Press ReleaseBipartisan2026-05-21

Lawler to Criminalize Federal Ballot Petition Fraud in New Bill

TaxesCrime & JusticeTechnologyVoting Rights

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This press release from Representative Michael Lawler (R-NY) was published on 2026-05-21 and titled "Lawler to Criminalize Federal Ballot Petition Fraud in New Bill".

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Lawler to Criminalize Federal Ballot Petition Fraud in New Bill

Washington, D.C. – 5/21/26… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) introduced the End Fraudulent Filings that Interfere with Elections Act , or the EFFIE Act. This legislation amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it a federal felony for any person seeking to be a candidate for federal office or any employee of that candidate to submit fraudulent signatures or documentation required for ballot access. The EFFIE Act would impose penalties of up to a $250,000 fine, up to five years in prison, or both for violations. “The introduction of this bill comes after hundreds of my constituents in New York’s 17th district were illegally signed onto ballot petitions without their knowledge. This is identity theft. Unfortunately, the biased New York State court system is not taking full action against the perpetrators. With these petitions impacting who appears on a ballot for a federal office, the federal government itself should have jurisdiction. No one is above the law, and no one defrauds New Yorkers and gets away with it,” said Congressman Lawler. “From partisan gerrymandering across the country to the growing threat of artificial intelligence generating disinformation and bias in America’s marketplace of ideas, this is a pivotal year for election integrity. I’ve seen firsthand in my own district how this petition fraud racket is rotting our federal elections from the inside, continuing to erode the trust constituents place in the process and undermining the very foundation of democracy,” concluded Congressman Lawler. Full text of the bill is HERE. Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs. ###

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Lawler to Criminalize Federal Ballot Petition Fraud in New Bill Washington, D.C. – 5/21/26… Today, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) introduced the End Fraudulent Filings that Interfere with Elections Act , or the EFFIE Act. This legislation amends the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to make it a federal felony for any person seeking to be a candidate for federal office or any employee of that candidate to submit fraudulent signatures or documentation required for ballot access. The EFFIE Act would impose penalties of up to a $250,000 fine, up to five years in prison, or both for violations. “The introduction of this bill comes after hundreds of my constituents in New York’s 17th district were illegally signed onto ballot petitions without their knowledge. This is identity theft. Unfortunately, the biased New York State court system is not taking full action against the perpetrators. With these petitions impacting who appears on a ballot for a federal office, the federal government itself should have jurisdiction. No one is above the law, and no one defrauds New Yorkers and gets away with it,” said Congressman Lawler. “From partisan gerrymandering across the country to the growing threat of artificial intelligence generating disinformation and bias in America’s marketplace of ideas, this is a pivotal year for election integrity. I’ve seen firsthand in my own district how this petition fraud racket is rotting our federal elections from the inside, continuing to erode the trust constituents place in the process and undermining the very foundation of democracy,” concluded Congressman Lawler. Full text of the bill is HERE. Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York's 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs. ###