This bill creates the Democracy Advancement and Innovation Program and an Office of Democracy Advancement and Innovation. The Office is led by a Director appointed by the President for a 6-year term. The Program gives annual allocations to each State from a new State Election Assistance and Innovation Trust Fund. The bill lists allowed uses: improving election administration and cybersecurity, upgrading voting equipment and registration systems, nonpartisan voter outreach, expanding polling places and early and mail voting, and recruiting, training, and protecting nonpartisan election officials and poll workers. It also supports increasing voting access for underserved communities, people with disabilities, language minority groups, UOCAVA voters, and voters on Indian lands. States must submit plans for approval to receive funds. The bill sets rules on prohibited uses, requires state complaint procedures, and creates reporting and public-disclosure requirements. The Trust Fund is to receive $2,500,000,000 for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035.
If you are a state or local election official: you can apply for funds by submitting a state plan that describes how you will use money for the activities listed in the bill. Local election administrators may receive payments for activities they carry out directly. States may reserve funds for future use. If a State does not submit a plan on time, political subdivisions may be treated as eligible to receive allocations. If you are a voter or community group: the bill aims to support more polling places, more early and mail voting, upgraded equipment, outreach to underrepresented communities, and protections for election workers. The bill requires public posting of state plans and state reports, with limited redactions for legally protected information.
The bill establishes a Trust Fund in the Treasury and appropriates $2,500,000,000 to that Trust Fund for each fiscal year 2026 through 2035. Payments and allocations to States must come solely from this Trust Fund. The Office may oversee the Trust Fund, monitor balances, and hold funds in reserve for Office expenses. The Director and senior staff pay are tied to specified Executive Schedule levels in the bill. Payments to States made under the Program are available without fiscal year limitation.
The bill’s sponsors propose a federal program and office to help States modernize and secure election infrastructure, expand access to voting for underserved groups, recruit and protect election workers, and support nonpartisan voter outreach. The text frames the funding and oversight as tools to improve election administration, promote cybersecurity, and address geographic and racial disparities in resource distribution.
No publicly available information.