What does Preamble of SET Act do?

This bill aims to require states to hold special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives. These special elections must occur no later than 180 days after a vacancy arises. The bill includes provisions for 'other purposes' beyond the special election requirement, though these are not detailed in this section.

What does SHORT TITLE. of SET Act do?

This bill is formally titled the Special Election Timeliness Act.

What does REQUIRING SPECIAL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD TO FILL VACANCIES IN of SET Act do?

This section amends Section 26(a) of the Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 8(a)) to establish requirements for special elections to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives. Special elections to fill vacancies must occur no later than 180 days after the vacancy occurs, unless a regularly scheduled general election for the office is held within that period. The Attorney General may bring a civil action against a state's chief executive to enforce this subsection. Individuals aggrieved by a violation of this subsection, including the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader, may also bring a civil action. For the purposes of this subsection, a 'special election' is defined as an election to elect a candidate to fill a vacancy, and excludes elections for nominating candidates.

Back to bills

SET Act

Last updated: 4/29/2026 · Introduced: 4/29/2026

Author: Christian Menefee (D-TX)

TL;DR (AI)

The bill mandates that states hold special elections within 180 days to fill vacancies in the House of Representatives, unless a regularly scheduled general election occurs sooner.
The Attorney General and affected individuals, such as the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, can initiate legal action to enforce the special election requirement.
For the purposes of this bill, a 'special election' refers to an election to elect a candidate to fill a vacancy, excluding primary elections.

119th Congressin committeeOfficial page

Verified Votes

No verified votes yet.

Community Votes

No community votes yet. Be the first!

Voting as guest · Sign in for verified votes

Other Sections

Includes provisions on preamble, short title., and 1 more.

3 sections

Click "Show details" to explore individual sections. Use the community vote above or visit All Sections to vote per section.

Read official text

Want the full experience?

Create a free account to cast verified votes on each section, get a personalized summary, and track your voting history.

Create Free Account