H.R. 4914 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, Aug 5, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryVoting access for unhoused Americans
This bill makes it easier for people without permanent homes to register and vote. It says no state can prevent someone from voting just because they don't have a traditional address. States must accept a written statement about where someone is staying as proof of residence, allow homeless shelters and street locations as valid addresses for voter registration, and treat emergency shelters as official voter registration sites. States also have to make sure ballot drop boxes are accessible and clearly marked, and election officials must reach out to unhoused people to help them register.
How it affects you
If you're experiencing homelessness, this bill directly protects your right to vote and removes barriers you might face at the ballot box. It requires states to accept your current location—whether that's a shelter or an unsheltered area—as your legal address for voting purposes. The bill also asks election officials to actively help unhoused people register, so you'd have more support navigating the voting process.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Aug 5, 2025)
Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act or the Unhoused VOTE Act
This bill expands voter registration and voting access for unhoused individuals.
The bill specifies that no state or political subdivision may deny or abridge the right of any U.S. citizen to vote because the citizen resides at or in a nontraditional abode.
Additionally, the bill requires jurisdictions that allow for ballot drop boxes to ensure that these drop boxes are available for in-person use and are accessible and clearly labeled.
If a state requires individuals to show proof of residence in order to vote in a federal election, then the state must accept the individual’s written attestation of residence. A state may not prohibit an individual who is residing in a homeless shelter from using the shelter as the individual’s residence for purposes of voting in a federal election.
The bill requires chief state election officials to conduct outreach to unhoused individuals.
The bill directs the Election Assistance Commission to (1) develop best practices for election officials regarding voter registration and voting access for unhoused individuals, and (2) make grants to eligible states and local governments for programs and activities to support access to voting for unhoused individuals.
The bill also revises the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, including by (1) treating emergency shelters as voter registration agencies, and (2) allowing an unhoused individual to use an unsheltered street location as the individual's place of residence for purposes of a voter registration application.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 4914
A BILL
Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act
Sponsor: Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-5) · Introduced Aug 5, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Aug 5, 2025: “Referred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.”