Ballot Box Protection Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 10927 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 10927

To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to prohibit destroying or damaging ballot boxes, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 29, 2026

Mr. Gottheimer (for himself and Ms. Malliotakis) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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A BILL

To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to prohibit destroying or damaging ballot boxes, 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 ``Ballot Box Protection Act''.

SEC. 2. DESTRUCTION OF BALLOT BOXES PROHIBITED.

Section 12 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (52 U.S.C. 10308) is amended-- (1) by redesignating subsection (c) through (f) as subsections (d) through (g), respectively; (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: ``(c) Whoever destroys or damages an in-person, secured, and clearly labeled boxes at which individuals may drop off voted ballots in an election for Federal office with the intent to destroy or damage a voted ballot-- ``(1) if no voted ballot is damaged or destroyed, shall be fined not more than $20,000 for each such box, or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; or ``(2) if a voted ballot is damaged or destroyed, shall be fined not more than $20,000 for each such voted ballot, or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.''; and (3) in subsection (d), as so redesignated, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Whoever conspires to violate the provisions of subsection (c) of this section shall be punished as provided under such subsection.''. <all>