Today, Project Vote released the second installment in our ongoing Election Legislation Threats and Opportunities Assessment series that examines proposed election laws in all 50 states and U.S. Congress.
In 2011, it has become clear that partisan forces are putting their energy into passing restrictive voting laws designed to reduce turnout in the 2012 election. But, we also see an increasing number of citizens, civil rights and voting advocates, and even members U.S. Congress standing up to question policies that impose photo ID requirements or place restrictions on voter registration and early voting.
Progressive election reforms that help expand access to the ballot also garnered some attention this year, despite losing some of the spotlight to photo ID debates and state budget issues. For example, online voter registration has been adopted in three states (California, Maryland, and Nevada); preregistration (a policy that allows citizens to register in advance of their 18th birthdays) is being considered in Massachusetts; and Election Day registration gained traction in California.
You can download this new memo here. You can also subscribe to our weekly Election Legislation e-Digest–which will commence on September 6–here.