Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Democrat · DC · Representative

Source: Congress.gov · FEC

• Chellie Pingree (D-ME-1)Original· 2026-07-21

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

2026-07-21

Source: Congress.gov

The federal government would be required to give prisoners information about how to register to vote and cast ballots while incarcerated or after release. This would ensure that inmates understand their voting rights and have access to the resources needed to participate in elections, affecting millions of people currently in federal prisons and those preparing for reentry into society.

AI-assisted summary generated from the official bill metadata (title, subjects, actions) sourced from Congress.gov. Cached and reviewed. Always verify against the official text linked below.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 9815 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 9815 To require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to provide certain information to inmates with respect to voting, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 21, 2026 Ms. Norton (for herself and Ms. Pingree) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Director of the Bureau of Prisons to provide certain information to inmates with respect to voting, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. INFORMATION WITH RESPECT TO VOTING. (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days before a Federal, State or local election, the Director of the Bureau of Prisons shall send to-- (1) each inmate, through the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Computer System (TRULINCS) (or a successor platform), who is (or prior to incarceration was) a resident of a State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, a message including-- (A) information on how to register to vote; and (B) information on how to request an absentee ballot; and (2) each Re-entry Affairs Coordinator of each Federal correctional facility, information including-- (A) criteria for voter registration for each State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons; (B) instructions on voter registration for each State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons; (C) printed voter registration forms for each State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons; and (D) prepaid envelopes for voter registration forms, as provided by a State Bureau of Election. (b) Publication; Delivery.-- (1) Federal correctional facility.--In each Federal correctional facility, the Director shall make available to inmates the information under subsection (a), including by posting such information physically at the correctional facility. (2) Internet website.--The Director shall publish on the internet website of the Bureau of Prisons the information under subsection (a). (3) Delivery.--The Re-entry Affairs Coordinator of each Federal correctional facility shall provide each inmate who is (or prior to incarceration was) a resident of a State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons information identified under subsection (a)(2). (c) Language Availabilities.--The Director shall provide any information under subsection (a) in both English and Spanish, if the State that allows an inmate to vote while in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons makes available such information in both English and Spanish. (d) Support for Certain Inmates.--The Director shall provide support to any inmate who needs assistance with voter registration as a result of a recognized disability. (e) State Defined.--In this section, the term ``State'' means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States. <all>

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