introduced
- 7/15/2026
- Last activity
- 7/15/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Sponsored by
- Ashley Moody
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
S. 5001, known as the Ballots by Election Day Act, changes federal election rules by amending the Help America Vote Act of 2002. The bill requires all ballots, including absentee and mail-in ballots, to be received by the appropriate election official no later than the time polls close on election day. This new deadline applies to federal primary, runoff, special, and general elections starting in 2027. The legislation explicitly bans states from accepting any untimely ballots for tabulation after the polls close. However, the bill provides a specific exception to this deadline for absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters.
Yes
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?+5
Military and overseas voters are specifically exempted from the strict election day deadline.
Does this give the federal government more power?+5
The bill imposes a federal mandate on how states must handle the receipt of ballots.
Does this make elections run better?+2
Creates a uniform nationwide deadline for ballot receipt, which may simplify counting timelines.
The opposite· 3 of 15
Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice?-6
Eliminating post-election receipt windows reduces the accessibility of mail-in voting.
Does this leave more decisions to the states?-5
It restricts the ability of states to set their own deadlines for accepting mail-in ballots.
Would people in rural areas be better off under this?-4
Rural voters are more likely to face postal delays that would invalidate their ballots under this act.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 2, adding new section 305(c): This provision ensures that absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters are exempt from the strict election day receipt deadline, which protects their ability to vote from afar without being penalized by the new timing rule.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 2, adding new sections 305(a) and 305(b): These provisions require all regular absentee and mail-in ballots to be received by the close of the polls on election day and prohibit states from accepting any ballots arriving after that time, which could negatively impact voters whose ballots are delayed in the mail and arrive after polls close.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Veterans+5Good For Rural Residents-4Good For Native Americans-3Good For People With Disabilities-3Good For Retirees-3Good For Seniors-3Good For African Americans-2Good For Asian Americans-2Good For Farmers-2Good For Hispanic Americans-2Good For Low Income Households-2Good For Students-2Good For Young Adults-2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Voting Access-6Improves Voting Rights-4
- Governance And Ideology
- Increases Federal Power+5Improves Electoral Process+2Increase States Rights-5
- 7/15/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.