Two Republican allies of President Donald Trump, Representative Laurel Lee of Florida and Senator Ashley Moody, are introducing legislation requiring absentee and mail-in ballots to be received by election officials by the end of Election Day, rather than merely postmarked by then. Lee, Florida's former secretary of state, says the model has worked well in her home state without denying anyone the right to vote, and argues it would help keep election results timely ahead of the November midterms. The move comes amid a wider, divisive national debate over mail-in voting rules, with some Republicans from states where postal voting is popular wary of altering existing arrangements.

The bill follows a March 2025 executive order from Trump that set a similar Election Day receipt deadline, and could affect millions of voters, given that roughly a third of Americans cast ballots by mail. Lee insists the legislation does not restrict mail voting itself, only tightening the deadline for receipt. Separately, another Trump order overhauling mail-in voting procedures—requiring proof-of-citizenship checks by the Postal Service and specific markings on federal election mail—is being contested in court by more than 20 states, with supporters citing voter confidence and critics warning of added chaos.