# 119-s-2589: Expanding the VOTE Act

119-s-2589, Expanding the VOTE Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA); status introduced (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2589
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2589
- Congress: 119
- Title: Expanding the VOTE Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-31
- Sponsor: Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA)
- Cosponsors: 15
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Expands federal language-access requirements in elections.** The bill would broaden the Voting Rights Act's scope of covered materials to include digital and printed election materials, add new translation duties for States and political subdivisions including American Indian and Alaska Native languages, create a federal grant program to encourage additional translations, and require a Comptroller General study. - Voters who speak American Indian and Alaska Native languages would get stronger translation protections for ballots and other election materials when coverage applies, with specified written translation rules for election workers. - States and local election officials would face new notice and translation obligations and a clearer definition of tribal government roles for consent and oversight. - The Election Assistance Commission would run incentive grants for translations in languages that do not trigger Section 203 coverage. The program would include eligibility rules, caps on repeat grants, and $15 million authorized, and the Comptroller General would report within one year on the effects of lowering thresholds and expanding language-minority definitions. *Authorizes $15 million in appropriations to fund the new grants program.*

## Cosponsors (15)

- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] (D-NY), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI), 2025-07-31T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More voting materials in minority languages: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would require covered States and local election offices to provide registration and voting materials in the minority language and in English. "Voting materials" would include printed and digital items, including ballots. A State would also be responsible when it supplies materi…
- Grants to pay for translated materials: benefit, low. If enacted, the Election Assistance Commission would make incentive grants to States and localities to cover reasonable costs to translate and produce voting materials for a covered language minority for an election cycle. Applicants would submit plans and assurances, including stakeholder engageme…
- Study on lowering language thresholds: benefit, low. If enacted, the Comptroller General would study the effects of lowering language-coverage thresholds to certain numeric levels (7,500; 5,000; and percentage levels 4%, 3%, 2.5%, and 2%). The study would also consider adding Arabic, French, Haitian Creole, and other languages the Comptroller General…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026
- 119-s-1503: Equality Act

## Sources
- [119-s-2589 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2589)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [119-s-1503: Equality Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1503)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2589 (as of 2026-04-21).