The Future of American Democracy
Despite significant gains in voter turnout over the last decade, young people still lag behind in terms of representation within the American electorate, and are among the populations most vulnerable to voting rights rollbacks.
The fundamental fact of our electoral process is that one cannot vote if one is not registered. The first step in ensuring that young people cease to be underrepresented in the electorate is to institutionalize access to voter registration.
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Project Vote and League of Women Voters Announce High School Registration Project
The League of Women Voters Education Fund (LWVEF) and Project Vote are pleased to announce a major new initiative to... Read more
Model Bill: Preregistration
This document provides a template for lawmakers and other interested parties to draft bills in support of preregistration legislation. Read more
Efforts to Engage Youth Voters through Preregistration Underway
Last week, the Arizona Legislature introduced a Preregistration bill in the House, bringing it one step closer to allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote. If passed, Arizona would join Florida, Hawaii, North Carolina, and soon, Rhode Island in their efforts to engage youth before they may legally vote. Read more
Project Vote Joins Petition for High School Registration Regulations in New Jersey
As part of coalition of voting rights groups, Project Vote and the New Jersey Department of Public Advocate filed a petition with the State Board of Elections today, proposing new regulations to improve and enforce voter registration efforts in New Jersey Schools. Read more
Project Vote Joins Petition for High School Registration Regulations in New Jersey
The Department of the Public Advocate has joined a coalition of voting rights groups to file papers with the State Board of Education today proposing new regulations aimed at ramping up voter registration efforts in New Jersey schools. Read more
Fact Sheet: Expanding the Youth Electorate through Preregistration
Preregistration for 16- and 17-year-olds is an important step in addressing underrepresentation among youth in the U.S. electorate. Several factors demonstrate why preregistration legislation is necessary. Read more
Fact Sheet: Expanding the Youth Electorate in Arizona through Preregistration
Preregistration for 16 and 17-year-olds is an important step in addressing underrepresentation among youth in Arizona’s electorate. Several factors demonstrate why preregistration legislation is necessary. Read more
Gov. Schwarzenegger Approves Engaging Young CA Voters Early
The future of voter registration and civic engagement may just stand a chance. California (a populous state of many voters-to-be) will soon allow all 17-year-old citizens to preregister to vote so that they will be automatically enrolled as legal voters once they turn 18. This newer trend in legislation, which boasts bipartisan support, has recently passed in North Carolina and has been successfully implemented in five other states, including Florida. Read more
How to Make Voter Registration Accessible to All Citizens
After the 2008 election, voter registration has become a focal point for legislators and advocates from all ends of the spectrum. Whichever way it is sliced, the number of registered eligible voters has still declined since 2004. As multiple problems have been cited as the cause for lowered registration rates (including mobility issues, unequal access to registration opportunities, voter caging, and even so-called apathy), voting rights advocates as well as legislators have been vocal about their solutions. Read more
CA Measure to Improve Youth Voter Engagement Goes to Governor
The California Legislature approved a bill last week to extend voter registration privileges to 17-year-olds. If signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the bill would help put California youth on the road to a lifetime of democratic participation. Read more