Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) in 1993 to increase the number of citizens registered to vote in Federal elections.
One of the most important ways the NVRA was designed to increase registration was by ensuring that citizens are offered the opportunity to register to vote at places where they interact with the government: at motor vehicle offices and public assistance offices (such as those that provide Food Stamps, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Medicaid).
However, since the implementation of the NVRA in 1995–1996, many states have been neglecting the voter registration provisions of the law. Project Vote works to enforce the NVRA’s requirements, and ensure that all citizens are provided with the voter registration assistance they are guaranteed under the law.
The Government Agency Registration Program assists states, social service agencies, motor vehicle offices, and election officials with implementation of the NVRA’s requirements. In addition to technical assistance, the Program conducts research, documents noncompliance and, when necessary, initiates litigation to enforce the NVRA.
Additionally, the Government Agency Registration Program works to expand voter registration opportunities at other places where eligible citizens interact with their government, such as immigration offices and health benefits providers.
Voter registration drives will always have an essential role to play in our democracy, but the responsibility to register eligible Americans to vote must rest first and foremost on the government.
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Federal Appeals Court Rules That N.M. Violated Federal Law, Failing to Provide Voter Registration Applications to Public Assistance Clients
The federal Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that the State of New Mexico Human Services Department (HSD) violated Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) by improperly withholding voter registration applications from certain public assistance clients. Read more
Valdez v. Duran: Tenth Circuit Court Opinion
Court of Appeals Opinion affirming district court decisions in Valdez v. Duran Read more
Federal Court Delivers Important Ruling in National Voter Registration Act Lawsuit
In a strongly worded order handed down yesterday, U.S. District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a coalition of voting rights groups to remedy the State of Georgia’s failure to provide voter registration services at public assistance offices. Read more
Georgia NAACP v. Kemp – Order Denying Motion to Dismiss
Order Denying Motion to Dismiss Read more
Massachusetts Failing to Offer Voter Registration to Public Assistance Clients
Yesterday, attorneys from Project Vote and partners sent a pre-litigation notice letter to Massachusettsstate officials, urging them to bring the state into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) or face litigation. Read more
NAACP v. Galvin: Notice Letter
Pre-litigation notice letter concerning Massachusett's violations of Sec. 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Read more
Righting the Voting Income Gap
In many of the states that saw an increase in recent years, nonprofit groups led by Dēmos, Project Vote, and The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law had either sued or threatened to sue the state. Read more
Indiana Settles Class Action Lawsuit Regarding Compliance with the NVRA
Today, U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt approved the settlement of a class action lawsuit brought against Indiana officials to bring the State into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act (“NVRA”). Read more
Voting rights activists threaten state with lawsuit: Michigan may be violating federal statute
A coalition of groups, including Demos, Project Vote, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL), and the NAACP, sent a letter to Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson last week alleging that the state is in violation of federal law requiring voter registration at public assistance offices. Read more
Michigan impeding low-income voter registration: Voting rights groups
Attorneys from Demos, Project Vote, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and the NAACP have sent a pre-litigation notice letter (PDF) to Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson… Read more