LETTER OF SUPPORT: The American Confidence In Elections (ACE) Act
Dear Member,
On behalf of the Center for Election Integrity (CEI) at the America First Policy Institute, we would like to express our support for the passage of the American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act.
Only 33% of Americans are very confident that in elections votes are accurately counted and the proper winners are declared. This proposed legislation is crucial in helping change Americans’ distrust in their election system by protecting elections and improving transparency in our electoral process. Specifically, this legislation addresses several key concerns regarding election integrity, voter confidence, and the protection of political speech, all of which are vital to maintaining the strength and fairness of our democratic system.
The ACE Act recognizes the primary role of states in establishing election laws and administering elections, while also emphasizing the importance of ensuring that all eligible voters can exercise their right to vote and that all lawful votes are counted. By providing states with the necessary tools to bolster voter confidence and improve election integrity, this legislation would strike a balance between empowering states and establishing federal guidelines to promote best practices across the country.
One of the notable provisions of the ACE Act is the establishment of a federal forum consisting of the existing bipartisan Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Standards Board and Local Leadership Council. This forum would enable states to share best practices, discuss successes and failures, and benefit from innovation and lessons learned in election administration. Although the forum would not impose binding recommendations, it would facilitate the exchange of information on various topics, including the administration of mail-in ballots, signature verification procedures, voter list maintenance, access for election observers, timely reporting of results, poll worker recruitment, public education on voter machines, post-election audits, and secure chain-of-custody procedures.
Furthermore, the ACE Act would recognize the significance of technological advancements by directing the EAC to develop voluntary guidelines for the use of nonvoting election technology such as electronic poll books. This provision would ensure that states had access to the latest innovations in election administration, thereby improving efficiency and accuracy.
To reinforce the role of the EAC as the lead federal agency on election administration, the ACE Act would grant the agency exclusive authority to make election administration grant disbursements to states. This authority would ensure consistency and uniformity in the distribution of funds while maintaining the constitutional balance between state and federal powers.
In addition to addressing election administration, the ACE Act also would take measures to prevent non-citizens from participating in our elections. It would clarify that states have the authority to remove non-citizens from their federal voter registration lists and would reinforce the felony status of non-citizens voting in federal elections. By penalizing states that allow non-citizen voting in state or local elections, the legislation would emphasize the importance of protecting the integrity of our democratic process.
Moreover, the ACE Act recognizes the need for campaign finance reform and the protection of political speech. It would repeal limits on coordinated political party expenditures, raise contribution limits for state political party committees, and remove statutory limits on aggregate individual contributions. These measures would enable political parties and candidates to work together more effectively and encourage broader participation in the political process.
A very important part of this legislation is that it would address concerns related to private funding for election administration. By including the End Zuckerbucks Act, the legislation would remove the federal tax exemption for private funding provided to election administration. This provision would ensure that the administration of our elections remains free from undue influence and would provide a level playing field for all candidates and political parties.
Finally, establishing requirements for election integrity and voter confidence measures in the District of Columbia, our nation’s capital, would serve as an example for other states. These requirements would include the presentation of photo ID to vote, annual voter roll maintenance, restrictions on ballot harvesting, limitations on mailing ballots except upon request, and provisions for meaningful observer access. These measures would reinforce the importance of transparency and accountability in the election process and do so in a bipartisan manner. Collectively, these measures would achieve the goal of transparent elections, where every vote is counted once, every vote is equal, only people properly registered can vote, and the counting of ballots takes place with greater confidence.
The comprehensive work that has gone into this legislation, by listening to people who are part of the election system around the country, has resulted in a bill that is balanced and fair. It would provide the transparency needed to improve Americans’ confidence in their election system. CEI is proud to stand with you in support of this legislation.
Sincerely,
The Hon. J. Kenneth Blackwell
Chair, Center for Election Integrity
Hogan Gidley
Vice-Chair, Center for Election Integrity