Postal Service would be banned from removing mailboxes in the 120 days before federal elections
In committeeH.R. 4915Latest action
Sponsor: Nikema Williams · Representative · GA
AIDecoded by AI · checked against the recordRead the official text
Official title: Election Mail Act
119th Congress
Topics: Government & democracy
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govIn plain words
The plain-language version comes first. The official text is always the reference.
HR 4915 sets same-day ballot processing, free return postage, and a 7-day post-Election Day counting window starting in 2026.
60-second read · 5 questions answered below
What does this do?
HR 4915 requires the U.S. Postal Service to process ballots the day they arrive, postmark every ballot envelope, and treat election mail at first-class speed. Mail-in ballots would be returned free of postage, and the post office could not remove mailboxes or shut down sorting machines in the 120 days before a federal election. Starting with the November 2026 election, states must count mail-in ballots received up to seven days after Election Day if they were postmarked by Election Day.
Who does it affect?
The bill directly affects voters who use mail-in or absentee ballots in federal elections, as well as state and local election offices that administer them. The U.S. Postal Service, its regional offices, and the Postmaster General all face new operational and reporting requirements.
Why does it matter?
Ballot tracking requirements and same-day processing rules would change how election offices and postal facilities coordinate during election periods. The seven-day post-Election Day counting window would affect when final results in federal races can be certified under state law.
What does it cost, and who pays?
The summary does not include spending figures, funding amounts, or fine structures, but it does specify that voters would no longer pay postage to return completed ballots, shifting that cost elsewhere.
AI-drafted summary. Check it against the official text before you act on it.
Read the official bill on Congress.govMake the call
Where does it stand?
- IntroducedAug 5, 2025
- House committeeYou are here · Aug 5, 2025
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.