The "Restoring Faith in Elections Act" is a proposed law that outlines standards for handling mail-in ballots, establishes automatic voter registration, promotes standardized election procedures, and aims to ensure accurate voter registration lists through various measures, including a standardized database.

The section states that the official short title of this legislation is the “Verifiable, Orderly, and Timely Election Results Act.”

The section establishes federal standards for mail-in ballots in elections for federal office, outlining requirements for requests, submission deadlines, ballot design, and procedures for both mail and in-person voting. It includes rules about who can handle completed mail-in ballots, limits penalties for violations, and specifies that these standards will apply to future federal elections.

The section outlines guidelines for mail-in voting in federal elections, including how voters can request, receive, and return mail-in ballots. It specifies deadlines, requirements for ballot validity, options for in-person voting, and rules about who can possess or return someone else's mail-in ballot, with penalties for violations.

The bill section establishes federal standards for reporting election results, requiring that mail-in ballots received before election day are counted starting one week prior, and all ballots, including those cast in-person, are reported within 24 hours post-election. Changes to sections and clerical adjustments ensure the new rules are integrated into existing election law.

The section outlines that state election officials must ensure mail-in ballots received before election day are counted starting a week before the election, and voting precincts must report ballot totals one hour after polls close. All ballots must be counted and reported within 24 hours after voting ends, and these rules apply to federal elections held after this section is enacted.

The “Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2025” aims to ensure that all eligible citizens in the United States are automatically registered to vote. It highlights the importance of using modern technology to update voter registration systems and seeks to make them more accurate, cost-effective, and accessible, while addressing barriers that impact young people, those with disabilities, and minority groups.

The text outlines a system for automatically registering eligible individuals to vote in federal elections, requiring states to electronically gather and process voter registration information from government agencies unless the individuals opt out. It details how states must handle new and existing agency records, communicate with potential voters, register eligible individuals under 18, and defines what constitutes a contributing agency.

Each State's contributing agencies are required to help register eligible voters by providing information and an option to decline registration when individuals apply for services, renewals, or address changes. This also includes the transmission of necessary voter information to election officials, with Federal and specific State agencies and institutions of higher education being designated as contributing agencies for this purpose.

The section outlines the process by which agencies must transfer information about voters already in their records to state election officials. This needs to be done by specific deadlines, either by the effective date of the law or six months after, depending on when the voter data was first recorded.

The section outlines rules and protections related to automatic voter registration, ensuring individuals are not penalized for errors in their registration due to it being automatic. It also sets strict guidelines on how voter information is handled, prohibiting its use for commercial purposes and emphasizing the need for privacy and security standards, which states must certify compliance with to receive federal funding.

This section allows individuals who are registered to vote in federal elections to update their personal information, such as address or name, at their polling place on election day. It also ensures that any updates are entered into the statewide voter registration system, so the voter's ballot is treated as a regular ballot.

The Election Assistance Commission will provide grants to eligible states to help them meet voting registration requirements, especially focusing on enhancing automatic voter registration systems. The Commission will prioritize funding activities that promote electronic data transfer, upgrade or implement online registration systems, and educate the public about new registration methods. Additionally, $500 million is authorized for 2025, with further funding available as needed, and these funds will not expire until fully used.

In Section 208, the bill states that exempt States do not have to follow the general rules of this title unless otherwise noted. However, they must still comply with certain provisions, specifically sections 206, 207, 209(e), and 209(f), which cover registration, payments, enforcement, and the relation to other laws.

The section outlines various requirements for agencies providing services under the title, ensuring these services are accessible to individuals with disabilities and are provided in a nonpartisan and nondiscriminatory manner. It allows for secure third-party transmission of information, permits electronic notices with consent, applies enforcement related to civil rights in voting, and specifies that nothing in this title overrides existing voting rights laws.

In this section, the bill defines terms related to election officials and voting processes. It explains who the "chief State election official" is, describes what the "Commission" refers to, clarifies what an "exempt State" means, and defines what is encompassed by the term "State".

The Effective Date section states that the new rules will generally begin on January 1, 2027, but allows for an extension to January 1, 2029, if a state can show the Commission that it needs more time due to extraordinary circumstances.

Under the proposed amendment to the Help America Vote Act, each State and jurisdiction must treat all voting methods equally, ensuring the same rules apply to each, such as signature verification. It also specifies that costs should not be subsidized for one voting method without also being subsidized for others, except when assisting disabled voters or meeting certain federal voting requirements, and these changes would take effect for elections starting in November 2026.

The section outlines a requirement for all states to have standardized procedures for running federal elections, ensuring uniformity in how provisional ballots are handled across different areas. It also amends the effective date clause to include these new procedural standardizations.

The section establishes a National Deconfliction Voting Database and Clearinghouse within the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to help states ensure the accuracy and integrity of federal election voter registration records. It aims to make sure voters are registered only in their home state, deceased individuals are removed from voter lists, and only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections.

The section outlines that states must certify that they have updated their voter registration lists by removing ineligible voters 90 days before a federal election and share this list with federal agencies. It also requires the Postal Service and Social Security Administration to provide information on address changes and deceased individuals, respectively, 180 days before the election, with these rules taking effect for elections starting in November 2026.

The bill requires people applying for a driver's license in a new state to declare if they lived in another state and if they want the new state to be their voting residence. If they choose the new state for voting, the old state will be informed that the individual no longer wants to vote there. This change takes effect for elections starting in 2025.