Electoral Count Act introduced to improve election procedures, raise penalties

WASHINGTON (KYMA, KECY) - Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), along with a group of other Senators, introduced the Electoral Count Act to help improve mail-in ballots, while also making stricter penalties against anyone who interferes with elections.

The Act will have more protection for election records and election machines, as well as increase cybersecurity.

“The Capitol insurrection shined a bright light on gaps in election law and procedures that could be manipulated by those in power. Our bipartisan effort reforming, modernizing, and safeguarding our election procedures will help prevent another January 6^th and ensure the continued integrity of our elections,” expressed Sinema.

According to the Act, the following is what improvements and changes will be put in place:

• "Modernizes the 1887 Electoral Count Act to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state’s public vote for President; replaces ambiguous provisions of the law with clear procedures that maintain appropriate state and federal roles in selecting the President and Vice President of the United States as set forth in the U.S. Constitution; ensures that Congress can identify a single, conclusive slate of electors from each state; affirmatively states that the role of the Vice President in the joint session of Congress is solely ministerial; and increases the threshold needed to lodge an objection to electors from one Senator and one Representative to one-fifth of the duly chosen and sworn members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate"

• "Helps to promote the orderly transfer of power by providing clear guidelines for when eligible candidates for President or Vice President may receive federal resources to support their transition into office; allows an eligible candidate, during the limited time period in which the outcome of a presidential election is reasonably in dispute to receive transition resources, removing the need for the Administrator of the U.S. General Services Administration to ascertain the apparent winner during this time"

• "Doubles the penalty under federal law for individuals who, by force or threat of force, injure, intimidate, or interfere with election officials, poll watchers, voters, or candidates; raises the penalty to up to two years in prison"

• "Increases protections for election records and election equipment by: ensuring that all records, including electronic records, are retained for 22 months; prohibiting the theft, destruction, concealment, mutilation, or alteration of voting systems to defraud a fair election, and increasing penalties for anyone who willfully steals, destroys, conceals, mutilates, or alters any election record"

• "Improves the handling of mail-in ballots by the U.S. Postal Service and provides guidance to states to improve their mail-in ballot processes where permitted under state law"

• "Reauthorizes the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) for five years to help states improve the administration and security of federal elections through grants to states and non-binding guidance and best-practices for election officials in various areas, including cybersecurity, election audits, and voting accessibility"

• "Improves election cybersecurity by requiring the EAC to conduct cyber penetration testing and certification of voting systems at accredited labs"