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Bipartisan Lawmakers Introduce Election Worker and Polling Place Protection Act
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Key points
- Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Don Bacon introduced H.R. 10926 in the 119th Congress to protect voting facilities and personnel.
- The legislation creates federal criminal penalties for using force or threats against voters, poll watchers, and election staff.
- Penalties increase to a $5,000 fine and up to one year in prison for offenses involving weapons, fire, or bodily injury.
NewsWK — Federal lawmakers recently introduced bipartisan legislation to safeguard voters, poll staff, and election facilities across the United States. Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Representative Don Bacon (R-NE) sponsored the measure. The bill establishes federal criminal penalties for threats and violence aimed at disrupting public elections.
What does the Election Worker and Polling Place Protection Act alter for local precincts?
The proposed statute targets unlawful interference with voting activities nationwide. It imposes federal fines and prison sentences for individuals who use force or threats against election staff or voters. Consequently, local election authorities and third-party vendors would receive explicit federal protection during voting operations.
How does HR 10926 define protecting election workers and voting infrastructure?
The federal election worker protection bill broadly shields both personnel and physical assets during federal elections. Specifically, the Josh Gottheimer election bill establishes new criminal penalties to deter threats against workers, vendors, facilities, and voter databases across all jurisdictions.
- Election officials, poll watchers, and contracted staff
- Polling places, tabulation centers, and voter registration offices
- Electronic and physical systems used to audit, count, or store ballots
Also, basic violations carry fines up to $2,500 and six months in prison. However, offenses involving weapons, fire, explosives, or injury trigger maximum penalties of $5,000 and one year in prison.
Where does the federal election worker protection bill stand in Congress?
Lawmakers formally introduced H.R. 10926 on October 29, 2026, during the 119th Congress. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives referred the measure to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Therefore, committee members must review the bill before any full floor vote occurs.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Sources
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