While access to the ballot becomes increasingly difficult, more state lawmakers are trying to find ways to improve the administration of elections. Enter automatic voter registration (AVR), a buzz worthy policy that was proposed by lawmakers in 27 states in 2016 alone. Project Vote expects to release an update to our 2015 AVR paper in May.
Here are some key points to look out for in this upcoming report:
- Two AVR models are proposed:
- Integrated Voter Registration Model – In this option, elements of automatic voter registration are integrated into existing federal requirements to register people to vote by department of motor vehicles and public assistance agencies under the National Voter Registration Act.
- Pending Voter Registration Model – In this option, data from a variety state government agencies are used to pre-register eligible voters on a pending basis until they can attest to their eligibility at the polls.
- How AVR can coexist and comply with the National Voter Registration Act.
- Important policy considerations for any AVR proposal, including training and language access.
Today, approximately 51 million eligible Americans are still not registered to vote. AVR’s promise to streamline voter registration using existing government databases has the potential to significantly increase voter registration rates in in the United States. While more than half the states have proposed to pass legislation, we believe the most successful implementation of AVR would be at the federal level.
“Our first paper sought to provide a detailed guide on the benefits and challenges facing states considering AVR, as well as to provide practical suggestions for addressing these issues,” said Project Vote legislative director, Marissa Liebling. “While many good resources have since been released, further conversations with numerous constituency organizations, groups on the ground, and election administrators led to the development of our second paper.”
“This paper builds on the first by adding additional considerations and another model for states interested in adopting AVR,” she said. “We hope the comprehensive nature of the report will help advocates and lawmakers alike. Stay tuned”
Photo: @cdharrison via Creative Commons