Vote Without Fear Act

This proposed legislation, known as the "Vote Without Fear Act," seeks to establish a federal prohibition on the unauthorized possession of firearms at federal election sites. It amends title 18 of the United States Code to make it unlawful to knowingly possess or cause a firearm to be present in, or within 100 yards of an entrance to, a designated Federal election site. Violators of this prohibition could face fines, imprisonment for up to one year, or both. The bill defines a Federal election site as any building or part of a building where federal, state, or local employees administer a polling place or process ballots for a federal election. This measure aims to create a safer environment for voters and election workers by restricting firearms in these critical locations. However, the bill includes several key exceptions to this prohibition, such as on-duty law enforcement officers or authorized private security personnel firearms securely kept within a vehicle and not removed or brandished and lawful possession of a firearm within a private residence, business, or private property located within the 100-yard zone . Additionally, the bill imposes significantly harsher penalties, including up to five years imprisonment, for possessing a firearm at an election site with the intent to commit a crime, and even more severe punishments for causing death during such a violation or an attack on an election site.