Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Youth Voting Rights Act
A Democratic bill with 8 Democratic cosponsors · See all 9 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and 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
This bill aims to make it easier for young people in the United States to register and vote in federal elections. It allows individuals aged 16 and older to pre-register to vote and requires public colleges and universities to act as voter registration agencies. The legislation mandates that polling places be established on college campuses or that alternative voting access be provided. It also requires states to accept student identification cards for voting and bans age-based restrictions on voting by mail. Finally, the bill provides grants to states to encourage youth involvement and creates new ways for individuals to legally challenge voting rules that discriminate based on age.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +9
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
The legislation directly removes systemic voting barriers for young adults through campus polling locations, student ID acceptance, and the elimination of age-based mail-in voting restrictions.
- Scored +9
Would students be better off under this?
The bill significantly benefits college and university students by designating public higher education institutions as voter registration agencies and guaranteeing accessible polling options on campus.
- Scored +8
Does this protect the right to vote?
The bill enhances voting access and protections for young voters by establishing pre-registration, mandating campus polling locations, and prohibiting age-based restrictions on vote-by-mail.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Section 5: Public institutions of higher education will be treated as voter registration agencies, making it easier for students to register to vote while receiving student assistance.
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Section 6: States must implement a pre-registration process for individuals who are 16 years of age or older, allowing young people to automatically be registered to vote for federal elections once they turn 18.
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Section 7: States are required to make polling places available on the campuses of state public institutions of higher education on election day, or provide alternative voting procedures like free shuttles or early voting options, making it much more convenient for students to cast their ballots.
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Section 9: State and local jurisdictions with voter identification requirements must treat student identification cards issued by higher education institutions as valid forms of voter identification.
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Section 10: The bill establishes a Youth Engagement Fund to provide grants to states for activities that encourage youth involvement in elections, such as paid fellowships, civic education, and voter registration support.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- There are no explicit provisions in the provided text that outline negative consequences, burdens, or harms for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
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 students be better off under this? — The bill significantly benefits college and university students by designating public higher education institutions as voter registration agencies and guaranteeing accessible polling options on campus. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — The legislation directly removes systemic voting barriers for young adults through campus polling locations, student ID acceptance, and the elimination of age-based mail-in voting restrictions. Would children be better off under this? — The bill allows individuals aged 16 and older to pre-register to vote, engaging youth in the electoral process before they reach voting age.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make casting a ballot easier in practice? — By requiring public higher education institutions to act as voter registration agencies and ensuring on-campus polling places, the bill makes casting a ballot significantly more convenient for students. Does this protect the right to vote? — The bill enhances voting access and protections for young voters by establishing pre-registration, mandating campus polling locations, and prohibiting age-based restrictions on vote-by-mail.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make elections run better? — The bill standardizes and improves federal election administration by collecting detailed data on voter application and ballot rejection rates across all states. Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation imposes new federal mandates on state election administration, such as requiring voter registration services at public universities and specific polling location rules.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill provides grant funding through a Youth Engagement Fund to support civic education and voter registration activities in secondary schools and higher education institutions.
- 11/9/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/23/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
5 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.
Tammy BaldwinDemocrat · Wisconsin
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Mazie HironoDemocrat · Hawaii
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island