Uniform deadline for acceptance of mailed ballots

(a) In general Subtitle C of title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21081 et seq.), as added by section 3 and amended by section 4, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: 313. Uniform deadline for acceptance of mailed ballots (a) In general A State or local election official may not refuse to accept or process a ballot submitted by an individual by mail with respect to an election for Federal office in the State on the grounds that the individual did not meet a deadline for returning the ballot to the appropriate State or local election official if— (1) the ballot is postmarked or otherwise indicated by the United States Postal Service to have been mailed on or before the date of the election; and (2) the ballot is received by the appropriate election official prior to the expiration of the 7-day period which begins on the date of the election. (b) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a State from having a law that allows for counting of ballots in an election for Federal office that are received through the mail after the date that is 7 days after the date of the election. (c) Effective date This section shall apply with respect to the regularly scheduled general election for Federal office held in November 2026 and each succeeding election for Federal office.. (b) Clerical amendment The table of contents of such Act, as amended by sections 3 and 4, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 312 the following new item: Sec. 313. Uniform deadline for acceptance of mailed ballots..