JOINT RELEASE: House Members Introduce Bipartisan Reforms to the Electoral Count Act of 1887

Press Release

Today, September 14, 2022, U.S. Congressmen Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) and Fred Upton (MI-6) announced the bipartisan House introduction of the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act to reform and modernize the outdated Electoral Count Act of 1887. It will ensure that the electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state's vote for President.

The bipartisan, bicameral legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by U.S. Senators Collins, Manchin, Portman, Sinema, Romney, Shaheen, Murkowski, Warner, Tillis, Murphy, Capito, Cardin, Young, Coons, Sasse, Graham, Grassley, and Hickenlooper.

The bill includes the following provisions:

The Electoral Count Reform Act. This section will reform and modernize the outdated Electoral Count Act of 1887 to ensure that electoral votes tallied by Congress accurately reflect each state's vote for President. It will replace ambiguous provisions of the 19th-century law with clear procedures that maintain appropriate state and federal roles in selecting the President and Vice President of the United States as set forth in the U.S. Constitution. 

 The Presidential Transition Improvement Act. This section will help to promote the orderly transfer of power by providing clear guidelines for when eligible candidates for President or Vice President may receive federal resources to support their transition into office. 

"We are very pleased that Representatives Gottheimer and Upton have introduced the House companion to our legislation that would correct the flaws in the archaic and ambiguous Electoral Count Act of 1887," said Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV). "Their leadership helps build momentum to pass these significant and much-needed reforms. We will continue to work with our colleagues to increase bipartisan, bicameral support for this legislation."

"With this bipartisan, bicameral legislation, both sides of the aisle are coming together to protect our great democracy, preserve the integrity of our elections, and prevent any attempts to undermine them. Our nation's future depends on it and the time to act is now," said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5).

"Americans want certainty in elections, not vested parties' interpretations of laws from the 1800s," said Congressman Fred Upton (MI-6). "By clearly specifying the procedures for counting electoral votes, this bill provides the clarity voters need to know their vote for president matters. Further it ensures the gamesmanship of political parties will not be a factor in the longstanding presidential selection process."

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