On May 4, six U.S. Senators introduced a bill to require the states to let any voter vote by mail. The bill only pertains to federal elections. They also introduced a second bill to provide grants to states to help pay for the program. See this press release. The bill doesn’t have a bill number yet.

Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, one of the six, also introduced his own bill to require the states to set up methods by which unregistered persons may register to vote on-line. The federal government already requires states to use postcard registration forms, although that law doesn’t apply to states that let voters register at the polls on election day. Thus there is already considerable precedent for the federal government to legislative in this area, although the federal laws only relate to federal elections. Wyden’s on-line voter registration bill does not yet have a bill number.