Sponsors (14)
Official title: To guarantee the right to vote for all citizens regardless of conviction of a criminal offense, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 22, 2026 by Ayanna Pressley · Last progress July 22, 2026
The bill significantly expands and clarifies federal voting access for people with criminal records — improving participation and remedies — but shifts substantial implementation, administrative, legal, and logistical burdens onto states, election officials, and correctional systems, raising federalism and cost concerns.
Millions of people with past felony or misdemeanor convictions — including immigrants, Black and low-income communities — retain or regain the right to vote in federal elections, expanding the electorate and likely increasing representation for communities with high conviction rates.
Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people gain clearer, easier access to register and vote: written notice of federal eligibility, nonpartisan registration assistance, expedited transmission of registration forms and absentee ballots, prompt access to election mail and internet for voter research, and EAC/DOJ public guidance and education.
Voters benefit from centralized enforcement tools — including Attorney General enforcement authority and the ability to seek court orders to stop or fix violations — providing federal remedies to correct systemic or facility-level barriers to registration and absentee voting.
State governments and federal courts may face major legal challenges over federalism and Congress's authority to set voting qualifications for federal elections, creating uncertainty and potential disruption to implementation.
States, local election officials, and taxpayers will likely incur meaningful administrative and mailing costs to restore registrations, update voter rolls, prepay postage, process expedited transmissions, and handle increased registrations/ballots from carceral addresses.
The Act will increase litigation risk — private suits, emergency court orders, and shortened pre-election windows could produce rushed remedies and higher legal costs for states and election officials, especially near elections.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Prohibits denial of federal voting rights due to criminal convictions and requires notice, registration assistance, and enforcement remedies for violations.
Prohibits the United States and any State from denying or limiting a citizen’s right to vote in federal elections because of a criminal conviction, including convictions that occurred before the law is enacted. It requires notice and registration assistance for people who are incarcerated or under supervision, directs federal agencies to publicize the change, and creates enforcement tools for the Justice Department and private parties to challenge violations. The bill specifies deadlines and procedures for providing voter registration forms in carceral settings, requires states to accept and process registrations for federal elections, and gives both the Attorney General and harmed individuals the ability to seek declaratory or injunctive relief when rights are denied. The law is written so that ambiguous provisions are interpreted in favor of people seeking to register or vote and preserves other voting protections under existing federal law.