Duckworth Re-introduces Legislation to Expand Voting Rights and Improve Civic Participation

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), alongside 12 democratic Senators, re-introduced the Pre-Registration of Voters Everywhere (PROVE) Act to expand voter registration efforts nationwide and increase American citizens' participation in the democratic process. The PROVE Act would allow for U.S. citizens aged 16 and 17 to pre-register to be added to voter rolls when they turn 18. Additionally, the PROVE Act also provides $25 million in grants, over two years, for states to distribute to schools and localities to develop curriculums aiming to encourage civic engagement.

"The right to vote is a founding tenet of our democracy, and the strength of our democracy depends upon the participation of the American people," said Senator Duckworth. "Unfortunately, many Americans are facing unnecessary barriers when it comes to casting their vote, and voter turnout continues to lag behind that of many other developed nations. We should constantly be looking for ways to bring new voters into the fold and make voting easier--not harder. I'm proud to re-introduce the PROVE Act to help get young Americans registered to vote as soon as they're eligible, which could help boost voter participation."

Across the country, more than 20 states--including Illinois--already allow young Americans to pre-register to vote before they turn 18. The PROVE Act would eliminate the state-by-state discrepancies and uniformly enable 16- and 17-year-old citizens to pre-register to vote and automatically be added to voter rolls when they turn 18. This legislation would increase the civic participation among young Americans and help address the 20 percent gap in voter registration between 18--24-year-olds and the national average of all ages.

Duckworth previously re-introduced the PROVE Act in 2019. This year, the cosponsors of the PROVE Act include U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR). In the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-08) introduced the companion legislation.

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