Peter Welch (D-VT)
Inclusive Democracy Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
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 Inclusive Democracy Act of 2026 aims to guarantee the right to vote for all United States citizens regardless of a criminal conviction. It mandates that individuals be notified of their voting rights upon conviction by State or Federal authorities. The bill establishes specific procedures for voter registration and absentee voting within carceral settings. It also requires carceral settings to provide access to information and services related to elections. Furthermore, it protects individuals from prosecution if they accidentally vote in a non-Federal election. These provisions are designed to ensure access to the ballot for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated citizens.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +9
Does this protect the right to vote?
The bill guarantees the right to vote in Federal elections for all citizens regardless of criminal conviction.
- Scored +9
Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice?
The bill mandates voter registration access, absentee ballot availability, and electronic research access within carceral settings.
- Scored +6
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill protects voting rights for a demographic that is statistically more likely to be represented in the carceral system.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Guaranteed Voting Rights: The Act ensures that a criminal conviction does not deny or abridge a citizen's right to vote in Federal elections (Section 2).
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Mandatory Notification: Individuals are notified in writing upon conviction that their offense does not affect their right to vote in Federal elections (Section 3(a)(1) and (a)(2)).
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Improved Access to Registration: Carceral settings are required to provide mail voter registration applications to incarcerated individuals upon request or at the time of incarceration (Section 3(b)(1)).
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Streamlined Application Transmission: The bill requires carceral settings to transmit registration forms to state election officials within 10 days, or even faster if near an election deadline (Section 3(b)(2)).
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Voting Rights Protections for Incarcerated Individuals: Incarcerated persons are granted the right to vote by mail via absentee ballot (Section 3(c)(1)).
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Ballot Integrity and Cure Processes: Election officials must make a good faith effort to notify incarcerated individuals of missing signatures or defects so they can correct them (Section 3(c)(3)(F)).
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Access to Information: If internet access is available, incarcerated individuals may use electronic devices free of charge to research candidates and election procedures (Section 3(d)(1)).
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Legal Protection Against Accidental Voting: Individuals are protected from prosecution if they vote in a non-Federal election or referendum by mistake (Section 3(f)).
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Enforcement Power: The Attorney General and individuals have the right to seek legal relief to remedy violations of this Act (Section 4).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly detailed within the text of the bill provided.
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 Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill protects voting rights for a demographic that is statistically more likely to be represented in the carceral system. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill protects voting rights for a demographic that is statistically more likely to be represented in the carceral system. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill facilitates voting access for incarcerated individuals who are disproportionately from lower-income backgrounds. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill includes provisions for electronic access and ballot curing that benefit accessibility. Would people in cities be better off under this? — The bill's impact is more pronounced in high-density areas with higher incarceration rates.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice? — The bill mandates voter registration access, absentee ballot availability, and electronic research access within carceral settings. Does this protect the right to vote? — The bill guarantees the right to vote in Federal elections for all citizens regardless of criminal conviction.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the Attorney General to publish updated voting rights information and guidance publicly.
- 7/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in Senate
3 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.