The "Ballots by Election Day Act" proposes to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002, establishing a strict deadline for the receipt of ballots in federal elections. Under this bill, all ballots, including absentee and mail-in ballots , must be physically received by the appropriate election official no later than the time polls close on the date of the election to be considered validly cast and eligible for tabulation. States would be prohibited from accepting any ballot received after this deadline. However, an important exception is made for absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters , whose ballots would not be subject to this new receipt deadline. These provisions are slated to take effect for all federal elections held in 2027 and subsequent years, aiming to standardize ballot receipt deadlines across the nation.