WASHINGTON – Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) this week joined U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) in introducing a bipartisan bill to encourage states to ban the practice of ballot harvesting.

H.R. 8285, the Election Fraud Prevention Act, which is similar to the bill (H.R. 6882) Davis introduced earlier this year, would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit payments to states that permit ballot harvesting by third-party organizations. In May, House Administration Republicans released a reporthighlighting the political weaponization of ballot harvesting in 2018.

In an earlier release, Davis and Gabbard spoke out against the ballot harvesting process.

"Banning ballot harvesting shouldn't be a partisan issue," said Davis. "Allowing any individual, including political operatives, to pick up multiple voters' ballots and deliver them to a polling location undermines the integrity of our elections. We've seen ballot harvesting widely used in states like California and a recent court case in North Carolina outlined the clear opportunities for fraud and coercion with the ballot harvesting process. This bipartisan bill will encourage states to ban this process that is ripe for fraud and is a major threat to the integrity of our elections."

"America is in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and public health precautions make mail-in voting an increasingly important part of the election process. This bill makes it clear that mail-in ballots are crucial. People shouldn't have to choose between their health and their vote. This bill protects assistance from family members, household members, and caregivers as well as election officials and mail carriers acting in their official capacity," said Gabbard. "Voters will still have assistance, if they need it, to turn in their vote, but this bill makes sure that third-party, special interest groups don't get between voters and the ballot box."

Related Background

Republicans Drop Bill To End Voting Practice Ripe For Fraud: Ballot Harvesting

Committee Republicans Report: Political Weaponization Of Ballot Harvesting In California