By admin 
U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., unveiled legislation to counter the Trump administration’s “attacks on American elections” Thursday.
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The bill, called the Stop Harassment and Intimidation in Elections through Legal Defenses (SHIELD) Our Elections Act, would give state attorneys general and voters new pathway to enforce federal anti-election interference laws. It would also extend the time limit for bringing federal criminal prosecutions of these laws from five to nine years.
“Our elections belong to the voters, and I am fighting to protect every eligible voter’s right to cast a ballot freely and sending a warning that anyone who interferes with our democracy will be held accountable — sooner or later,” Padilla said in a Thursday statement.
The ranking member of the Senate Rules Committee highlighted President Donald Trump’s January statement that he regrets not sending federal forces to seize election equipment in 2020 and his allies’ threats to send federal forces to the polls.
“(Trump) has made clear he’ll do whatever it takes to put his thumb on the scale of future elections — even if it means intimidating voters, persecuting election officials, or abusing federal power,” Padilla said in the statement.
His office pointed to recent examples of ballot seizures in California and Georgia as the impetus for the legislation.
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The bill’s introduction comes as Trump continues to push Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, which the president claimed would “guarantee the midterms” for Republicans. This act would require Americans to prove their citizenship when registering to vote and to show photo identification when voting. It would also require states to share their voter rolls with the Department of Homeland Security. Padilla has called it a “voter suppression bill.”
Among other election safeguards, his SHIELD Our Elections Act would strengthen protections against ballot seizure and authorizes a voluntary grant program to support states with mail and absentee tracking programs.
Padilla’s office called these measures a “proactive federal response to the Trump administration’s escalating attacks on voting rights and election administration ahead of the 2026 midterms.” The legislation follows the recent passage of California’s SB 73, which prevents election interference at the state level.
California Secretary of State Shirley Weber voiced support for the bill in a statement and said the nation’s elections must remain free from intimidation and unlawful interference from any source.
“Senator Padilla’s bill strengthens existing protections and holds accountable those who violate federal laws specifically designed to protect our democracy,” she said. “Every voter, election worker, and election official deserves the confidence in knowing that casting a ballot and administering an election are protected every step of the way.”
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