To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the use of Federal funds for election administration in States that permit ballot harvesting.

Legislative bill overview

HR 7356 would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to withhold federal election administration funding from states that permit "ballot harvesting"—the practice of allowing third parties to collect and return completed mail-in ballots on behalf of voters. The bill would create a financial penalty for states with such policies, effectively forcing them to choose between permitting the practice or losing federal election funding.

Why is this important

Election administration funding supports critical infrastructure like voting machines, poll worker training, and ballot processing systems. Withholding these funds could significantly strain election operations in affected states, potentially creating resource gaps that impact voting accessibility. This bill represents a direct federal intervention in state election management, an area traditionally controlled by states under the Constitution.

Potential points of contention

• Federalism concerns: States traditionally control election procedures; conditioning federal funding raises questions about federal overreach into state sovereignty and may trigger constitutional challenges.
• Definition and evidence disputes: "Ballot harvesting" remains politically controversial with unclear definitions—supporters cite voter accessibility benefits while opponents cite fraud concerns, with limited empirical evidence of widespread fraud in states permitting it.
• Funding consequences: Withholding election funds could harm voter access and election integrity in the targeted states by reducing resources for poll workers, machines, and infrastructure, potentially affecting all voters regardless of harvesting policy.