Sponsors (56)
Introduced August 5, 2025 by Nikema Williams · Last progress August 5, 2025
The bill provides large, sustained federal resources and protections to expand and secure voting access—especially for underserved communities—but centralizes conditional federal influence, increases federal spending, and imposes new administrative and legal burdens on states and localities.
State and local election officials (and thereby voters nationwide) receive predictable, sustained federal funding ($2.5 billion/year through 2035 and Trust Fund resources) to upgrade equipment, improve cybersecurity, and support election administration.
Voters in underserved communities — including tribal and Alaska Native lands and UOCAVA voters — gain expanded access to voting through funded outreach, mail/early voting expansion, and explicit inclusion of tribal/Alaska Native areas.
State and local election officials get resources to recruit, train, protect, and retain election workers, which can reduce polling-place delays and improve Election Day operations for voters.
States and localities risk having federal grants withheld or conditioned, effectively shifting influence over certain election investments to the federal government and prompting jurisdictional disputes.
The bill commits taxpayers to substantial federal spending (roughly $2.5 billion/year; cited $25 billion over 10 years) and depends on a Trust Fund that, if insufficient, could reduce planned allocations or increase fiscal pressure.
States and localities face added administrative burdens and compliance costs — preparing detailed plans and reports, managing grants, and meeting new program requirements (including outreach to remote tribal areas).
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Creates a federal program and trust fund providing $2.5B/year (FY2026–2035) to help states upgrade election security, expand voting access, and support election workers.
Creates a new federal program and dedicated trust fund that sends money to states to improve election security, increase voting access, and support election officials and poll workers. States must submit and get approval for a plan to receive funds; funds may be used for equipment and cybersecurity upgrades, voter outreach, early and mail voting, polling place security, and services for underserved voters including those on tribal lands and overseas/military voters.