After Russian hackers hacked files and emails from the Democratic National Committee earlier this year, many remain worried that those hackers or others could tamper with Election Day in a few days — possibly even significantly affecting the results. This is especially a growing concern given the increasing use of electronic voting machines. At least five states only use electronic voting with no paper trail: Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New Jersey, and South Carolina.

H.R. 6072, the Election Integrity Act, was introduced by Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA4) to combat this problem. The bill contains several provisions related to ensuring that ballots are counted securely and fairly.

What the bill does

The means and methods of voting vary state by state, since there is little federal regulation or oversight. Many analysts believe that paper ballots are the safest option, since it provides a verified receipt of one’s vote and avoids the possibility of software glitches that may occur with electronic voting machines. The bill’s most important provisions deal with this possibility.

The legislation would require “durable and readable” paper ballots that can be verified by a voter herself before leaving the polling station. It would mandate poll tapes, which are detailed printed results available to the viewing public that may potentially indicate inconsistencies or problems. It would significantly limit the purchase of any voting systems that do not provide paper ballots. And it would prevent any electronic machines from being insecurely hooked up to the Internet, which some worry could lead to vote tampering.

What supporters and opponents say

Supporters argue the reforms are necessary in the wake of threats to voters, whether proven ones such as Russia’s hacking into the Democratic National Committee or unfounded ones like Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories that the election may be “rigged.”

“In the wake of the DNC server hack and well-documented efforts by states to suppress the vote, citizens are rightly concerned,” House lead sponsor Johnson said in a press release. “We must work to reduce the vulnerability of our crucial voting systems, protect the security and integrity of our electoral process, and ensure all Americans have the opportunity to vote.”

What opponents say

Republicans generally oppose more federal regulation on any issue, but especially when it comes to voting. They say that the wildly divergent voting methods by state — from punch cards to optical scans to paper ballots to mechanical levers — are a reflection of the “laboratories of democracy” that states can be at their best.

Many conservatives argue that it was the state-by-state nature of the 2000 election, with a lack of federal oversight, that helped deliver Florida and thus the election to Republican President George W. Bush. Thus, many Republicans are loath to meddle with a system that’s worked for them in the past. The irony, of course, is that their current nominee is now charging that the Hillary Clinton campaign might use hacking to steal the election.

Odds of passage

The bill has attracted 29 cosponsors, all Democrats. The legislation has not yet received a vote in either the House Administration or House Judiciary Committees.

Note: as Election Day approaches in a few days, GovTrack Insider this week is running a series spotlighting bills introduced in Congress that deal with elections and campaigns.

This article was written by GovTrack Insider staff writer Jesse Rifkin.