Sponsors
The bill strengthens voter protections and local control by barring most federal or military presence at polling places through 2026, but it reduces federal flexibility to respond quickly to threats and may create legal uncertainty about what sites and actions are covered.
State and local election officials: The bill provides a clear, consistent legal definition of "election" and preserves local control by preventing most federal deployments to polling sites absent new Congressional authorization (reduces ambiguity about coverage and limits federal intervention).
Voters: The bill reduces the risk of voter intimidation at polling places by blocking deployments of federal law enforcement or military personnel to those sites through December 31, 2026.
Taxpayers: The bill avoids potential short-term federal expenditures on deployments to polling sites without new authorization through December 31, 2026.
Voters and local officials: The bill limits the federal government's ability to deploy trained federal or military personnel to respond to credible threats at polling places during emergencies, potentially leaving sites less protected in urgent situations.
State and local governments: The prohibition could slow or complicate rapid federal assistance for protecting vote-counting or certification sites, increasing risk of delays or gaps in response during time-sensitive incidents.
Federal employees, law enforcement, and governments: Using the FECA definition and the deployment ban may create legal mismatches with state laws and other federal statutes, prompting litigation or operational uncertainty about what locations and actions are covered.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Bars federal funds from being used to send or station federal law enforcement, intelligence, or military personnel at domestic election sites through Dec 31, 2026, unless Congress authorizes it.
Introduced February 20, 2026 by Seth Moulton · Last progress February 20, 2026
Prohibits federal funds from being used to order, bring, or keep federal law enforcement, intelligence, or military personnel at domestic polling places, election offices, vote counting or certification locations, and other election sites from enactment through December 31, 2026, unless Congress passes a specific law authorizing such presence. Adopts the existing federal definition of “election” so the restriction applies to general, special, primary, runoff elections, party nominating conventions/caucuses, and certain primary processes. The measure exempts ordinary voters acting under state law from the prohibition. Agencies that would otherwise deploy federal personnel to election sites would need congressional authorization to do so during the covered period, shifting reliance to state and local officials unless Congress acts differently.