117th Congress (2021–2023) · House bill · Sponsor: Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19]
This page covers HR8873 in the 117th Congress. Bill numbers start over every Congress, so HR8873 in another Congress is a different bill.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Roll-call votes | 1 |
| Chamber | House |
| Latest vote | 2022-09-21: Passed |
| Latest action | 2022-09-22: Received in the Senate. |
| Policy area | Government Operations and Politics |
| Official record | Congress.gov |
Presidential Election Reform Act This bill revises the process of casting and counting electoral votes for presidential elections. The bill specifies that the choice of electors must occur in accordance with the laws of the state enacted prior to election day. Next, the bill specifies that the voting time for a state's presidential election may only be extended due to a catastrophic event. Catastrophic event means a major natural disaster, act of terrorism, or widespread power outage if it (1) prevents a substantial portion of a state's electorate from casting a ballot on election day, or (2) causes a substantial number of ballots already cast in a state to be destroyed or rendered unreadable. Additionally, the bill requires each state's governor to certify the appointment of electors for the state. Further, the bill provides for expedited judicial review for an action brought by an aggrieved presidential or vice-presidential candidate with respect to the issuance or transmission of a certificate of appointment. The bill revises the framework for the joint session of Congress to count electoral votes and make a formal declaration of which candidates have been elected President and Vice President. Among other changes, the bill (1) specifies that the role of the presiding officer (the Vice President or, in the absence of the Vice President, the President pro tempore) during the joint session shall be ministerial in nature, and (2) raises the objection threshold in Congress to at least one-third of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Subjects: Civil actions and liability, Congressional officers and employees, Congressional operations and organization, Congressional oversight, Constitution and constitutional amendments, Elections, voting, political campaign regulation, Federal district courts, Federal officials, Government information and archives, Intergovernmental relations
Every recorded vote on this bill, newest first, with a link to the official tally. Member-by-member positions are on each member’s profile.
| Date | Chamber | Question | Result | Yea | Nay | Not voting | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-09-21 | House | Yea-and-Nay | Passed | 149 | 149 | 1 | Official tally |
HR8873 (Presidential Election Reform Act) was introduced in the 117th Congress (2021–2023) by Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19].
On 2022-09-22: Received in the Senate.
1 recorded vote in the 117th Congress. The most recent, on 2022-09-21, was "Yea-and-Nay": Passed.