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BlogNACo has published legislative analyses on two election-related bills unveiled ahead of the 2022 Midterm elections: the Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act (S.NACo publishes analyses on new election reform bills
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Blog
NACo publishes analyses on new election reform bills
NACo has published legislative analyses on two election-related bills unveiled ahead of the 2022 Midterm elections: the Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act (S. 4574) and the Sustaining Our Democracy Act (S. 4239)
Introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) and in conjunction with the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act (S. 4573), S. 4574 includes several provisions related to threats against election workers and election mail services. This bill would:
- Double penalties for crimes against federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections, increase maximum penalties for individuals who willfully steal, destroy, conceal, mutilate or alter election records, and make it illegal to tamper with voting systems
- Provide best practices guidance for state and local governments for federal election mail, create optional standardized federal ballot mail parameters and features for states, and set requirements for ballot search and certification, federal election mail processing and requires postmark on all federal ballots
- Reauthorize the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for five years and require EAC to conduct cybersecurity testing and certification for voting systems
To access NACo’s full legislative analysis of the Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act, click here.
The Sustaining Our Democracy Act (S. 4239), introduced by U.S. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), would allocate funds directly to county governments to support election administration. In doing so, this bill would:
- Establish a Democracy Advancement and Innovation Program that would allocate federal funds to each state to carry out “democracy promotion activities”
- Require a state to submit plans on how it intends to spend these funds and outline how funds will be allocated to political subdivisions, including counties, to carry out these activities
- Allow counties can submit their own plans and be allocated a portion of these funds in cases where states do not submit these plans
- Direct the EAC to distribute funds directly to local election administrators for activities that approved state plans intend to be administered by local government
To access NACo’s full legislative analysis of the Sustaining Our Democracy Act, click here.
In the United States, the nation’s 3,069 counties traditionally administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections. County election officials work diligently with federal, state and other local election officials to ensure the safety and security of our voting systems. County election officials strive to administer elections in a way that is accurate, safe, secure and accessible for all voters. Counties will continue to work with our federal partners as they work to craft meaningful election reform.
NACo has published legislative analyses on two election-related bills unveiled ahead of the 2022 Midterm elections: the Enhanced Election Security and Protectio2022-08-24Blog2022-09-06 - Double penalties for crimes against federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections, increase maximum penalties for individuals who willfully steal, destroy, conceal, mutilate or alter election records, and make it illegal to tamper with voting systems
NACo has published legislative analyses on two election-related bills unveiled ahead of the 2022 Midterm elections: the Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act (S. 4574) and the Sustaining Our Democracy Act (S. 4239)
Introduced by a bipartisan group of Senators led by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) and in conjunction with the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act (S. 4573), S. 4574 includes several provisions related to threats against election workers and election mail services. This bill would:
- Double penalties for crimes against federally protected activities relating to voting and the conduct of elections, increase maximum penalties for individuals who willfully steal, destroy, conceal, mutilate or alter election records, and make it illegal to tamper with voting systems
- Provide best practices guidance for state and local governments for federal election mail, create optional standardized federal ballot mail parameters and features for states, and set requirements for ballot search and certification, federal election mail processing and requires postmark on all federal ballots
- Reauthorize the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for five years and require EAC to conduct cybersecurity testing and certification for voting systems
To access NACo’s full legislative analysis of the Enhanced Election Security and Protection Act, click here.
The Sustaining Our Democracy Act (S. 4239), introduced by U.S. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), would allocate funds directly to county governments to support election administration. In doing so, this bill would:
- Establish a Democracy Advancement and Innovation Program that would allocate federal funds to each state to carry out “democracy promotion activities”
- Require a state to submit plans on how it intends to spend these funds and outline how funds will be allocated to political subdivisions, including counties, to carry out these activities
- Allow counties can submit their own plans and be allocated a portion of these funds in cases where states do not submit these plans
- Direct the EAC to distribute funds directly to local election administrators for activities that approved state plans intend to be administered by local government
To access NACo’s full legislative analysis of the Sustaining Our Democracy Act, click here.
In the United States, the nation’s 3,069 counties traditionally administer and fund elections at the local level, including overseeing polling places and coordinating poll workers for federal, state and local elections. County election officials work diligently with federal, state and other local election officials to ensure the safety and security of our voting systems. County election officials strive to administer elections in a way that is accurate, safe, secure and accessible for all voters. Counties will continue to work with our federal partners as they work to craft meaningful election reform.

About Paige Mellerio (Full Bio)
Associate Legislative Director – Finance, Pensions & Intergovernmental Affairs
Paige is NACo's associate legislative director for finance, pensions and intergovernmental affairs.More from Paige Mellerio
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Reports & Toolkits
Legislative Analysis for Counties: Sustaining Our Democracy Act
U.S. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) introduced the Sustaining Our Democracy Act (S. 4239) to establish a new Democracy Advancement and Innovation Program that would make payments to state and local governments to improve the administration of elections and access to voting. -
Reports & Toolkits
Legislative Analysis For Counties: Enhanced Election Security & Protection Act
Introduced by a bipartisan group of senators and in conjunction with the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act (S. 4573), S. 4574 includes several provisions related to threats against election workers and election mail services.
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On April 28, U.S. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) re-introduced the Election Worker Protection Act (S. -
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NACo sends letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership urging continued election security grants funding for Fiscal Year 2024
On March 31, NACo sent a letter to leaders of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate Appropriations Committees urging the inclusion of funding for election security grants in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill. -
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U.S. Senators reintroduce legislation to support local election administration
On March 6, U.S. Senate Rules Committee Chair Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) led a group of 12 Senators in reintroducing the Sustaining Our Democracy Act. -
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U.S. Election Assistance Commission now accepting applications for the 2022 Election Administration Clearinghouse Awards
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County News
County News Hot Topics – Elections
Every Election Day, counties nationwide oversee over 100,000 polling locations and over 630,000 poll workers. Each election cycle, counties take great care ensure ballots are securely cast and counted accurately, amid operational and outside challenges. -
Reports & Toolkits
Evolving Elections: How State Legislation Will Impact the County Role in Election Administration
Elections in the United States are administered in a highly decentralized process through which each state shapes its own election laws. In turn, states shape the role counties play in the months and weeks leading up to Election Day.
Contact
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Associate Legislative Director – Finance, Pensions & Intergovernmental Affairs(202) 942-4272
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Legislative Associate(202) 942-4224
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Related Resources
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Reports & ToolkitsEvolving Elections: How State Legislation Will Impact the County Role in Election AdministrationNov. 8, 2022
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