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HR4917119th Congress

Expanding the VOTE Act

Sponsored By: Representative Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

Introduced

Summary

Expands federal language access for voting materials to cover both printed and digital election materials and to boost translation support and protections for language-minority and Tribal communities.

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  • Voters who speak covered minority languages would get ballots, registration forms, instructions, assistance, and other election materials in their language, including digital items.
  • American Indian and Alaska Native communities would have stronger rules for unwritten languages: oral assistance can be used when a Tribal government notifies the Attorney General, and written translations for election workers are required with Tribal consent.
  • Local election officials could apply for incentive grants to pay for translations for languages that do not meet current coverage thresholds; the Election Assistance Commission would be authorized $15 million to fund these grants.
  • Jurisdictions receiving a grant must certify they will keep providing materials in that language in later election cycles unless the group’s share drops by 0.5 percentage points.
  • The Comptroller General would study lowering coverage thresholds and adding languages such as Arabic, French, and Haitian Creole and must report findings within one year.

*Would authorize $15 million in appropriations for incentive grants, increasing federal spending.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

More voting materials in your language

If enacted, this would broaden what counts as voting materials to include digital items and ballots. Covered states and local areas would need to provide notices, forms, instructions, assistance, and other election info in the minority language as well as English. If a group’s language is not written, officials would give oral help instead of written materials. For American Indian or Alaska Native languages, a Tribe could tell the Attorney General it does not want written translations. Even then, election workers would get written translations, with tribal consent, to keep terms accurate. If a state provides materials to a covered local area, the state would have to follow the same language rules. The Attorney General would notify places that are close to coverage: within 1,000 people of the numeric test or within 0.5 percentage points of the percentage tests.

Grants to add more voting languages

The Election Assistance Commission would offer grants to help states and local areas provide voting materials in more languages. Grants would pay reasonable costs for one election cycle and would require outreach to local groups that serve that community. If a place gets a grant, it would keep providing those materials in later cycles unless the group’s share falls by 0.5 percentage points or more. A place could not get more than one grant for the same language group. The bill would authorize $15 million, available until spent.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

GA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Raskin, Jamie [D-MD-8]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Davids, Sharice [D-KS-3]

    KS • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Sewell, Terri A. [D-AL-7]

    AL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Veasey, Marc A. [D-TX-33]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Brown, Shontel M. [D-OH-11]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]

    HI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20]

    FL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]

    MO • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Costa, Jim [D-CA-21]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Crockett, Jasmine [D-TX-30]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Davis, Donald G. [D-NC-1]

    NC • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]

    LA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Figures, Shomari [D-AL-2]

    AL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Moulton, Seth [D-MA-6]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

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

    DC • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]

    VI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]

    OR • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-4]

    AZ • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Strickland, Marilyn [D-WA-10]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]

    OH • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

    MS • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

    NV • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2025

  • Rep. Scott, David [D-GA-13]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 8/26/2025

  • Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]

    CO • D

    Sponsored 8/29/2025

  • Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

  • Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]

    MO • D

    Sponsored 10/3/2025

  • Rep. Pou, Nellie [D-NJ-9]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 12/12/2025

  • Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]

    VT • D

    Sponsored 3/25/2026

  • Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 9/28/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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