Rep. Dwight Evans

Youth Voting Rights Act This bill expands voting access for youth. Specifically, the bill establishes a private right of action to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment, which prohibits denying or abridging the right to vote based on age. Further, the bill authorizes the Department of Justice to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment against age-based restrictions for voting by mail. Additionally, the bill directs each state to designate as voter registration agencies all offices within public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that provide assistance to students, implement a preregistration process to allow minors who are 16 years or older to register to vote in federal elections that take place when or after the preregistered individual turns age 18, and ensure the availability of polling places on campuses of IHEs (with the availability of waivers). The bill prohibits durational residency requirements for voting in all federal elections. Currently, this prohibition applies only to voting for the offices of President and Vice President. States and local jurisdictions with voter identification requirements must treat IHE-issued student identification cards as voter identification. The Election Assistance Commission (EAC) must make grants to states to increase the involvement of individuals under age 18 in public election activities. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on trends related to voter registration, absentee voting, and provisional voting. The EAC must also collect and make publicly available certain data from states.

Maddy summaryHR 4874 creates a federal grant program to fund supportive services for residents in affordable housing properties assisted by federal programs like low-income housing tax credits, Section 8 housing, and supportive housing for seniors or people with disabilities. Eligible non-profits managing such properties can receive 5-year grants to provide voluntary services including health access, educational programs, financial literacy, housing stability support, and assistance with public benefits. Grantees must use at least 25% of funds for staff salaries and training, while no more than 75% can cover direct resident services like mentoring or home modifications. The program aims to improve resident outcomes by connecting them to community resources without requiring participation in any service.

Maddy summaryThe Election Mail Act (HR 4915) establishes new standards for handling voting-by-mail materials in Federal elections. It requires the Postal Service to process absentee ballots the same day received, add postmarks showing mailing dates, and treat election mail as first-class with free postage for completed ballots. States must provide ballot return envelopes with tracking barcodes and accept mailed ballots postmarked on election day if received within 7 days. These provisions apply to Federal elections starting in 2026, with some requirements taking effect sooner.

Maddy summaryHR 4894, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2025, prohibits the intentional spread of false information about voting procedures, eligibility, or penalties within 60 days of an election. The bill specifically targets deceptive communications through social media, text messages, and AI-generated content designed to prevent voters from casting ballots, including false claims about voting locations, registration status, or legal consequences. It creates a private right of action for individuals harmed by these deceptive practices and authorizes the Attorney General to issue corrective information to counter false claims. The law directly affects voters, election officials, social media platforms, and anyone spreading false voting information, with penalties including fines and imprisonment for violations.

Maddy summaryThe Ending Homelessness Act of 2025 would expand housing assistance to reduce homelessness through several key provisions. It would allocate 500,000 additional housing choice vouchers in 2025, increasing to 1 million annually by 2028 for extremely low-income families and individuals receiving supplemental security income. The bill prohibits housing discrimination based on source of income (including housing vouchers and Social Security benefits), provides $1 billion annually for emergency relief grants targeting high-need areas, and establishes a permanent entitlement program for housing vouchers starting in 2029. It also repeals certain ineligibility criteria for housing assistance and makes faith-based and private nonprofit organizations eligible for funding.

Maddy summaryThe SWIFT VOTE Act provides $120 million in grants to state and local election offices to fund digital check-in systems (e-pollbooks) and real-time wait time reporting at voting locations for federal elections. It requires jurisdictions to publish hourly wait times for short polling locations or four daily intervals for longer ones on official websites, plus post-election summary reports. The bill mandates that funds supplement, not replace, existing election funding and requires training for election officials on accessibility for voters with disabilities and limited English proficiency. This directly affects state and local election administrators by creating new reporting obligations and funding for technology to reduce voter wait times.

Maddy summaryThe Time Off to Vote Act requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide two hours of paid leave for federal elections. Employees can use this leave to vote in person, return mail-in ballots, or perform other voting activities during open polling hours. Employers may set the specific two-hour window (excluding lunch breaks) but cannot deny the leave, retaliate against employees who take it, or cause loss of accrued benefits. Violations could result in civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, enforced by the Department of Labor.

Maddy summaryHR 4909 requires federally assisted housing providers and mortgage lenders to include a uniform voter registration information statement with key documents. It mandates that public housing agencies, rental voucher programs, and multifamily housing owners provide this statement to tenants when signing leases or submitting income forms. Mortgage lenders must include it in writing within 5 business days of a loan application. The statement, developed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and available in English and 10 common languages, explains voter registration options but does not require individuals to register. This affects renters in federally assisted housing and mortgage applicants.

Maddy summaryHR 4913, the CHALLENGES Act, aims to prevent frivolous challenges to voter registration by requiring anyone submitting a challenge (other than election officials) to provide clear, individualized evidence of ineligibility, swear under penalty of perjury to personal knowledge of the ineligibility, and (if an individual) be registered in the same voting jurisdiction. This directly affects citizens, organizations, and election challengers who might seek to remove voters from registration rolls. The bill establishes private lawsuits allowing victims of false challenges to seek compensation (up to $1,000 per violation) and criminal penalties including fines up to $10,000 or six months in jail for knowingly submitting false challenges. These provisions apply to challenges made after the law's enactment, targeting misuse of voter registration challenge processes.

Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act or the Unhoused VOTE Act This bill expands voter registration and voting access for unhoused individuals.  The bill specifies that no state or political subdivision may deny or abridge the right of any U.S. citizen to vote because the citizen resides at or in a nontraditional abode.  Additionally, the bill requires jurisdictions that allow for ballot drop boxes to ensure that these drop boxes are available for in-person use and are accessible and clearly labeled. If a state requires individuals to show proof of residence in order to vote in a federal election, then the state must accept the individual’s written attestation of residence. A state may not prohibit an individual who is residing in a homeless shelter from using the shelter as the individual’s residence for purposes of voting in a federal election. The bill requires chief state election officials to conduct outreach to unhoused individuals. The bill directs the Election Assistance Commission to (1) develop best practices for election officials regarding voter registration and voting access for unhoused individuals, and (2) make grants to eligible states and local governments for programs and activities to support access to voting for unhoused individuals.  The bill also revises the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, including by (1) treating emergency shelters as voter registration agencies, and (2) allowing an unhoused individual to use an unsheltered street location as the individual's place of residence for purposes of a voter registration application.