Climate Resilient Elections Act

This bill seeks to strengthen election administration against natural disasters, especially those exacerbated by climate change, by recognizing election infrastructure as critical. It highlights how severe weather events have historically disrupted elections, disenfranchised voters, and impacted turnout, underscoring the need for states to be prepared for catastrophic events. A core provision requires states receiving federal election assistance to develop and submit a continuity of operations plan to the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) by September 30, 2028. These plans must detail disaster election administration and be periodically updated, with the EAC publicly disseminating them while protecting sensitive information. The bill also mandates the Comptroller General of the United States to analyze natural disaster impacts on voter registration and propose improved federal assistance for election administration during such events. This includes considering legislative authorizations for deploying emergency resources, with a report due by September 30, 2026. Finally, the legislation authorizes the EAC to award grants to states to enhance voting system resiliency against climate change-driven disasters. These funds can support activities such as improving disaster preparedness, educating voters, training officials, developing continuity plans, and upgrading voting equipment. The bill authorizes $20 million annually for these grants from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.