{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-5658","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 5658","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-09-21","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-11-18","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h467","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act","result":"Passed","yea":396,"nay":6,"present":0,"not_voting":30,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll467.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.","date":"2024-11-19"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2023-09-21","stage":"Introduced in House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Vote by Mail Tracking Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill requires mail-in ballots to (1) contain a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) barcode that enables tracking of each individual ballot, (2) satisfy USPS requirements for ballot envelope design and machinable letters, and (3) include the official election mail logo."}],"words":45},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Adds a new chapter to title 39, United States Code, that sets Postal Service barcode, design, machineable-letter and logo requirements for ballot envelopes that government entities furnish to be sent by mail.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}]},"core_areas":["Postal Service barcode tracking of mail-in ballot envelopes","Ballot envelope design and Official Election Mail Logo requirements"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Prohibits any entity of government from furnishing a ballot envelope to be carried or delivered by mail unless the envelope meets four requirements.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}},{"text":"Requires the envelope to contain a Postal Service barcode (or successive service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual ballot, consistent with parameters the Postal Service may set by regulation.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}},{"text":"Requires the envelope to satisfy ballot envelope design requirements and machineable letter requirements that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}},{"text":"Requires the envelope to include the Official Election Mail Logo, or any successor label the Postal Service may establish for ballots.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}},{"text":"Exempts a Federal write-in absentee ballot under section 103 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act from these requirements.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}},{"text":"Applies the new requirements to any election for Federal office occurring in 2026 and any succeeding year.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 2","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh#HD4B8FF5531B745538FC246A792F0172F"},"heading":"Mail-in ballots and Postal Service barcode service","effect":"Adds a new chapter to title 39 that bars governments from furnishing ballot envelopes for mailing unless they carry a Postal Service tracking barcode and meet design, machineable-letter and logo rules, but exempts Federal write-in absentee ballots.","amount":null,"quote":"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)."}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-11-18","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-09-30","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/5658/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-5658.png","v":"4e2379752e6e","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 5658, 118th Congress: Vote by Mail Tracking Act. House: 396 Yea, 6 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 18 Nov 2024."}}