HB4798, titled the “Making American Elections Great Again Act,” would substantially change federal election administration and census law. First, it would alter the decennial census process by requiring a census on enactment and every 10 years thereafter, adding a mid-decade census five years later, and directing the Census Bureau to include a citizenship checkbox on census questionnaires. It would also change federal apportionment rules so that Representatives and electoral votes are based only on the count of U.S. citizens, rather than total population, and would trigger redistricting after the first census conducted under the new schedule.
The bill also imposes a new federal voting requirement for elections for federal office: voters would have to present government-issued photo identification and proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in person, or submit copies of those documents with a mail ballot. It defines acceptable citizenship documents broadly, including passports, birth certificates, naturalization papers, certain military records, and other federal proof of citizenship documents. If a voter cannot provide the required documents, the bill allows a provisional ballot that would count only if citizenship is later verified under state procedures. The bill adds criminal penalties for assisting a noncitizen to vote and for issuing a ballot to someone who does not present the required identification and citizenship proof.
Impact
If enacted, the bill would amend Title 13 of the U.S. Code governing the census, the apportionment statute used to allocate House seats and electoral votes, and the Help America Vote Act and National Voter Registration Act provisions governing federal elections and voter registration. It would shift apportionment away from total population toward citizen-only counts, require states to redistrict after the first census under the new framework, and create a nationwide voter identification and citizenship-document requirement for federal elections beginning with the November 2026 general election. The measure would also expand federal election-related criminal liability and alter related conforming provisions in election law.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears to be strongly supportive among the sponsors and framed around election integrity and citizenship-based representation. The title and structure suggest a partisan policy goal of tightening voter eligibility rules and changing how representation is calculated. Because there are no committee transcripts or vote tallies included, there is no documented bipartisan support or opposition in the supplied record.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely to be the citizenship-only apportionment rule and the new proof-of-citizenship voting requirement. Supporters would view these provisions as preventing noncitizen participation and ensuring that representation reflects citizens rather than the total resident population. Opponents would likely argue that the bill could disenfranchise eligible voters who lack ready access to citizenship documents, create administrative burdens for election officials, and raise constitutional concerns over census apportionment and voting rights. The criminal penalty provisions for assisting noncitizens or issuing ballots without the required documents may also be controversial because they broaden enforcement exposure for election administrators and helpers.