House Bill 26-034

This bill establishes comprehensive statewide standards for voter registration, identification, and election administration. The Act requires individuals registering to vote to provide state-issued identification, proof of citizenship, their full Social Security number, and proof of residency. It establishes automatic voter registration using verified Department of Revenue information while allowing individuals to opt out, and it permits eligible citizens to register and vote on the same day during early voting or on Election Day. Voters whose eligibility cannot immediately be verified must cast provisional ballots pending verification.

The bill establishes identification and security requirements for both in-person and mail-in voting. Registered voters may request mail-in ballots, which are subject to signature verification against the voter’s original registration signature. Voters must be notified when a signature is rejected and provided an opportunity to cure the discrepancy before the statutory deadline. The Act also permits voters to designate another person to collect and return their ballot without limiting the number of ballots that person may return. Individuals registering within 21 days of an election must vote provisionally until their residency is verified.

The bill strengthens election administration by requiring quarterly voter-roll comparisons with state death and residency records and coordination with corrections and judicial agencies concerning voters disqualified by felony convictions. It establishes uniform chain-of-custody procedures for ballots, requires bipartisan documentation of ballot transfers, authorizes election officials to accept private and philanthropic funding for specified election purposes, and directs the State to participate in interstate voter-registration data-sharing systems. The Act also requires secure cloud-enabled election equipment, directs the Secretary of State to establish remote digital voting capabilities, and designates Election Day as a state holiday with three hours of paid voting leave for eligible employees.

Finally, the Act declares that San Andreas retains sovereign authority over its election procedures and purports to preempt future federal legislation governing voter registration, identification, and election administration. It grants legislative leaders standing to defend the law and gives the San Andreas Supreme Court exclusive original jurisdiction over challenges concerning its constitutionality or implementation. The Act was signed on May 28, 2026, and is scheduled to take effect August 18, 2026, unless a referendum petition suspends all or part of the Act pending voter approval at the November 2026 general election.