VOTE Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7182 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7182

    To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to establish minimum 
notification requirements for voters affected by polling place changes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 21, 2026

Ms. Johnson of Texas (for herself, Mr. Morelle, Ms. Norton, Mr. Johnson 
 of Georgia, and Mr. Casten) introduced the following bill; which was 
           referred to the Committee on House Administration

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to establish minimum 
notification requirements for voters affected by polling place changes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Voter Outreach for Transparent 
Elections Act'' or the ``VOTE Act''.

SEC. 2. MINIMUM NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR VOTERS AFFECTED BY 
              POLLING PLACE CHANGES.

    (a) Requirements.--Section 302 of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 
(52 U.S.C. 21082) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(d) Minimum Notification Requirements for Voters Affected by 
Polling Place Changes.--
            ``(1) In general.--If a State assigns an individual who is 
        a registered voter in a State to a polling place with respect 
        to an election for Federal office which is not the same polling 
        place to which the individual was previously assigned with 
        respect to the most recent election for Federal office in the 
        State in which the individual was eligible to vote--
                    ``(A) the State shall notify the individual of the 
                location of the polling place not later than 7 days 
                before the date of the election;
                    ``(B) the appropriate election official of the 
                State shall post a general notice on the website of the 
                State or jurisdiction, on social media platforms (if 
                available), and on signs at the prior polling place; 
                and
                    ``(C) if the State makes such an assignment fewer 
                than 7 days before the date of the election and the 
                individual appears on the date of the election at the 
                polling place to which the individual was previously 
                assigned, the State shall make every reasonable effort 
                to enable the individual to vote on the date of the 
                election.
            ``(2) Methods of notification.--The appropriate election 
        official shall notify an individual under paragraph (1)(A) by 
        mail, telephone, and (if available) text message and electronic 
        mail.
            ``(3) Requirements for vote centers.--In the case of a 
        jurisdiction in which individuals are not assigned to specific 
        polling places, not later than 2 days before the beginning of 
        an early voting period, the appropriate election official shall 
        notify each individual eligible to vote in such jurisdiction of 
        the location of all polling places at which the individual may 
        vote.
            ``(4) Notice with respect to closed polling places.--
                    ``(A) In general.--If a location which served as a 
                polling place for an election for Federal office in a 
                State does not serve as a polling place in the next 
                election for Federal office held in the State, the 
                State shall ensure that signs are posted at such 
                location on the date of the election and during any 
                early voting period for the election containing the 
                following information:
                            ``(i) A statement that the location is not 
                        serving as a polling place in the election.
                            ``(ii) The locations serving as polling 
                        places in the election in the jurisdiction 
                        involved.
                            ``(iii) The name and address of any 
                        substitute polling place serving the same 
                        precinct and directions from the former polling 
                        place to the new polling place.
                            ``(iv) Contact information, including a 
                        telephone number and website, for the 
                        appropriate State or local election official 
                        through which an individual may find the 
                        polling place to which the individual is 
                        assigned for the election.
                    ``(B) Internet posting.--Each State which is 
                required to post signs under subparagraph (A) shall 
                also provide such information through a website and 
                through social media (if available).
                    ``(C) Linguistic preference.--The notices required 
                under this subsection shall comply with the 
                requirements of section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 
                1965 (52 U.S.C. 10503).
            ``(5) Effective date.--This subsection shall apply with 
        respect to elections held on or after January 1, 2026.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 302(e) of such Act (52 U.S.C. 
21082(f)), as redesignated by subsection (a), is amended by striking 
``Each State'' and inserting ``Except as provided in subsection (d)(5), 
each State''.
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