H.R. 9815: Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2026

This bill would require the Bureau of Prisons to give inmates more voting-related information before elections, but only for inmates who live in places that allow people in federal custody to vote while incarcerated.

What the Bureau of Prisons would have to do

• At least 90 days before any federal, state, or local election, the Bureau of Prisons Director would have to send voting information to covered inmates through the prison email system (TRULINCS or a successor system).

• The information sent to inmates would have to explain:

  • how to register to vote, and
  • how to request an absentee ballot.

• The Bureau would also have to give each federal prison’s Re-entry Affairs Coordinator information about voter registration rules and procedures for each state that allows incarcerated voting, along with printed registration forms and prepaid envelopes supplied by the state election office.

How the information must be made available

• The Bureau would have to post the voting information physically in each federal prison.

• The same information would have to be published on the Bureau of Prisons website.

• Re-entry Affairs Coordinators would have to provide the information directly to eligible inmates.

Language and disability access

• If a state provides the voting information in both English and Spanish, the Bureau would have to provide it in both languages too.

• The Bureau would have to help inmates with recognized disabilities who need assistance registering to vote.

Who counts as covered

The bill defines “State” broadly to include the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories and possessions.

Relevant Companies

None found