Project Vote is pleased to release the next installment in our Issues in Election Administration policy-paper series, Same Day Registration. Last month, we released a policy paper on Online Voter Registration.
Same Day Registration (SDR, also known as Election Day Registration) has proven to be an innovation in election administration that both expands the electorate and conveniences voters. However, despite the growing acceptance of SDR across the country and its smooth implementation for 35 years, there is still stiff resistance to adopting such policies in many states, and efforts in other states to restrict or eliminate existing SDR policies.
“Policy makers would do well to consider the overwhelming benefits of SDR in expanding the electorate,” writes Project Vote Legislative Director Estelle Rogers. “Given the successful track record in states that have adopted SDR, legislators should resist the ill-advised attempts to roll back this important innovation.”
In this new policy paper, Rogers provides a comprehensive overview of this issue, identifying the tremendous benefits and addressing the potential concerns of SDR. The paper summarizes the various systems currently in place around the country, offering examples of how legislators and election officials can best implement SDR to reach the greatest number of eligible citizens.
Same Day Registration is just one of the election reforms Project Vote and our partners are working to achieve through research, media initiatives, and advocacy efforts. Download this policy paper here.