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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Georgia Settles National Voter Registration Act Lawsuit, Agrees to Provide Registration Services to Low-Income Citizens
A coalition of national voting rights groups have secured a landmark settlement with the State of Georgia to ensure that voter registration is offered to all public assistance applicants. Read more
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
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
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
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
Michigan Failing to Offer Voter Registration to Public Assistance Clients
Citing clear evidence that the State of Michigan is failing to provide low-income residents with a legally-mandated opportunity to register to vote, attorneys from voting rights groups informed state officials they must comply with the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) or face litigation. Read more
Federal Judge Rules that Lawsuit against the State of Louisiana Over Failure to Offer Voter Registration Services May Continue
Today, a federal court rejected the State of Louisiana's effort to dismiss a lawsuit regarding the State’s failure to offer public assistance recipients the opportunity to register vote. Read more
New EAC Report Shows Increased Voter Registration Among Low-Income Americans
A newly released review of a June 27 report by the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) shows that voter registration application rates at state public assistance agencies have risen sharply following National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) enforcement actions by advocacy groups Demos, Project Vote, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and others. Read more
Voting Rights Groups Sue Georgia for Neglecting Voting Rights of Low-Income Residents
A coalition of voting rights groups filed suit today against Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) Clyde J. Reese III to remedy the State of Georgia’s failure to provide voter registration services at state public assistance offices, as required by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). Read more
Rights Groups Sue Louisiana over Voting Rights Violations
Yesterday, Project Vote, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc. (LDF), and New Orleans attorney Ronald Wilson filed a complaint in federal court on behalf of the state conference of the NAACP and several private individuals, alleging that Louisiana is disenfranchising minority and low-income voters by failing to offer them the opportunity to register to vote as required by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Read more