Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA)
Accessible Voting Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 3 Democratic cosponsors · See all 3 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Accessible Voting Act of 2026 aims to improve voting access for older adults, individuals with disabilities, Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and people with limited English proficiency. It creates a new Office of Accessibility within the Election Assistance Commission and establishes a National Resource Center on Accessible Voting to help election officials. States are required to maintain accessible election websites, provide no-excuse absentee voting, and ensure polling places and ballot drop boxes are fully accessible. The bill also authorizes grant funding and payments to states to help them carry out these new accessibility upgrades and training requirements. Additionally, it protects the voting rights of individuals under guardianship unless a court finds by clear and convincing evidence that they cannot communicate a desire to vote.
Yes· 3 of 9
- Scored +9
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The legislation directly addresses barriers faced by individuals with disabilities through website accessibility standards, assistive technology for absentee ballots, and polling place audits.
- Scored +9
Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice?
The bill mandates accessible election websites, no-excuse absentee voting, accessible ballot marking devices, and polling place accessibility improvements.
- Scored +8
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill specifically targets older individuals by improving polling place accessibility, requiring no-excuse absentee voting, and establishing dedicated resources for aging voters.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 103: Creates a national voter accessibility website and a complaint database, which benefits voters by giving them clear, easy-to-understand information on voting timelines, state laws, polling locations, and how to get help or report a grievance if their right to vote is blocked.
- Section 201 and Section 202: Requires every state to establish and maintain an accessible election website and designate a single state office to handle disability and aging voting resources. This helps individuals with disabilities and older voters easily find important election information, assistive technology guides, and polling place accessibility audits.
- Section 204: Requires states to allow no-excuse absentee voting and provide secure methods for voters to request, track, and electronically mark blank absentee ballots using assistive technology. This directly benefits voters who have difficulty leaving their homes or traveling to a polling place.
- Section 205 and Section 301: Mandates that all polling places and voter drop boxes be fully accessible and encourages states to offer alternatives like curbside voting, drive-through voting, and mobile polling sites at long-term care facilities. This ensures older individuals and people with disabilities have a fair and equal chance to cast their ballots.
- Section 206: Protects the voting rights of individuals subject to guardianship by prohibiting states from assuming a person lacks the capacity to vote simply because they have a guardian, unless a court explicitly finds by clear and convincing evidence that they cannot communicate a desire to participate.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Section 201, Section 203, and Section 207: Places heavy administrative burdens and strict reporting rules on state and local governments, such as requiring them to partner with outside technical organizations, monitor website accessibility through multiple specialized groups, and send rapid public notices regarding any voting rule changes within 48 to 7 days. These complex requirements could strain local government resources and personnel.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The legislation directly addresses barriers faced by individuals with disabilities through website accessibility standards, assistive technology for absentee ballots, and polling place audits. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets older individuals by improving polling place accessibility, requiring no-excuse absentee voting, and establishing dedicated resources for aging voters. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill includes provisions and resources to assist individuals with limited English proficiency in registering and voting. Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — Veterans who are older or have disabilities benefit from enhanced accessibility features and polling place accommodations.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice? — The bill mandates accessible election websites, no-excuse absentee voting, accessible ballot marking devices, and polling place accessibility improvements. Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill establishes federal and state offices, accessibility standards, and grant programs dedicated to ensuring individuals with disabilities have equal voting access and protection of their voting rights. Does this protect the right to vote? — The bill expands voting access and protections for older adults, individuals with disabilities, and individuals subject to guardianship.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires states to provide prompt public notice of election procedure changes and polling place resource allocations, and establishes a public complaint database. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill increases federal oversight through the Election Assistance Commission's Office of Accessibility and imposes new administrative requirements on state election administration.
- 10/1/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
4 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Jamie RaskinDemocrat · Maryland
Lateefah SimonDemocrat · California