S. 4893: Protect Election Integrity Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-11-12 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-11-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Protect Election Integrity Act of 2020

Plain summary

Protect Election Integrity Act of 2020 This bill requires states to establish certain election measures. It also prohibits ballot harvesting in federal elections. Specifically, the bill requires each state, in order to receive certain election assistance funds, to prohibit the knowing collection and transmission of a ballot that was mailed to another person (commonly referred to as ballot harvesting), with exceptions; permit poll watching by at least two appointed campaign representatives per campaign; require absentee and mail-in ballots to be counted and recorded immediately upon receipt without disclosing any results until after the closure of polling places on election day; require continuous counting of ballots after the closure of polling places on election day; install video surveillance of ballot drop boxes; require each supervisor of elections to make publicly available a report outlining preparations for the upcoming general election; and require an audit of municipal voting systems. Finally, the bill generally prohibits ballot harvesting in federal elections, which is the process of collecting vote-by-mail ballots from voters and returning them to the polling place or election office. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Protect Election Integrity Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Hawley, Josh [R-MO] reported raising $1.9 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s4893.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s4893 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116