Us Congress House Bill HB9779

Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 9/24/24
• Refer: 9/24/24

Caption

COCOA Act of 2024 Confirmation Of Congressional Observer Access Act of 2024

Impact

The proposed amendments to the Help America Vote Act reinforce the federal authority of Congress to oversee elections, establishing clear rules that require states to grant access to congressional observers. As stipulated in the bill, observers must be allowed to oversee all related election activities without interference. However, they are prohibited from engaging in actions such as handling ballots or advocating for specific candidates, thus maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. The bill emphasizes balancing oversight with the necessity of protecting voters' privacy and ballot secrecy.

Summary

House Bill 9779, referred to as the 'Confirmation Of Congressional Observer Access Act of 2024' (COCOA Act), aims to amend the existing Help America Vote Act of 2002. The primary objective of the bill is to ensure that designated congressional election observers are granted full access to observe election administration procedures during federal elections. This inclusive access is intended to enhance transparency and build confidence in the electoral process by allowing congressional representatives to directly observe various aspects of election administration, from ballot casting to the certification of results.

Contention

Some potential points of contention surrounding HB 9779 could arise from concerns regarding the scope of the congressional observers' powers and the implications for state and local election administration. Critics may argue that increased congressional oversight over elections could lead to perceived federal overreach into state-managed voting processes. Additionally, there could be concerns about the challenge of ensuring that observers adhere to the rules and do not interfere with voting or election officials, leading to further law and order issues during elections.