Hirono, Colleagues Reintroduce Youth Voting Rights Act to Empower Young People, Expand Access to Ballot Box
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in reintroducing the Youth Voting Rights Act of 2023, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting. The bill would ease many of the barriers young people face in voting, including high rates of provisional ballot rejections, lack of accessible polling places, and restrictive residency and voter ID requirements. The bill also ensures federal elections are free from age-based restrictions on access to vote-by-mail.
“Voting is a constitutional right and a fundamental aspect of our democracy,” said Senator Hirono. “Voting is a habit and it is important to empower the next generation to become lifelong voters and encourage civic engagement. As we continue to fight against extreme Republicans’ attacks on voting rights, this legislation will help ensure eligible voters, especially young voters, can participate in the democratic process and have their voices heard.”
In the 2022 midterms, young people had the second highest turnout in a midterm election in the past three decades. Despite this enthusiasm, young people continue to face barriers to the ballot box that weaken their voice and influence over electoral politics. Their provisional ballots and mail-in ballots are rejected at disproportionate rates, and they routinely face serious obstacles to voter registration and in-person voting.
Specifically, the Youth Voting Rights Act of 2023 would:
- Empower individuals and the government to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment;
- Expand voter registration services at public colleges and universities;
- Allow young people in every state to pre-register to vote before turning 18;
- Require institutions of higher education to have on-campus polling places;
- Prohibit durational residency requirements for all federal elections;
- Guarantee that states accept student IDs to meet voter-identification requirements;
- Create a grant program dedicated to youth involvement in elections;
- Gather data on youth voter registration and election participation; and
- Prevent states from placing age limits on no-excuse vote-by-mail ballots.
In addition to Senator Hirono, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).
This legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA).
The full text of the bill is available here.
Senator Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been a long-time champion of voting rights legislation and protections. In September 2022, Senator Hirono introduced the Election Worker Protection Act, comprehensive legislation which would provide states with the resources to recruit and train election workers and ensure these workers’ safety, while also instituting federal safeguards to shield election workers from intimidation and threats. In July 2022, Senator Hirono introduced the Youth Voting Rights Act, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting. In January 2022, Senator Hirono delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the urgent need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation.
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