Republican Senators Introduce Bill to Enforce Election Day Deadline for Ballot Counting Nationwide

Two Senate Republicans are advancing legislation designed to impose a uniform deadline for ballot acceptance across all 50 states, seeking to restrict the extended counting periods that have drawn scrutiny in recent election cycles. Sens. James Lankford of Oklahoma and Mike Lee of Utah introduced the Ballots by Election Day Act, which would prohibit states from counting any absentee or mail-in ballots that arrive after polls close on Election Day.

Lankford framed the measure as a mechanism to strengthen public confidence in the nation’s electoral system. He highlighted Oklahoma’s ability to complete ballot tallying by 9 p.m. on Election night, followed by verification and audit processes, as a model of efficiency and trustworthiness that other states should emulate.

The legislation directly targets jurisdictions including California and Washington state, where ballot counting frequently extends days or weeks beyond Election Day. Lee stated that prolonged counting periods create conditions susceptible to fraud and undermine public faith in election integrity, asserting that the bill would establish clearer procedures and restore confidence by limiting acceptance to ballots received before polls close.

The senators’ initiative follows a Supreme Court decision permitting mail-in ballots postmarked before Election Day to be counted after Election Day arrives. Lankford noted the court left an opening for Congress to define counting deadlines, which he characterized as an opportunity to inject clarity into the electoral process without controversy.