Youth Voting Rights Act
Summary
The Youth Voting Rights Act aims to expand youth access to voting and address barriers that hinder their participation in federal elections. It seeks to enforce the 26th Amendment, ensuring that age-based discrimination in voting is eliminated. The act includes provisions for pre-registration of minors, on-campus polling locations, and the treatment of public institutions of higher education as voter registration agencies.
Expected Effects
The likely effect of this act is increased voter turnout among young people. It will also standardize voter access across states by removing certain residency requirements and ensuring student IDs are accepted for voter identification. The act also provides grants to states to encourage youth involvement in election activities.
Potential Benefits
- Increased voter turnout among young people.
- Reduced barriers to voter registration and voting for youth, including those in college and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Standardization of voter identification requirements to include student IDs.
- Enhanced civic engagement and participation in the electoral process.
- Increased access to polling locations on college campuses.
Potential Disadvantages
- Potential for increased administrative costs for states to implement the new requirements.
- Possible legal challenges from states arguing against federal overreach into election administration.
- Risk of unintentional disenfranchisement if pre-registration processes are not properly managed.
- Potential for increased burden on local election officials to manage on-campus polling locations.
- The effectiveness of the grants program depends on how well states implement their plans.
Constitutional Alignment
The Youth Voting Rights Act aligns with the 26th Amendment, which prohibits the denial or abridgment of the right to vote based on age. It also aligns with the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause by addressing disparities in voting access. The act invokes the Elections Clause of Article I, Section 4, and the Guarantee Clause of Article IV, Section 4, which empower Congress to protect the right to vote in federal elections.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).