Automatic voter registration (AVR) is generating considerable enthusiasm on the part of voting rights advocates and policymakers. This process has the potential to significantly increase voter registration rates in America, which is nearly unique among Western democracies in putting the onus of registration on the individual.
The momentum to develop automatic voter registration comes more than 20 years after the passage of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), a previous initiative to reduce the barriers to registration. The NVRA governs elements of voter registration in the U.S., and requires, among other provisions, that certain government agencies—including motor vehicle agencies, public assistance agencies, and disability services offices—provide voter registration services. Because the NVRA is federal law, state-based automatic voter registration programs may co-exist alongside existing NVRA procedures but cannot replace them.
Project Vote is very excited about the promise of automatic registration and the concurrent willingness of state legislatures to take up this issue. Our resources are designed to help states implement AVR effectively, in compliance with existing federal law.
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Automatic Voter Registration Best Practices Coming Soon
As access to the ballot becomes increasingly difficult, more states are trying to find ways to improve the administration of elections. Read more
Automatic Voter Registration Considered in Maryland Senate Hearing
Just this past week, I had the opportunity to watch as members of the Maryland State Senate Education, Health, and... Read more
Report: Incorporating Automatic Voter Registration with the NVRA
At Project Vote, we are excited about the growing interest in AVR at both the state and federal level. We hope this paper will be useful to advocates and policy makers alike as we pursue this promising reform within existing federal law. Read more
Oregon Legislature Sends Automatic Voter Registration Bill to Govenor
Today, the Oregon State Senate adopted HB 2177, a bill that would automatically register Oregonians to vote after they have... Read more
LWV Detail the Truth About Wisconsin Automatic Voter Registration Bill
The League of Women Voters of Wisconsin list facts about a pending omnibus election bill, which includes automatic voter registration,... Read more
Wisconsin May Be First State to Enact Automatic Voter Registration Law
A bill to automatically register voters when applying for a driver’s license was introduced to the Wisconsin Assembly yesterday. If... Read more