This bill mandates that towns and cities must have at least one polling place for every 15,000 registered voters during presidential elections, unless they obtain approval from the Secretary of State and Attorney General for fewer locations. The new legal language inserted into the law specifies that if a town or city wishes to accommodate more than 15,000 voters at a single polling place, they must submit a detailed plan addressing various logistical concerns, including traffic flow, staffing, and equipment availability. The Secretary of State and Attorney General are granted the authority to set conditions for such plans and may request additional information before granting approval.

The bill does not allocate funding or authorize new positions, and its fiscal impact is considered indeterminable. Municipalities that cannot secure approval for fewer polling locations may face increased local expenditures, estimated to range from over $10,000 to under $100,000, depending on the costs of setting up and staffing additional polling places. The Department of Justice anticipates that if many municipalities request approval, they may need to hire additional staff to manage the increased workload, which could incur significant costs starting in FY 2028.