January 27, 2026
Mr. Mfume (for himself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Min, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Norton, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Craig, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Simon, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Frost, Mr. Subramanyam, and Mr. Latimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform
To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Vote by Mail Tracking Act
.
Sec. 2. Mail-in ballots and Postal Service barcode service
(a) In general
Title 39, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 30 the following new chapter:
31 Election Mail
3101. Trackable election mail
(a) In general
No entity of government shall furnish a ballot envelope for the purpose of being carried or delivered by mail unless such envelope—
(1)
contains a Postal Service barcode (or successive service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual ballot consistent with parameters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation;
(2)
satisfies requirements for ballot envelope design that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation;
(3)
satisfies requirements for machineable letters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; and
(4)
includes the Official Election Mail Logo (or any successor label that the Postal Service may establish for ballots).
(b) Application
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).
(c) Information
Not later than June 1 of each calendar year, the Postmaster General shall provide, to the entities described in the matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the information necessary to comply with the requirements of this subsection, including how to access Postal Service tools to assist in generating the barcode or successive marking required by subsection (a)(1).
(b) Clerical amendment
The table of chapters for part IV of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to chapter 30 the following:
(c) Application
The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any election for Federal office occurring in 2026 and any succeeding year.