{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-colleagues-reintroduce-youth-voting-rights-act-to-empower-young-people-expand-access-to-ballot-box", "Hirono, Colleagues Reintroduce Youth Voting Rights Act to Empower Young People, Expand Access to Ballot Box", "2023-10-16", "2023", "2023-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "HI", "Mazie K. Hirono", "H001042", "www.hirono.senate.gov", "hirono", "https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) in reintroducing the Youth Voting Rights Act of 2023, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting. 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.\n\n\u201cVoting is a constitutional right and a fundamental aspect of our democracy,\u201d said Senator Hirono. \u201cVoting is a habit and it is important to empower the next generation to become lifelong voters and encourage civic engagement. As we continue to fight against extreme Republicans\u2019 attacks on voting rights, this legislation will help ensure eligible voters, especially young voters, can participate in the democratic process and have their voices heard.\u201d\n\nIn 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.\n\nSpecifically, the Youth Voting Rights Act of 2023 would:\n\nEmpower individuals and the government to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment;\n\nExpand voter registration services at public colleges and universities;\n\nAllow young people in every state to pre-register to vote before turning 18;\n\nRequire institutions of higher education to have on-campus polling places;\n\nProhibit durational residency requirements for all federal elections;\n\nGuarantee that states accept student IDs to meet voter-identification requirements;\n\nCreate a grant program dedicated to youth involvement in elections;\n\nGather data on youth voter registration and election participation; and\n\nPrevent states from placing age limits on no-excuse vote-by-mail ballots.\n\nIn addition to Senator Hirono, this legislation is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Ed Markey (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA).\n\nThis legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Nikema Williams (D-GA).\n\nThe full text of the bill is available here.\n\nSenator Hirono, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has been a long-time champion of voting rights legislation and protections. In September 2022, Senator Hirono introduced the Election Worker Protection Act, comprehensive legislation which would provide states with the resources to recruit and train election workers and ensure these workers\u2019 safety, while also instituting federal safeguards to shield election workers from intimidation and threats. In July 2022, Senator Hirono introduced the Youth Voting Rights Act, comprehensive legislation to enforce the Twenty-Sixth Amendment and expand youth access to voting. In January 2022, Senator Hirono delivered remarks on the Senate floor discussing the urgent need to pass comprehensive voting rights legislation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:49:26Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.hirono.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hirono-colleagues-reintroduce-youth-voting-rights-act-to-empower-young-people-expand-access-to-ballot-box"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7865158841013908, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}