# Plain Language Summary: Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2021

This bill requires the federal prison system to actively help incarcerated people vote in elections. Right now, many people in federal prisons don't know they have the right to vote or how to go about it. This bill says that 90 days before any federal, state, or local election, the Bureau of Prisons must send voting information to inmates who are eligible to vote based on their home state's laws. Some states allow incarcerated people to vote while in prison, while others don't—this bill only applies to inmates from states that permit voting while incarcerated.

The bill requires prisons to deliver this information in multiple ways to make sure people actually see it. Inmates will receive messages through the prison computer system explaining how to register to vote and request absentee ballots. Prison staff called Re-entry Affairs Coordinators will also hand out printed voter registration forms, instructions, and prepaid envelopes so inmates can send their registration directly to their state election office. The Bureau of Prisons must also post this information physically in prisons and on their website. If a state provides voting information in both English and Spanish, the federal prison system must do the same.

The bill also includes protections for people with disabilities, requiring prisons to provide assistance to inmates who need help registering to vote due to a disability. Essentially, this bill removes barriers to voting for eligible incarcerated people by making sure they know their rights and have the practical tools to exercise them, rather than leaving it up to chance whether they find out about voting opportunities on their own.

Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2021

Norton, Eleanor Holmes

Federal Bureau of Prisons Voting Assistance Act of 2021 This bill requires the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide information about voting to inmates from jurisdictions that allow inmates to vote while in custody. Specifically, before a federal, state, or local election, the BOP must send inmates voting-related information, such as how to register to vote and how to request an absentee ballot. The BOP must send additional voting-related information to the reentry affairs coordinator at each federal correctional facility. The information must be provided in English and Spanish.