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Bill

HJRES 196

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States regarding the right to vote.

119th Congress Introduced by Bonnie Watson Coleman and 16 co-sponsors

Establishes a nationwide constitutional right for all voting-age citizens to vote in public elections, with narrowly tailored integrity requirements allowed.

Introduced in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HJRES 196

Overview

  • Bill: H.J.Res.196
  • Session: 119th Congress
  • Type: Joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment
  • Title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution regarding the right to vote
  • Introduced: June 11, 2026
  • Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
  • Primary sponsors: Rep. Jason Jackson (and a set of original co-sponsors including Adriano Espaillat, Ro Khanna, Nikema Williams, John Larson, and others)

What the bill aims to do

  • Establish a new constitutional right: Every United States citizen of voting age shall have the right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction where the citizen resides.
  • The amendment would set a foundational, nationwide guarantee that the right to vote cannot be denied or abridged by the United States, any state, or any private person or entity.
  • It acknowledges limited exceptions to the right, allowing the federal or state governments to establish narrowly tailored requirements to preserve the integrity of elections.

Key provisions

  • Section 1: Voting right

    • Grants the right to vote to each citizen of voting age in public elections within their jurisdiction of residence.
    • Explicitly states that the right shall not be denied or abridged by federal, state, or private actors, with a caveat that the United States or, for state-held elections, the state, may set narrowly tailored integrity-preserving requirements.

  • Section 2: Election administration standards

    • Requires states to administer public elections in accordance with election performance standards established by Congress through law.

  • Section 3: Voter registration and participation

    • Requires states to provide any eligible voter the opportunity to register and vote on the day of any public election (i.e., Election Day registration).

  • Section 4: Enforcement and implementation

    • Grants Congress the authority to enforce and implement the amendment via appropriate legislation.

Who is affected

  • U.S. citizens of voting age: Protected by a nationwide constitutional right to vote in public elections.
  • States and local jurisdictions: Responsible for administering elections under federal standards and ensuring on-time registration and voting access, including same-day registration where permitted.
  • Private entities: Prohibited from denying or abridging the right to vote, with the exception that private entities may be subject to narrowly tailored integrity requirements only as permitted by the amendment (per Section 1 language).
  • Congress: Granted authority to set election performance standards and to enforce the amendment through legislation (Sections 2 and 4).

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction date: June 11, 2026.
  • Referral: Committee on the Judiciary (House).
  • Status: As of introduction, no floor passage or Senate action indicated; typical path would involve committee consideration, potential amendments, and floor votes in both chambers, followed by possible conference if needed, and, ultimately, ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures to become a part of the Constitution.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Instituting a federal constitutional guarantee of voting rights could solidify protections against disenfranchisement and affect state election laws and processes.
  • The exact balance between the broad voting rights and the “narrowly tailored” integrity measures would be defined in future Congress-enacted legislation and potentially by constitutional interpretation.
  • The mandate for “on the day of any public election” registration (Election Day registration) would significantly affect states' existing registration practices, requiring administrative capacity and robust voter outreach.
  • Enforcement provisions would give Congress a clear toolset to monitor compliance and address violations across jurisdictions.

Note: As a proposed constitutional amendment, the bill would require passage by both houses of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures to take effect.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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