H.R. 7265House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Vote by Mail Tracking Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 7, 2026 at 5:13 AM UTC

The Vote by Mail Tracking Act would change federal election law so that every mail‑in ballot envelope must include a USPS barcode that allows the Postal Service to track the ballot’s movement. It also sets USPS design and machine‑readability requirements and requires the official Election Mail logo on the envelope. The law applies to all federal elections starting in 2026, with an exemption for certain write‑in absentee ballots.

Key Provisions

Requires every mail‑in ballot envelope used for federal elections to contain a USPS barcode (or similar marking) that lets the Postal Service track each ballot.
The envelope must also meet USPS‑set design standards, be machine‑readable, and display the official Election Mail logo.
Excludes federal write‑in absentee ballots covered by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
The Postmaster General must give election officials the information they need to create the required barcode and meet the standards by June 1 each year.
The new rules apply to all federal elections beginning in 2026 and every election thereafter.

Legislative Activity

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3 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 1.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 4, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 27, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

January 27, 2026

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 4, 2026

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 43 - 1.

Oversight and Government Reform Committee

February 4, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 27, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7265

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 27, 2026

Mr. Mfume (for himself, Mr. Sessions, Mr. Garcia of California, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Min, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Norton, Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Ms. Craig, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Budzinski, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Mr. Mullin, Mrs. Sykes, Ms. Ansari, Ms. Simon, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Bishop, Mr. Frost, Mr. Subramanyam, and Mr. Latimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

A BILL

To amend title 39, United States Code, to require mail-in ballots to use the Postal Service barcode service, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Vote by Mail Tracking Act.

Mail-in ballots and Postal Service barcode service

(a)

In general

Title 39, United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 30 the following new chapter:

Election Mail

Sec.

3101. Trackable election mail.

3101.

Trackable election mail

(a)

In general

No entity of government shall furnish a ballot envelope for the purpose of being carried or delivered by mail unless such envelope—

(1)

contains a Postal Service barcode (or successive service or marking) that enables tracking of each individual ballot consistent with parameters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation;

(2)

satisfies requirements for ballot envelope design that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation;

(3)

satisfies requirements for machineable letters that the Postal Service may promulgate by regulation; and

(4)

includes the Official Election Mail Logo (or any successor label that the Postal Service may establish for ballots).

(b)

Application

Subsection (a) does not apply to a Federal write-in absentee ballot under section 103 of the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (52 U.S.C. 20303).

(c)

Information

Not later than June 1 of each calendar year, the Postmaster General shall provide, to the entities described in the matter preceding paragraph (1) of subsection (a), the information necessary to comply with the requirements of this subsection, including how to access Postal Service tools to assist in generating the barcode or successive marking required by subsection (a)(1).

(b)

Clerical amendment

The table of chapters for part IV of title 39, United States Code, is amended by adding after the item relating to chapter 30 the following:

31.Election Mail3101

(c)

Application

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to any election for Federal office occurring in 2026 and any succeeding year.