June 25, 2026 - WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, joined U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.) and nine of their colleagues in reintroducing legislation to create the first-ever affirmative federal voting rights guarantee for all eligible citizens. The Right to Vote Act would enshrine into law American citizens’ fundamental right to vote by allowing them to challenge in court any policy that restricts ballot access.

States attempting to restrict voting access would have to meet a high bar to justify any policy that makes it harder for U.S. citizens to participate in federal elections. The bill would also protect all actions necessary for Americans to participate in elections, including registering to vote, obtaining any ID required to vote, casting a ballot, and ensuring that ballot is counted.

“When we protect the right to vote, we protect the very foundation of our democracy,” said Senator Padilla. “While the Trump Administration and Republican-led legislatures threaten to restrict ballot access, we must ensure there are safeguards in place to ensure voters can defend their right in court. The right to vote should never be questioned, and Congress must protect every eligible voter’s right to participate in our elections.”

“With voting rights under attack in Georgia and across the country, I am reintroducing my legislation to empower voters to challenge in court any action taken by a state or local government that makes it harder to vote, and force that state or that locality to demonstrate that the restrictions serve some governmental purpose and are the least restrictive means of doing so,” said Senator Ossoff.

In addition to Padilla and Ossoff, the bill is co-sponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), and Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).

As California’s former Secretary of State, Padilla knows first-hand the importance of taking proactive steps to protect the fundamental right to vote. Last week, Padilla joined Senate Democrats in introducing the Protect Our Polls Act to protect the integrity of American elections from federal interference by armed military or federal law enforcement. Padilla has led Senate Democrats’ efforts to defeat the anti-voter SAVE Act.

Full text of the bill is available here.

Source: Senator Alex Padilla