Youth Voting Rights Act
Youth Voting Rights Act
Plain Language Summary
# Youth Voting Rights Act Summary **What the bill would do:** The Youth Voting Rights Act aims to make voting easier for young people by allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote (their registration would become active when they turn 18), requiring colleges and universities to serve as voter registration sites, and mandating polling places on college campuses. The bill would also enforce the 26th Amendment (which already protects voting rights for people 18 and older) by allowing the Department of Justice and private citizens to sue states that impose age-based restrictions on voting by mail. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects young voters and college students, as well as state election officials who would need to implement new registration and polling procedures. **Current status:** HR 4916 was introduced in the 119th Congress by Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet advanced to a vote before the full House.
At this stage, the bill remains under review and has not been enacted into law.
CRS Official Summary
Youth Voting Rights ActThis bill expands voting access for youth.Specifically, the bill establishes a private right of action to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote based on age. Further, the bill authorizes the Department of Justice to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment against age-based restrictions for voting by mail.Additionally, the bill directs each state todesignate as voter registration agencies all offices within public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that provide assistance to students,implement a preregistration process to allow minors who are 16 years or older to register to vote in federal elections that take place when or after the preregistered individual turns age 18, andensure the availability of polling places on campuses of IHEs (with the availability of waivers).The bill prohibits durational residency requirements for voting in all federal elections. Currently, this prohibition applies only to voting for the offices of President and Vice President.States and local jurisdictions with voter identification requirements must treat IHE-issued student identification cards as voter identification.The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must make grants to states to increase the involvement of individuals under age 18 in public election activities.The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on trends related to voter registration, absentee voting, and provisional voting. The EAC must also collect and make publicly available certain data from states.
Latest Action
Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.