Protecting Eligible Voters
Coinciding with the nation’s tense immigration debate of recent years is a strong belief among certain partisans that undocumented people are somehow undermining the democratic process.
Instances of non-citizens attempting to cast a ballot are extremely rare, but this drummed up fear has real consequences: it excludes legitimate voters who do not have documentary proof of citizenship, such as seniors, students living away from home, or married people who adopt the surname of their spouses.
Further, proof-of-citizenship policies essentially quash community-based voter registration drives, which are responsible for reaching large numbers of potential voters at markets, churches, and other public places where one is unlikely to carry birth certi cates and passports.
Ensuring that eligible Americans are not prevented from registering and voting due to unnecessary and discriminatory bureaucratic hurdles like proof-of-citizenship requirements is one of Project Vote’s key missions.
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Proof of Citizenship Action Illegal, Federal Suit Says
Project Vote and colleagues filed suit against Brian Newby, Executive Director of the EAC, for illegal proof-of-citizenship action. Read more
League of Women Voters v. Newby: Complaint
Complaint filed Feb. 12, 2016 in LWV v. Newby Read more
League of Women Voters v. Newby
Project Vote and partners filed suit against EAC executive director Brian Newby, for allowing three states to require proof of citizenship from registrants using the federal voter registration form. Read more
Just When You Thought It Was Safe to Vote in Kansas…
Sometimes, defending voting rights feels like playing Whac-a-Mole. You smack down a threat here, and it rears its ugly head over there. Read more
Legislative Threats and Opportunities Update
Last week, in his final State of the Union Address, President Obama indicated his interest in modernizing our election system... Read more
Both Lawmakers and Citizens Push for Voting Reforms Before 2016 Election
In 2015, nonpartisan voting rights group Project Vote monitored 315 bills, introduced by state and federal lawmakers, that could change the way people vote in 2016 and beyond. Read more
Legislative Threats and Opportunities: Fall 2015
In latest edition of our Threats and Opportunities series, Erin Ferns Lee examines the status of important election bills—harmful and helpful—that were introduced in 2015. Read more
New Project Vote Report Examines Voting Rights Proposals
Since January, Project Vote has closely monitored 315 bills that could affect the way people vote in 2016 and beyond.... Read more
Supreme Court Declines to Review Proof-of-Citizenship Case
Lawsuit brought by Arizona and Kansas to force changes in the federal voter registration form reaches the end of the road. Read more
Legislative Threats and Opportunities: Spring 2015
To date in 2015, lawmakers in 24 states have proposed at least 52 bills that threaten voting rights, while lawmakers in 36 states have proposed to improve election administration in some way... Read more