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Washington, D.C. — United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) has reintroduced the Youth Voting Rights Act of 2023, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting, in the Senate. Representative Nikema Williams (D-Ga.) led the reintroduction of the bill in the House. 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.
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.
“Republicans in state legislatures across this country remain hellbent on passing voter suppression laws that silence youth voices and make it harder for them to exercise their constitutional right to vote,” said Senator Warren. “This bill will ensure young people aren’t left out of the voting process and allows them to have a say in their own future. I’m thrilled to partner with Congresswoman Williams and my colleagues on this effort.”