Today, Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Kweisi Mfume (D-MD), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) introduced bipartisan legislation to increase transparency of mail-in ballots. The Vote By Mail Tracking Act would require ballots to include tracking barcodes and an official logo to certify authenticity.

“Improving efficiency and transparency in our elections is good for all Americans,” said Rep. Porter. “My bipartisan bill would add tracking barcodes to mail-in ballot envelopes, helping the Postal Service process votes and giving voters the ability to see that their ballots are securely delivered and counted.”

The Vote by Mail Tracking Act would help voters track their ballots and have confidence that election officials counted their vote. Under this bill, each mail-in ballot envelope must:

• Contain a United States Postal Service (USPS) barcode;
• Meet USPS design requirements and standards for machinable letters; and
• Include an Official Election Mail logo.

“Americans’ faith in our electoral system is foundational to our democracy, and we must do everything possible to restore and maintain confidence in that institution,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Our bipartisan legislation will ensure that every mail-in ballot is up to USPS’s standards, able to be tracked, and marked as official election mail. I am proud to lead this initiative to further guarantee the integrity of all our elections.”

“We need to make voting more accessible for the American public,” said Rep. Connolly. “As more people choose to vote absentee by mail, this simple measure will ensure all ballots are trackable and every valid vote is counted.”

"Arizona has been a leader in vote by mail for decades and I am proud to help introduce this bipartisan bill to ensure voters have more peace of mind that their vote is secure,” said Rep. Ciscomani. “Promoting trust in our institutions and elections among the American people relies on openness and clarity. This legislation provides commonsense updates to ensure USPS has a transparent and streamlined process for mail-in ballots.”

“Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy so we must doggedly protect every step of the voting process. This common-sense legislation adds another safeguard to the increasingly efficient and effective mail-in balloting process. I am proud to co-lead this legislation which will help ensure mail-in ballots are properly delivered and counted in future elections,” said Rep. Mfume.

Congresswoman Porter is a champion for transparency and accountability. Each month, she discloses meetings she takes in her official capacity on her website. Rep. Porter hosted a town hall last year focused on anti-corruption and her efforts to increase government accountability. She’s also introduced legislation to eliminate foreign funding of ballot initiatives and crack down on scammers who pocket money through fake political action committees. 

Read the bill text HERE.

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