Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act

The Unhoused Voter Opportunity Through Elections Act (Unhoused VOTE Act) is a federal bill that aims to remove barriers preventing unhoused individuals from registering to vote and voting in federal elections. It creates a broad set of voting-rights protections, enforcement mechanisms, and a national grant program to help states and localities expand access. Key features include treating certain shelters and unsheltered locations as legitimate residences for voting purposes, allowing attestation and acceptable forms of identification tied to the criminal-justice system, and requiring accessibility improvements for ballot drop boxes. The act also requires outreach and the development of best practices, with funding authorized for ongoing operations and programs such as mobile voting and direct outreach to unhoused individuals. It would apply to federal elections beginning six months after enactment. In addition to these protections, the bill amends related voting and homelessness programs (notably the Help America Vote Act and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act) to embed unhoused-focused protections into voter registration processes, data collection, and interagency coordination with HUD. It also establishes a grant program administered by the Election Assistance Commission to fund state and local efforts, including partnerships with private entities experienced in assisting unhoused populations.