WASHINGTON - Today, Committee on House Administration Chairman Bryan Steil (WI-01) and Subcommittee on Elections Chair Laurel Lee (FL-15) introduced the Uniform State ACE Act, model state election integrity legislation that works in conjunction with H.R. 4563, the American Confidence in Elections Act. 

The Uniform State ACE Act provides states with thirteen election integrity measures to increase voters' confidence and promote election integrity. While Congress is limited in its authority over elections, the Constitution gives the States primary authority to set election law and administer elections, which means that state legislatures are the bodies able to implement the most important election integrity measures. 
 
In response, Steil and Lee released the following statements: 

“I’m focused on increasing voters’ confidence and participation in our elections," said Chairman Steil. "By providing a toolkit of election integrity bills to states we are going one step further in securing our elections and increasing Americans confidence. I am committed to maintaining our federalist approach to elections while encouraging safe and secure election administration.”

“Americans need to feel confident that their elections are secure, which is why we have compiled crucial election integrity measures into model state legislation," said Elections Subcommittee Chair Lee. "The Uniform State ACE Act serves as a comprehensive toolkit to ensure election integrity is being carried out at the state level.”

Background: 

The Uniform State ACE Act is a part of House Republicans broader effort to enhance Americans’ confidence in our elections. In July, the Committee on House Administration passed the ACE Act, the most conservative and transformative election integrity legislation in over twenty years, out of Committee. 

The Uniform State ACE Act serves as model state legislation designed to enhance voter confidence and election integrity. The Uniform State ACE Act includes thirteen crucial election integrity measures, mirroring those proposed for elections within Washington, D.C., in the federal ACE Act. In maintaining our federalist approach, the ACE Act uses D.C. as an example, as Congress has authority over D.C. reforms. The Uniform State ACE Act seeks to provide states with the election integrity measures outlined in the ACE Act.

The Uniform State ACE Act: 

• Acknowledges the diversity of state-specific challenges and opportunities, ensuring that reforms are tailored and effective at the local level while still aligning with national objectives for election integrity.
• Recognizes the unique challenges faced by states in administering elections, reflecting insights from committee members like former Florida Secretary of State and current Elections Subcommittee Chair Laurel Lee (FL-15).
• Empowers states, does not mandate states: The federal role is minimal yet supportive.  
• Respects state autonomy by preventing a one-size-fits-all takeover of elections. 
• Provides a practical framework, drawing upon successful election integrity measures implemented in various states for legislators, regardless of their state's political leaning. Legislators can use this model legislation as a foundation for introducing election integrity measures such as the implementation of photo voter identification and a ban on noncitizen voting.

Article 1, Section 4 of the Constitution grants to the States the primary authority to set election law and to administer federal elections, leaving Congress with a much smaller, secondary role. For more information on this division of power, please see the Committee’s staff report on the matter (link).

Learn more here.