HB126, the Original Students Voicing Opinions in Today’s Elections (VOTE) Act, directs the Election Assistance Commission to run a pilot program that provides funds to eligible local educational agencies to carry out initiatives that share information on registering to vote with secondary school students in the 12th grade. The pilot is limited to fiscal year 2025 and requires participating LEAs to submit an application describing the initiatives and estimated costs.
LEAs must consult with state and local election officials in developing these initiatives.
Recipients must report within 90 days of receiving funds, and the Commission must file a report to Congress within 60 days after the final recipient report. The bill authorizes appropriations “such sums as may be necessary” to carry out the act, without specifying a fixed funding level.
At a Glance
What It Does
The act creates a federally funded pilot program that provides grants to eligible local educational agencies to disseminate information about voter registration to 12th-grade students in participating districts. Eligible LEAs must apply with a plan and cost estimates, and must consult with state/local election officials.
Who It Affects
Local educational agencies serving 12th-grade students, state and local election officials who coordinate elections, and the districts implementing civics outreach.
Why It Matters
It signals a federal role in civics outreach tied to voter registration education, establishing a model for school-based voter information while tying it to annual reporting and coordination with election authorities.
More articles like this one.
A weekly email with all the latest developments on this topic.
What This Bill Actually Does
The bill sets up a one-year pilot program funded by the federal government to help high schools provide information about how students can register to vote. Eligible local educational agencies can receive funds in fiscal year 2025 to carry out outreach and instructional activities aimed at 12th-grade students.
The activities must focus on registering to vote and must be carried out in a manner consistent with the definitions of local educational agency and secondary school found in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.
To participate, LEAs must submit an application detailing the planned initiatives and estimated costs, along with any other information the Election Assistance Commission requires. The LEA is also required to consult with the state and local election officials who administer elections in the area served by the district.
These collaborations are intended to align outreach with local election processes rather than create standalone federal mandates inside classrooms. Recipients must file a report within 90 days of receiving funds describing what was done and analyzing effectiveness.
Within 60 days after the final recipient report, the Commission must submit a report to Congress summarizing the pilot and its findings. The act does not specify a permanent funding level but authorizes such sums as are necessary to carry out the program.
The Five Things You Need to Know
The bill creates a pilot program in FY2025 where the Election Assistance Commission funds LEAs to share voter registration information with 12th graders.
LEAs must submit an application describing initiatives and estimated costs to participate.
LEAs must consult with state and local election officials when designing the initiatives.
Recipients must report within 90 days of receiving funds; the Commission reports to Congress within 60 days of the final recipient report.
The act authorizes appropriations as necessary to carry out the program.
Section-by-Section Breakdown
Every bill we cover gets an analysis of its key sections.
Short title
This section provides the official citation for the act as the Original Students Voicing Opinions in Today’s Elections (VOTE) Act.
Pilot program for providing voter registration information to secondary school students prior to graduation
Section 2 establishes a pilot program under which the Election Assistance Commission shall provide funds in fiscal year 2025 to eligible local educational agencies for initiatives that provide information on registering to vote to 12th-grade students. LEAs must apply with descriptions of the planned initiatives, cost estimates, and any other required assurances. LEAs must also consult with state and local election officials in the area to be served.
Reports
Section 3 requires recipients to submit a report to the Commission within 90 days after funds are received, describing the initiatives and analyzing their effectiveness. The Commission must then submit a report to Congress within 60 days after receiving the final recipient report.
Authorization of appropriations
Section 4 authorizes such sums as may be necessary to carry out the act, effectively creating a flexible funding envelope for the pilot.
This bill is one of many.
Codify tracks hundreds of bills on Elections across all five countries.
Explore Elections in Codify Search →Who Benefits and Who Bears the Cost
Every bill creates winners and losers. Here's who stands to gain and who bears the cost.
Who Benefits
- 12th-grade students in participating districts receive structured information about voter registration and the steps to register.
- Local educational agencies implementing the pilot gain federal funding to run civics outreach activities.
- State and local election officials coordinate with LEAs, helping ensure information aligns with local election procedures.
- School districts and boards engaging in civics outreach may see clearer guidance for student engagement on elections.
Who Bears the Cost
- Federal government (Election Assistance Commission) bears administrative and funding costs for the pilot.
- Local educational agencies incur staff time and operational costs to plan and implement the initiatives (even with funds, some overhead or matching requirements may apply).
- State and local election officials invest time to coordinate with LEAs and provide election information and guidance.
Key Issues
The Core Tension
The central tension is between federal funding of school-based voter registration information and state/local control over civics education, balanced against the need for consistent, neutral, and law-compliant outreach.
The bill creates a federally funded civics outreach pilot focused on informing 12th-grade students about voter registration. Potential tensions include ensuring that school-based information remains neutral and aligned with state laws governing civics education, and avoiding unintended curricular or political pressure in classrooms.
The pilot is limited to FY2025 and relies on a flexible appropriation that does not set a numeric funding target, which could affect scalability or sustainability as implementation proceeds. It also relies on local implementation and coordination with election officials, which may lead to varying effectiveness across districts.
Try it yourself.
Ask a question in plain English, or pick a topic below. Results in seconds.