State and Local Election Security Act of 2026

This bill would create a yearly federal grant program, run by the Election Assistance Commission, that pays states to improve the administration of federal elections, including updating election equipment and preparing for and responding to security threats. It would authorize $5 billion for fiscal year 2026 and $2.5 billion each for 2027 and 2028, divided among states by a minimum amount plus a share based on voting-age population. States would generally have to pass at least half of their payment to local election offices and report how the money was spent after each federal election. Unspent funds would return to the Treasury after 5 years, with possible extensions of up to 3 years. The bill would also add the Northern Mariana Islands and certain other territories to the law's definition of states and authorize $50 million a year for grants supporting the Elections Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Alex Padilla Democrat sponsor
• 1 cosponsors