Bill · S. 5505· Senate(119-S-5505)
Safe and Fair Elections Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 9/24/2026
- Last activity
- 9/24/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Sponsored by
- Bill Cassidy
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Safe and Fair Elections Act of 2026 sets rules to secure federal elections and make the process fair. It requires voters to show a valid photo ID when voting in person or by mail. The bill puts strict deadlines on when absentee and mail-in ballots must be received to count. It also provides grants to speed up ballot counting and requires states to allow the counting of early votes before election day. Additionally, the legislation requires open primaries, bans mid-decade redistricting, and establishes strict standards for drawing congressional districts.
Yes
Does this make elections run better?+5
Section 103 appropriates 200 million dollars in grants to help states expedite ballot counting and upgrades election infrastructure.
Does this give the federal government more power?+4
Section 203 and other provisions establish federal standards for congressional redistricting and election administration.
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?+3
The legislation mandates open primaries and faster reporting standards to improve transparency in the electoral system.
The opposite
Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice?-4
Section 102 establishes earlier deadlines requiring absentee and mail-in ballots to be received by the close of polls on election day.
Does this leave more decisions to the states?-3
The bill preempts state authority over election rules and redistricting by imposing strict federal mandates.
Does this protect the right to vote?-3
Section 101 institutes strict photo identification requirements that could burden voters who lack required documentation.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Free access to copy photo IDs: Under Section 101, states must provide public access to digital imaging devices and printers at government buildings like libraries and police stations so people can copy their photo IDs at no cost. This helps individuals who might otherwise struggle to afford or make copies of their required identification.
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Grants to speed up vote counting: Under Section 103, the bill appropriates 200 million dollars in fiscal year 2027 for grants to help states and local governments buy equipment and train staff to count ballots faster, prioritizing rural areas and places that have historically been late in tallying votes. This ensures faster election results for the public.
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Fairer congressional district maps: Under Section 203, states are prohibited from drawing congressional districts to favor or disfavor a particular political party, incumbent, or candidate, or from using partisan data. This provision aims to stop partisan gerrymandering and gives everyday voters more fairly represented districts.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Strict photo ID requirements for voting: Under Section 101, voters must present a valid physical photo ID to get a ballot for in-person voting, or submit a copy of a photo ID with mail-in and absentee ballots. Individuals who do not have an ID or a religious exemption face additional hurdles, such as casting provisional ballots and meeting a tight three-day window to provide documentation, which could burden people who do not readily possess these specific forms of identification.
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Earlier deadlines for mail-in and absentee ballots: Under Section 102, absentee and mail-in ballots must be received by election officials no later than when the polls close on election day to be counted. This removes grace periods that some states previously allowed for ballots arriving after election day, which could negatively impact voters whose mail is delayed.
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Strict all-or-nothing legal standard: Under Section 301, if any single part of this Act is found to be legally invalid by a court, the entire Act and all of its amendments are treated as invalid. This could create widespread uncertainty and legal instability for election rules across the country if just one provision is successfully challenged in court.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Electoral Process+5Increases Federal Power+4Improves Government Transparency+3Increase States Rights-3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Voting Access-4Improves Voting Rights-3
- 9/24/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Introduced in Senate