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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Obama’s Last State of the Union: What We Won’t Hear
Until Health Care Exchanges are brought into compliance with the NVRA, the president's legacy is incomplete. Read more
What We Know, What We Can Do
This is what we know. And, with your help, this is what we can do. Read more
Civic Groups Sue North Carolina Over Voting Rights Violations
North Carolina citizens did everything right to get registered to vote. But the state is failing them. Read more
How the Obama Administration is Failing Would-Be Voters
Yesterday, three of America’s leading voting rights organizations—including the organization I work with, Project Vote—wrote to the President of the... Read more
Report: Incorporating Automatic Voter Registration with the NVRA
At Project Vote, we are excited about the growing interest in AVR at both the state and federal level. We hope this paper will be useful to advocates and policy makers alike as we pursue this promising reform within existing federal law. Read more
Voting Rights Advocates Settle Long-Running Voter Registration Suit
MassHealth, EOHHS, and SOC Agree To Remedy NVRA Compliance Problems Read more
Voter Registrations Drop Sharply at N.C. Public Assistance Agencies
According to a notice letter sent today, voter registration applications initiated at public assistance agencies have dropped dramatically since Gov. Pat McCrory took office. Read more
Voter Registration Law Helps Close Disparities in Voter Turnout
A recent article in Bloomberg View highlights some of work conducted by Project Vote and our partners to further the implementation and goals of the NVRA. Read more
New Video Highlights Georgia NVRA Section 7 Case
In 2011, Project Vote and our partners—including the ACLU, the Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda, Demos, the Lawyers’ Committee for... Read more