Bill Summary
The "Election Infrastructure Integrity Act" is a proposed legislation that mandates the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to create and maintain a publicly accessible database of private vendors involved in the election systems used for federal elections. This database will include information on vendors that provide, support, or maintain any components of election infrastructure.
Key provisions include:
1. **Database Creation**: The EAC must establish a database that lists private vendors associated with federal election systems, including voting systems and election management systems.
2. **Information Submission**: States and local governments responsible for administering federal elections are required to submit details about these vendors within 30 days after each federal election. This includes the vendor's identity, contract terms (with some security exceptions), and ownership information, including any foreign interests.
3. **Funding Provisions**: States that fail to comply with the database requirements will not receive federal funding for administering federal elections.
4. **Effective Date**: The law would apply to elections for federal office starting in 2026 and beyond.
This legislation aims to enhance transparency in election administration and ensure accountability regarding the vendors that play critical roles in the electoral process.
Possible Impacts
The "Election Infrastructure Integrity Act," as described, could affect people in several significant ways:
1. **Increased Transparency and Trust in Elections**: By establishing a publicly accessible database of private vendors involved in election systems, voters and the general public will have greater visibility into who is responsible for the technology and services that support the electoral process. This increased transparency can help build trust in the integrity of elections, as individuals can scrutinize the vendors and their contracts, potentially reducing fears of fraud or foreign influence.
2. **Enhanced Accountability for Election Officials**: The requirement for states and local governments to submit detailed information about their election vendors ensures that those responsible for administering elections are held accountable. If a state fails to comply with these transparency requirements, they risk losing federal funding for election administration. This could incentivize jurisdictions to prioritize the integrity and security of their election processes, ultimately benefiting voters by promoting more reliable and secure elections.
3. **Impact on Vendor Selection and Competition**: The legislation may influence how states and local governments choose their election vendors. With public access to information regarding vendor ownership and contracts, election officials may be more cautious about selecting vendors with potential conflicts of interest or questionable practices. This could lead to a more competitive environment among vendors, prompting them to adhere to higher standards to secure contracts, which may result in improved technologies and services for election administration.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8118 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8118
To require the Election Assistance Commission to establish and maintain
a publicly accessible database of private vendors that provide,
support, or maintain any component of the election systems used in the
administration of elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 26, 2026
Mr. Norman (for himself, Mr. Moore of Alabama, and Mr. Crane)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
House Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Election Assistance Commission to establish and maintain
a publicly accessible database of private vendors that provide,
support, or maintain any component of the election systems used in the
administration of elections for Federal office, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Election Infrastructure Integrity
Act''.
SEC. 2. ELECTION VENDOR TRANSPARENCY DATABASE.
(a) In General.--Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52
U.S.C. 21083 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 305 and 306 as sections 306
and 307; and
(2) by inserting after section 304 the following new
section:
``SEC. 305. ELECTION VENDOR TRANSPARENCY DATABASE.
``(a) In General.--The Commission shall establish and maintain a
publicly accessible database of private vendors that provide, support,
or maintain any component of the election systems used in the
administration of elections for Federal office as submitted under
subsection (b) by each State, unit of local government, and component
of a State or unit of local government which is responsible for the
administration of an election for Federal office.
``(b) Requirement To Submit Information to Commission.--Each State,
unit of local government, or component of a State or unit of local
government which is responsible for the administration of an election
for Federal office shall, not later than 30 days after the date of each
election for Federal office held in such State, submit to the
Commission the information required under subsection (c) with respect
to each private vendor that provided, supported, or maintained any
component of the election systems used in the administration of such
election for Federal office and the Commission shall promptly add such
information to the database established under subsection (a).
``(c) Information Required.--With respect to a vendor described in
subsection (b), the information required is as follows:
``(1) The identity of the vendor.
``(2) The terms of any contract or agreement with the
vendor, except with respect to any information withheld due to
security reasons.
``(3) Information with respect to the ownership of the
vendor, including any parent companies, beneficial owners, and
any foreign ownership or controlling interests.
``(d) Prohibition on Federal Funds for Election Administration If
Noncompliant.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal
funds may be provided under this Act or any other Act to administer an
election for Federal office in a State if the State does not comply
with the requirements under this section.
``(e) Definitions.--In this section--
``(1) the term `beneficial owner' means a person that is
determined to be a beneficial owner under section 240.13d-3 of
title 17, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor
regulation;
``(2) the term `election system' means a voting system, an
election management system, a voter registration website or
database, an electronic pollbook, a system for tabulating or
reporting election results, an election agency communications
system, or any other information system (as defined in section
3502 of title 44, United States Code) that the Commission
identifies as central to the management, support, or
administration of a Federal election; and
``(3) the term `voting system' has the meaning given the
term in section 301(b) of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52
U.S.C. 21081(b)).''.
(b) Conforming Amendment Relating to Enforcement.--Section 401 of
such Act (52 U.S.C. 21111) is amended by striking ``and 304'' and
inserting ``304, and 305''.
(c) Clerical Amendments.--The table of contents of such Act is
amended--
(1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 305 and
306 as relating to sections 306 and 307; and
(2) by inserting after the item relating to section 304 the
following new item:
``Sec. 305. Election vendor transparency database.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall
apply with respect to elections for Federal office held in 2026 and
each succeeding year.
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