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HR10202119th CongressWALLET

High School Voter Empowerment Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]

Introduced

Summary

Designates all public high schools as official voter registration agencies and requires annual student voter registration drives. It creates a Department of Education grant program to reimburse reasonable costs and allows state election officials to provide voting machines for student elections on request.

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  • Students: Targets students enrolled in American Government or Economics who are at least 17 by April 10 and otherwise eligible to vote. Schools must aim to register all such students during each academic year.
  • Schools and districts: All public high schools, as defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, must run an annual voter registration drive and may apply to the Secretary of Education to be reimbursed for reasonable drive costs. Funding is authorized for fiscal year 2026 and each succeeding year as needed.
  • Election officials: State election officials may enter agreements to lend voting machines and related supplies for student council or similar school elections under terms set by the official and the school.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

High school voter drives and help

This would make every public high school a voter registration agency. Each high school would have to hold at least one voter registration drive each academic year. Drives would aim to register students in American Government or Economics classes who are at least 17 on April 10 and who are eligible to register for federal elections in the State. The Department of Education would run a reimbursement program so schools could be paid back for reasonable drive costs if they apply and document costs and the number of students registered. State election officials could also, on request and by agreement, provide voting machines and supplies for student elections. These changes would take effect 90 days after enactment.

Limit optional registration to elementary schools

This would change the National Voter Registration Act wording so that the optional designation applies only to public elementary schools. That would remove the phrase "public schools" as an optional category and limit optional school registration sites to elementary schools. The change would take effect 90 days after enactment.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Wilson, Frederica S. [D-FL-24]

FL • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2]

    MN • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2]

    AL • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 8/31/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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