Right to Vote Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4884
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-07T04:53:30Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The Right to Vote Act establishes a federal statutory right for every citizen of legal voting age to vote in elections for Federal office. It prohibits governments from diminishing or substantially impairing that ability without meeting specific justification standards.
Key Provisions
- Fundamental Right: Every eligible citizen has the right to vote, defined to include registration, casting a ballot, and having the ballot counted.
- Retrogression Standard: Governments may not diminish voting access unless the change is the least restrictive means of significantly advancing an important, particularized government interest.
- Substantial Impairment Standard: Governments may not substantially impair voting access (a non-trivial difficulty) unless the measure significantly advances an important, particularized government interest.
- Judicial Review: Plaintiffs may sue in the District of Columbia or the district where the violation occurred. Courts apply a burden-shifting framework: plaintiffs show a prima facie case by a preponderance of the evidence; governments must then prove justification by clear and convincing evidence. Courts must expedite these cases.
- Attorney’s Fees: Amends existing law to allow fee recovery for successful claims under this Act.
- Effective Dates: Retrogression rules apply to changes not in effect during the November 2024 election but scheduled for September 2026 onward; impairment rules apply to measures in effect for elections on or after September 1, 2026.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The Act creates new enforceable standards for voting procedures that go beyond current federal statutes. It introduces a retrogression prohibition modeled on but distinct from the Voting Rights Act’s preclearance framework, and a “substantial impairment” test that lowers the threshold for challenging voting rules. It also mandates expedited judicial review and expands attorney’s fee availability.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: States, territories, and localities must justify new or existing voting rules under stricter evidentiary standards, potentially requiring additional documentation or less restrictive alternatives.
- Citizens: Provides a new avenue for individuals to challenge voting restrictions in federal court.
- International Relations: None directly addressed.
- Courts: Increased caseload with requirements for expedited handling of voting-related claims.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Eligible voters and voting rights advocates.
- State and local election officials and legislatures.
- Federal district courts and the Department of Justice.
- Covered entities including the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and U.S. territories.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The Act asserts a statutory “fundamental right” to vote, which could interact with existing constitutional interpretations under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments. It applies nationwide to federal elections but leaves state constitutional rights and other federal remedies unchanged. Severability ensures the remainder of the law survives if any provision is struck down. The legislation focuses exclusively on federal elections and does not authorize new voting burdens.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (10)
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Cantwell, Maria [D-WA], Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO], Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI], Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME], Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-24: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
- 2026-06-24: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Right to Vote Act — issued 2026-06-24 — PDF (7 pages)