Bill Overview
Title: Promoting Free and Fair Elections Act
Description: This bill prohibits federal agencies from using funds made available for salaries and expenses to solicit or enter into agreements with nongovernmental organizations to conduct voter registration or voter mobilization activities on the agency's property or website. The bill also requires federal agencies to delay carrying out certain activities pursuant to Executive Order 14019 (which established requirements for expanding access to voter registration and election information) until various conditions are met, such as the agency submitting reports to Congress.
Sponsors: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT]
Target Audience
Population: People relying on federal facilities and services for voter registration or mobilization
Estimated Size: 75000000
- The bill aims to restrict the involvement of federal agencies in voter registration and mobilization activities, which can impact public access to such activities.
- Individuals who may rely on federal agency locations and websites for voter registration and mobilization may experience reduced access or convenience.
- The bill affects the implementation of Executive Order 14019, which is designed to expand voter registration and election information access.
- The impact extends to those who benefit from federally facilitated voter registration efforts, often targeting underserved or difficult-to-reach populations.
Reasoning
- The target population includes individuals who use federal facilities or websites for voter registration, as well as those who are employed by or volunteer for NGOs that engage in voter registration at federal facilities.
- The budget limitation implies that the program's scale should be limited, targeting areas with high reliance on federal facilities for voter registration activities.
- We should include a diverse sample of people to demonstrate the range of potential impacts, from those heavily reliant on federal facilities for registration to those not affected.
Simulated Interviews
College Student (Detroit, MI)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think the federal facilities should continue helping with voter registration, especially for those of us who may not have other easy access.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Community Organizer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill could hinder our community outreach efforts, making it harder to reach those who need the most support in voter registration.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned this will make it unnecessarily harder for some people to stay informed and get registered.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
IT Specialist (Austin, TX)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I find federal sites convenient for registration updates, but I can manage without it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 10 |
Freelance Writer (New York, NY)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I prefer having more information accessible online through official sites, and cutting back is not great.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Teacher (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If federal sites are less involved, it might discourage some of my students' families from registering.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Federal Employee (Chicago, IL)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We had effective partnerships for voter registration, and this change might discourage potential voters.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Software Developer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm mostly unaffected since I handle voting registration through other means.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 10 |
Waitress (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 19 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I need all the help I can get as a first-time voter, and federal info is important.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Retired Veteran (Denver, CO)
Age: 72 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rely on federal resources for accuracy and assurance; it's unsettling to think about those changing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Year 2: $2000000 (Low: $1000000, High: $3000000)
Year 3: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Year 5: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Year 10: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Year 100: $1000000 (Low: $500000, High: $2000000)
Key Considerations
- The administrative cost of complying with the bill's reporting requirements could be higher than estimated if agencies need extensive restructuring.
- Potential legal challenges or modifications to the bill's provisions could influence the fiscal impact.
- The broader societal impact, particularly on voter engagement and equity of access, should be considered even if direct fiscal impacts are minimal.