Youth Voting Rights Act

States would have to provide polling places on public college campuses for federal election day, unless the Attorney General grants a waiver and alternative voting access is provided. For other colleges, states would have to request permission and offer alternative access if permission is denied.

States would have to let residents apply to register for federal elections starting at age 16 and ensure eligible applicants are registered when they turn 18. The bill would also require public higher-education offices that assist students to provide voter registration services, require jurisdictions with voter ID rules to accept college student ID cards, and extend federal protections against residency requirements to federal elections.

People age 18 and older who are harmed by voting restrictions based on age could sue under a standard that considers whether the restriction denies or limits due process or equal protection and whether it is necessary to advance a compelling state interest. The bill would also permit lawsuits to enforce its campus polling and residency provisions, with legal fees and costs available to a winning plaintiff.

The bill would treat age-based limits on voting by mail for people old enough to vote as a possible denial or abridgment of voting rights based on age. It also states Congress's view that those limits violate the 26th Amendment.

The Election Assistance Commission would make grants to states for youth election activities, including civic education, pre-registration, school and college programs, and paid youth fellowships with election officials. States receiving grants would report on their activities and performance.

The Government Accountability Office would study registration, mail voting, provisional voting, campus polling places, and application and ballot rejection rates. The Election Assistance Commission would collect and publish state data on those topics, broken down by age and, where available, race.