S.Amdt. 4417

The amendment, titled the Vote at Home Act of 2026, aims to change the provided bill by striking all existing text after the enacting clause and replacing it with new provisions focused on expanding mail-in voting and streamlining voter registration.

Voting by Mail The amendment seeks to add requirements to the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to:

• Stop States from imposing additional conditions or requirements for voting by mail in Federal elections, other than deadlines for requesting and returning ballots.
• Require States to mail ballots to registered voters no later than 2 weeks before a Federal election.
• Ensure ballots are accessible to individuals with disabilities, providing the same opportunity for privacy and independence as other voters.
• Provide free postage for blank ballots mailed by election officials and voted ballots returned by voters.

Voter Registration The amendment proposes changes to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 regarding motor vehicle authorities:

• Require States to include a voter registration application as part of the driver's license application process.
• Establish "Automatic Registration of Eligible Citizens," where motor vehicle authorities transmit information to election officials if a person provides a document proving U.S. citizenship or is already registered.
• Set rules for how election officials handle this information, including sending notices to eligible unregistered individuals and updating addresses.
• Provide protections to ensure individuals are not prosecuted or adversely affected by immigration or naturalization proceedings due to automatic registration errors or a lack of citizenship affirmation during the process.

Timeline

• The mail-in voting requirements would apply to Federal elections held in years beginning with 2028.
• The voter registration amendments would take effect 180 days after the Act is enacted.