States would have to disclose election vendors and foreign ownership ties

What does this do?

HR 8118 requires state and local governments to report to the Election Assistance Commission within 30 days after each federal election, naming which private vendors they used, what the contracts contained, and who owns those companies, including any foreign ownership. The Commission must publish all of this in a publicly accessible database. The requirement covers voting machines, voter registration systems, ballot tabulation software, and electronic poll books.

Who does it affect?

The bill directly affects state and local election officials and the private technology companies that contract with them. Ordinary voters who want to understand how elections in their area are administered are also affected as intended users of the public database.

Why does it matter?

Currently no single central source collects or displays this vendor and ownership information, so the bill would create one. States and localities that do not comply would lose access to federal funding for election administration.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Noncompliance triggers loss of federal funds
• Covers election admin funding
• No dollar amounts specified

Where does it stand?