Sponsors (8)
The bill expands federal support and local access to photo IDs and creates uniform verification rules that can improve administrative clarity and participation for many, while increasing costs and creating new compliance hurdles that risk disenfranchising voters who lack IDs or face barriers to obtaining them.
Low-income people, uninsured individuals, and Tribal residents get help obtaining State or Tribal photo IDs (including targeted Tribal funding and free access to imaging at public buildings), making it materially easier for them to vote and access services.
State and local election officials have clearer, more uniform ID rules and explicit alternative verification paths (ID copy or SSN+affidavit for non‑in‑person voters), reducing inconsistent practices across jurisdictions and clarifying absentee vote procedures.
States and Tribes receive dedicated federal grant funding to cover ID issuance costs, lowering the direct financial burden on state and local governments for ID programs.
People without current photo ID — especially people with disabilities, homebound voters, seniors, immigrants, and low‑income individuals — face higher barriers and real risk of disenfranchisement because in‑person ballots can be discarded if ID/affidavit requirements aren’t met within tight timeframes and absentee voters must obtain and submit ID copies or SSN+affidavits.
Implementing free imaging stations, verification processes, notices, grant administration, and oversight creates significant administrative, equipment, and bureaucratic costs and complexity for state, local, and Tribal governments.
Federal taxpayers will bear the cost of grants funding ID issuance, increasing federal spending or requiring reallocation of funds.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires photo ID for Federal in-person voting, sets cure rules for provisional ballots, requires ID submission for non–in-person ballots, and creates grants to provide IDs.
Official title: To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require the provision of identification as a condition of casting a ballot in an election for Federal office, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 18, 2026 by Bryan Steil · Last progress June 18, 2026
Requires photo identification for most Federal election ballots: people voting in person must show a valid physical photo ID to receive a regular ballot; those who lack ID can cast a provisional ballot but must provide ID or a state affidavit claiming a religious objection to being photographed within 3 days for the ballot to count. Mail/absentee and other non–in-person voters must submit a copy of photo ID with their ballot or provide the last four digits of their Social Security number plus a state affidavit attesting they reasonably tried but could not obtain an ID, with limited exemptions for certain uniformed service voters and voters covered by accessibility law. Creates a new federal grant program to help states and tribes provide identification documents, requires voter registration systems to notify applicants of the ID requirement, directs the Election Assistance Commission to issue voluntary guidance within 90 days, and makes the main voter-ID requirement effective 90 days after enactment.