Skip to main content

Politicians make promises on their stump — we watch and hold them accountable.

Help keep the record honest →Create an account
Bills/119th Congress · House

H.R. 7265

Introduced

Vote by Mail Tracking Act

Sponsor
DKweisi Mfume· Maryland
Introduced
January 27, 2026
Policy area
Government Operations and Politics
Latest action
Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 1.February 4, 2026
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7265 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7265

To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to 
use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 27, 2026

Mr. Mfume (for himself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. 
Fitzpatrick, Mr. Min, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Norton, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Lynch, 
Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. 
Craig, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Simon, Mr. Scott of Virginia, 
Mr. Bishop, Mr. Frost, Mr. Subramanyam, and Mr. Latimer) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and 
Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to 
use the Postal Service barcode service, 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 ``Vote by Mail Tracking Act''.

SEC. 2. MAIL-IN BALLOTS AND POSTAL SERVICE BARCODE SERVICE.

(a) In General.--Title 39, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting after chapter 30 the following new chapter:

``CHAPTER 31--ELECTION MAIL

``Sec.
``3101. Trackable election mail.
``Sec. 3101. Trackable election mail
``(a) In General.--No entity of government shall furnish a ballot 
envelope for the purpose of being carried or delivered by mail unless 
such envelope--
``(1) contains a Postal Service barcode (or successive 
service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual 
ballot consistent with parameters that the Postal Service may 
promulgate by regulation;
``(2) satisfies requirements for ballot envelope design 
that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation;
``(3) satisfies requirements for machineable letters that 
the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; and
``(4) includes the Official Election Mail Logo (or any 
successor label that the Postal Service may establish for 
ballots).
``(b) Application.--Subsection (a) does not apply to a Federal 
write-in absentee ballot under section 103 of the Uniformed and 
Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20303).
``(c) Information.--Not later than June 1 of each calendar year, 
the Postmaster General shall provide, to the entities described in the 
matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the information 
necessary to comply with the requirements of this subsection, including 
how to access Postal Service tools to assist in generating the barcode 
or successive marking required by subsection (a)(1).''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for part IV of title 
39, United States Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to 
chapter 30 the following:

``31. Election Mail......................................... 3101''.
(c) Application.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply 
to any election for Federal office occurring in 2026 and any succeeding 
year.
<all>

Plain-language analysis

Not yet analyzed.

A plain-language breakdown — including any hidden or off-intent provisions and whether the bill was fast-tracked — is generated separately and reviewed before publishing. It will appear here once ready. Until then, the verbatim text above and the official source are the record.

StumpWatch is live, and the record is still growing. Many promises and positions aren’t tracked yet, and some features are still in beta. Add a sourced promise and help keep the record honest.

Help keep the record honest →