I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 1467
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the use of Federal
funds for the administration of elections for Federal, State, or local
office in States which do not have in effect laws to permit units of
local government to hold elections for local office in odd-numbered years,
and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY21, 2025
Mr. G
ARBARINOintroduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on House Administration
A BILL
To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit
the use of Federal funds for the administration of elec-
tions for Federal, State, or local office in States which
do not have in effect laws to permit units of local govern-
ment to hold elections for local office in odd-numbered
years, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting Our Local 4
Elections Act’’ or the ‘‘POLE Act’’. 5
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 1
(a) F
INDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 2
(1) Holding local elections for public office in 3
odd-numbered years provides greater focus on local 4
candidates and issues. 5
(2) Local elections held in odd-numbered years 6
allow voters to make more informed decisions about 7
their local representation. 8
(3) Holding all elections in even-numbered 9
years diminishes the attention given to community 10
matters. 11
(4) Holding all elections in even-numbered 12
years overcrowds the ballot, hindering the decision- 13
making process for voters. 14
(5) Local elected officials directly serve their 15
immediate communities and needs. 16
(6) Local leaders played a vital role in the 17
founding of the United States. 18
(7) Local governments are at the core of our 19
Nation’s republic. 20
(b) S
ENSE OFCONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-21
gress that— 22
(1) units of local governments should have the 23
authority to conduct elections for local office in odd- 24
numbered years; 25
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(2) local elections held in odd-numbered years 1
ensure that local candidates and issues receive great-2
er attention and allow voters to make well-informed 3
choices; and 4
(3) the most effective form of representation is 5
attained through local governance. 6
SEC. 3. PROHIBITING PROVISION OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR 7
ELECTION ADMINISTRATION FOR STATES 8
NOT PERMITTING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO 9
HOLD ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL OFFICE IN 10
ODD-NUMBERED YEARS. 11
(a) P
ROHIBITION.—Title IX of the Help America 12
Vote Act of 2002 (52 U.S.C. 21141 et seq.) is amended 13
by adding at the end the following new section: 14
‘‘SEC. 907. PROHIBITING PROVISION OF FEDERAL FUNDS 15
FOR ELECTION ADMINISTRATION FOR 16
STATES NOT PERMITTING LOCAL GOVERN-17
MENTS TO HOLD ELECTIONS FOR LOCAL OF-18
FICE IN ODD-NUMBERED YEARS. 19
‘‘Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Fed-20
eral funds may be provided under this Act or any other 21
Act to administer an election for Federal, State, or local 22
office held in a State which does not have in effect a law 23
which permits units of local government in the State to 24
hold elections for local office in odd-numbered years.’’. 25
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(b) CLERICALAMENDMENT.—The table of contents 1
of such Act is amended by adding at the end of the items 2
relating to title IX the following: 3
‘‘Sec. 907. Prohibiting provision of Federal funds for election administration
for States not permitting local governments to hold elections
for local office in odd-numbered years.’’.
(c) EFFECTIVEDATE.—The amendments made by 4
this section shall apply with respect to fiscal year 2027 5
and each succeeding fiscal year. 6
Æ
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