Unhoused Americans Face Voting Rights Challenges: Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Protect Their Right to Vote

Strategic Insights -

Lawmakers in the United States are facing a pressing issue: unhoused Americans are often denied the right to vote, a fundamental aspect of democracy. To address this concern, a bipartisan legislation package, the Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections (VOTE) Act, has been introduced to protect the voting rights of unhoused individuals. The legislation aims to establish minimum standards and legal protections for accessibility to voting for unhoused Americans, including allowing them to use shelters and unsheltered street locations as places of residence for voting purposes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Unhoused VOTE Act aims to formally establish in law that no state may deny an individual the right to vote because they do not have a traditional home.
  • The legislation sets federal standards and formal protections for voting rights of unhoused people, including ensuring voting dropboxes are deployed in accessible locations.
  • The bill requires shelters to be eligible to be used as a place of residence when registering to vote and allows individuals to use an unsheltered street location to vote.
  • The Unhoused VOTE Act also includes provisions for outreach and resources to be made available online and to relevant stakeholders.
  • The Unhoused VOTE Act is co-sponsored by 34 members of the House of Representatives, including Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Delia Ramirez (D-IL), and Kevin Mullin (D-CA).
  • The legislation has received endorsements from 25 organizations, including the Southern Poverty Law Center, ACLU, End Citizens United, and Demos.
  • The Unhoused VOTE Act is designed to ensure comprehensive national standards to protect voting rights for everyone, no matter their ZIP code or bank account.

Statistics:

  • 600,000 Americans are experiencing homelessness on any given night (Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness).
  • 34% of unsheltered individuals experience housing instability, making it difficult for them to register to vote (Source: Campaign Legal Center).
  • 25% of voters cast ballots in person on Election Day, while 75% use absentee ballots or mail-in voting (Source: Voter Information Project).
  • 34 U.S. Representatives have co-sponsored the Unhoused VOTE Act to protect voting rights for unhoused individuals.

Sources:

  • Emanuel Cleaver, II. "Reps. Cleaver, Williams Introduce Legislation to Protect Voting Rights of Unhoused Americans." Press Release, 7 Aug. 2023.
  • Southern Poverty Law Center. "The Unhoused VOTE Act."
  • ACLU. "The Unhoused VOTE Act: A Critical Step towards Ensuring Equal Access to the Ballot."