Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act
Though most people know the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) as the “motor voter” law, fewer people know that it also mandates that voter registration be offered at other government agencies besides DMVs. State agencies offering SNAP (food stamps), TANF, Medicaid, and other government benefits are also legally required to assist their clients in registering to vote under the NVRA.
Congress included this provision, Section 7, exactly to reach the citizens who are less likely to register through other means: low-income people, minorities, the elderly, and the disabled.
However, too many states have been ignoring this part of the NVRA, meaning that millions of our most vulnerable citizens are missing out on the change to make their voices heard. That’s why Project Vote and our partners are working to fix that. We investigate compliance. We document violations of the NVRA. And, where we find problems, we work—through advocacy, assistance, and litigation—to ensure that states are following the law and doing right by their citizens.
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NAACP v Galvin: Complaint
Lawsuit filed on behalf of NAACP-NEAC and New England United for Justice, and an individual plaintiff, charging that Massachusetts public agencies are failing to comply with the NVRA. Read more
National Council of La Raza v Miller: Notice Letter
Pre-litigation notice letter informing Secretary of State Ross Miller that Nevada public assistance agencies were not in compliance with Section 7 of the NVRA. Read more
LDF and Project Vote Win Important Legal Victory for Public Assistance Recipients in Louisiana
“The court’s ruling will ensure that low-income individuals will not be denied voter registration services because of advancing technology,” said Sarah Brannon of Project Vote. Read more
Federal Judge Rules that Louisiana Must Offer Voter Registration to Public Agency Clients
Yesterday, voting rights advocates won an important legal victory that will ensure that Louisiana’s public assistance agency clients—the state’s poorest and most marginalized residents—will be offered an opportunity to register to vote. Read more
Voting Rights Organizations Begin Litigation to Enforce National Voter Registration Act in PA
Attorneys from voting rights groups sent a pre-litigation notice letter on Monday to the Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth, charging that the state is failing to provide low-income residents with a legally-mandated opportunity to register to vote. Read more
Black Political Empowerment Project v. Aichele: Notice Letter
Pre-litigation notice letter concerning Pennsylvania's violations of Sec. 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Read more
The Right to Register
After Project Vote and a coalition of several other voting rights groups filed a lawsuit, the state of Georgia agreed to a settlement. Read more
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
Georgia Settles Lawsuit To Offer Voter Registration to Public Assistance Recipients
The state of Georgia has settled a lawsuit with a coalition of voting rights groups to enforce a requirement in the NVRA to offer the opportunity to register to vote to anyone applying for state public assistance. Read more
Georgia NAACP v. Kemp: Settlement Agreement
Settlement agreement in which Georgia public assistance agencies agree to comply with voter registration requirements of the National Voter Registration Act. Read more