The midterms are three months away. Election integrity is an issue under the current radar that will become more apparent the closer to November. Friday, Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) met with Ranking Member of the House Administration Committee Rodney Davis (R-IL) about the American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act.
This comprehensive bill would cover multiple areas of election policy, ranging from non-citizens voting, voter ID, and ballot harvesting.
The ACE Act expressly states that it is a felony for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Subsequently, states that permit non-citizens to vote in state and local elections must create separate voter rolls of non-citizens and separate ballots for local races. Furthermore, those states will have their Help America Vote Act (HAVA) funds docked by 30%. Relatedly, every REAL ID (as in your driver's license) issued or renewed after January 2026 to qualified individuals must have the word CITIZEN printed on it.
Additionally, one important feature of the ACE Act concerns ballot harvesting. Unless states place restrictions on ballot harvesting and mail voting, they will be denied federal funding for federal election administration. Similarly, federal tax exemption for private funding of election administration will likewise be removed. Finally, the USPS must prioritize election mail, marking every piece with dates of receipt, then process and deliver it. No excuses of overdrawn or underfunded jurisdictions.
In his press release, Bilirakis states that "if the American electorate does not have confidence that elections are free and fair, it undermines our Republic." Bilirakis cites the irregularities of the 2020 Election that led to widespread outcry among Republicans. "We have an obligation to understand what transpired during the 2020 election and implement mechanisms to ensure it never happens again." He also states that Florida is "truly a role model" on how to improve election integrity.
Friday morning, Bilirakis tweeted about his meeting with Davis.
Ensuring election integrity is vital. Glad to host @RodneyDavis to discuss this issue with a group of local, bipartisan leaders. Florida is a role model in ensuring transparent & fair elections. With the ACE Act, we can offer a framework for other states seeking improvement! pic.twitter.com/DgWeqsuA8x
— Gus Bilirakis (@RepGusBilirakis) August 5, 2022
"Ensuring election integrity is vital. Glad to host @RodneyDavis to discuss this issue with a group of local, bipartisan leaders. Florida is a role model in ensuring transparent & fair elections. With the ACE Act, we can offer a framework for other states seeking improvement!" Bilirakis' tweet reads.
