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S 5271 119th Congress Senate Government Operations and Politics Elections, voting, political campaign regulation Licensing and registrations State and local government operations Visas and passports Voting rights

A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification.

Introduced: August 5, 2026 Introduced by: Husted, Jon Republican · Ohio See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 6 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Aug 8, 2026
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S4556)
Aug 8, 2026
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S4556)
Aug 8, 2026
Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 46. Record Vote Number: 231.
Aug 6, 2026
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 547.
Aug 5, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Aug 5, 2026
Introduced in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
 Votes taken on this bill 1
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Aug 8, 2026 Senate · vote #231 On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed S. 5271 Rejected 5246 See who voted →
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

This bill establishes certain photo identification requirements for voting in federal elections.

Specifically, the bill prohibits a state or local election official from providing a ballot for a federal election to an individual who does not present valid physical photo identification.

Next, the bill outlines the availability of provisional ballots and the requirements for counting those ballots. An individual who does not present a valid photo identification must be permitted to cast a provisional ballot. However, an election official may not determine that the individual is eligible under state law to vote in the election unless, not later than three days after casting the provisional ballot, the individual presents (1) the identification required, or (2) an affidavit attesting that the individual does not possess the identification because of a religious objection to being photographed.

An election official may not allow for voting methods other than in-person voting unless the individual submits with the ballot (1) a copy of their photo identification, or (2) the last four digits of their Social Security number with an affidavit attesting that the individual is unable to obtain a copy of a valid photo identification after making reasonable efforts to obtain a copy. This prohibition shall not apply to overseas military voters and certain disabled or elderly voters.

States must, to the extent practicable, ensure public access to digital imaging devices for individuals to make a free copy of their valid photo identification.

These requirements take effect one day after the bill's enactment.

What's happening now August 8, 2026

Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure not invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 52 - 46. Record Vote Number: 231.

 Related & companion bills 4
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 5271: A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification.. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-5271/
MLA
"S. 5271: A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification.." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-5271/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 5271, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-5271/.
Markdown link
[S. 5271: A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require voters to provide photo identification.](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-S-5271/)
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