Open Left - Election Day Registration

Bipartisan Support for Bringing Voter Registration to the 21st Century Underway

project vote — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:10:50 GMT

Not too long ago, the means of accessing and staying on the voter registration rolls was a highly controversial issue that often got lost in a partisan shuffle. However, after more than two million voters were unable to vote due to problems with their voter registration last year, policymakers and advocates on both sides are finally listening. Whether it is extravagant efforts to automate voter registration on the national level or revamping state voting systems to utilize citizens' access to the Internet, improving voter registration is a glimmering goal in 2009 that brings promise for restoring the democratic process in the years to come.
"We have a voter registration system that doesn't really do what it ought to do," said former general counsel for Republican John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, Trevor Potter, in a National Public Radio report last week. "If we have a law that says you have to be registered in order to vote, then why wouldn't the government do something to put you on the list if you're entitled to be there, and to make sure the list is accurate?" Potter says.

"For now, there's a lot of bipartisan support to do something," NPR's Pam Fessler reports. "Democrats think a more automatic system would make it easier to get people registered. And Republicans think it would reduce the potential for fraud."

Potter, along with Senator John Kerry's general counsel for his 2004 presidential campaign, Marc Elias, and "a number of election officials, experts and interest groups" have assembled the Committee to Modernize Voter Registration, an effort to "upgrade our system and bring voter registration into the 21st century," according to the group's Web site.

The group advocates for automatically enrolling and maintaining current information of eligible voters through government databases. However, despite these preliminary efforts to "inform and discuss" modernizing voter registration, some say it could take years to realize.

"How do we make sure the system is secured and that people can feel confident that their information won't be in some way lost, stolen or otherwise used?" Thad Hall, an election technology expert with the University of Utah, told NPR.

In the meantime, other voter registration improvement efforts are underway on the federal and state levels. Providing for same-day voter registration in Federal elections, companion bills, HR 3957 and S 1986 were introduced in the House and Senate in late October. Both bills are sponsored by legislators from states that have experienced decades of above-average voter registration and turnout, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"Minnesota routinely leads the nation in voter turnout - usually over 70 percent. ..." said House bill sponsor, Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), according to the Minnesota Independent. "Enacting a National Election Day Registration law would do for the nation what same day registration has done for our State - give a voice to all who want to vote."

In support of a similar measure considered in the District of Columbia last week, Senate bill sponsor, Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI)blogged about the benefits of Same Day Registration that go beyond getting voters on the rolls - it also helps legitimate voters get counted.

"In addition to increasing voter participation, SDR reduces provisional ballots. When voters who believe they are registered show up at the polls only to find out they are not listed on the voter rolls, they are usually provided a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are rejected and discarded if it turns out the voter was not properly registered. SDR will allow voters to register on the spot, if they are qualified to vote."

Feingold's bill is currently in the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

On the state level, voter registration overhaul appears to be gaining some headway. Ohio House Bill 260 was heard Tuesday with a number of updates to benefit Ohioans. The bill would not only follow recent state legislative trends to provide online voter registration, but also allow voters to "be automatically given the opportunity to register when they deal with agencies such as the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services," according to the Associated Press. "Ohioans are already given the opportunity to register when they get a driver's license."

Whether through "modernization," same-day-registration, or simply providing more voter registration opportunities for voters, bringing America's voter registration system to the 21st century - that is, making it accessible to all voters - is key in strengthening democracy.

Advocates Identify Voter Registration System as Nation's Biggest Election Problem

project vote — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:44:34 GMT

Despite reports of voter registration barriers, voter intimidation, and non-compliance with voting rights law in recent elections, it appears that state legislatures and Congress are not actively focusing on the real issues in election administration. Considering the current economic state, almost the only attention that election reform is getting is through messy, partisan fueled debates to require photo voter ID on the state level-a fight that, just last week, quietly brought Utah to the list of eight other states that go beyond the Help America Vote Act in voter ID requirements. In recent Congressional hearings regarding voter registration and other election issues experienced in 2008, a number of groups have expressed their concerns with the current voting system and its impact on voters.
Last week, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund was one of several civil rights advocates to detail violations of federal election law and other systemic voting barriers in U.S. elections before the U.S. House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil liberties.

"In the 2008 elections, Asian Americans faced an array of barriers that prevented them from exercising their right to vote," said AALDEF executive director Margaret Fung in a recent press release.

The group outlined incidents of "anti-Asian voter disenfranchisement from 52 cities across the country" in their report, Asian American Access to Democracy in the 2008 Elections, including language assistance barriers, "rude, hostile" poll workers, denial of provisional ballots, overzealous voter ID requests, and perhaps the biggest issue of all, mishandled or faultily processed voter registrations that ultimately lead to some voters being turned away from the polls.

"Voting rights enforcement and election reform should be top priorities for Congress and the new Administration," Fung said. Before the House subcommittee, AALDEF recommended legislation to allow for automatic voter registration or "Universal Voter Registration," a recurring theme in recent weeks as at least two major news publications called on Congress to revamp the registration system following Congressional hearings in recent weeks.

Last year, millions of people could not vote for the nation's president as a result of voter registration problems, many of which were "through no fault of their own," according to a Washington Post editorial last week. Among the voting rights victims were "a man whose name was mistakenly confused with that of an ineligible convicted felon; a woman whose registration was never turned in by a third-party registration organization; a serviceman who was moved from base to base and couldn't meet the deadline to register" and many more "never received the absentee ballots they requested."

The Post lays blame on the "antiquated way voters are registered. Congress must work with the states to fix the problems that end up disenfranchising far too many citizens."

The New York Times also pressed on Congress to "finally deliver on its promise of electoral reform" after eight years of "serious flaws" in the voting system. The Times joined the Post, AALDEF, and other groups in expressing concern over voter registration administration, which left as many as nine million eligible voter registrants off the rolls, due to "a variety of hurdles, including missed deadlines or changes in residence."

"One of the main reasons voting is in such bad shape is that the states have far too much leeway in running elections, ranging from what ID they require to the number of polling places they open and the allocation of voting machines, which has a big impact on how long the lines are on Election Day," the Times wrote. "Registering to vote and casting ballots in federal elections are federal acts, which should be governed by uniform national standards."

Both the Post and the Times go further to suggest that the "onus for registration" should be shifted from the voter to the state "to build a permanent roster" of voters, thereby streamlining the voter registration process and theoretically increasing voter participation while reducing voter disenfranchisement due to systemic issues such as missed deadlines and address changes. This can be achieved, they suggest, by identifying eligible voters through motor vehicle lists or tax records. In the past, other groups, such as FairVote have suggested that drawing from offices of vital statistics would also be a step towards automatic voter registration, and could potentially capture a larger pool of eligible voters beyond those who have the resources to obtain driver's licenses or to independently file taxes.

The need for government to take a more active role in compiling and maintaining accurate voter lists was reiterated at today's House Administration Subcommittee on Elections hearing. George Gilbert, Director of the Guilford County Board of Elections in North Carolina, put the question before the committee: "Is voting a right of citizenship? And if it is, does the government have a greater responsibility to partner with its citizens in guaranteeing that right? No matter how many barriers to registration we remove, or how we improve our registration process, we are going to continue to disenfranchise voters if citizen-initiated pre-registration is required....If the objective is to enable eligible citizens to vote...the states must assume a more active role in identifying eligible voters and enabling their right to vote."

Arturo Vargas, Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, also testified today about the issues facing American voters, particularly Latino Americans and new citizens. His recommendations to the committee included the need for states to undertake "vigorous efforts" to provide basic information to voters, including language assistance and online resources for verifying voting status; a reexamination of the ways states process voter registrations and maintain their voter lists; stronger DOJ enforcement of federal laws (including the VRA, HAVA, and NVRA); and halting the states' "alarming proliferation" of additional proof-of-citizenship restrictions and voter-ID requirements beyond what are already called for in HAVA. "Restrictive voter ID requirements," Mr. Vargas testified, "create new obstacles for Latino participation in the electoral process...and also impose significant burdens on voters, particularly the elderly, the poor, or people living in rural areas." (Read written testimony submitted by Project Vote here, and the testimony of Mr. Vargas' and other witnesses from today's hearing here.)

Other issues discussed in today's hearing included Same-Day Registration and Election-Day Registration-which Gilbert called an "important safety net for the voters we miss in the process"-and revamping registration to accommodate the needs of America's highly mobile population. A few state lawmakers are pushing bills to revamp the voter registration system in a variety of related ways. In Connecticut, for example, a measure to permit Election Day Registration, HB 6435, was reported favorably by committee and filed with the Legislative Commissioner's Office. Same Day Registration is currently practiced by about 10 states, all of which show a voter turnout rate that is 10-12 percentage points above the national average, according to research and advocacy group, Demos. New York introduced two bills this week that would help alleviate other voter registration issues that affect highly mobile voters who are often hurt by voter registration deadlines and faulty registration processing procedures. Assembly Bill A 7011 would require Boards of Elections to transfer a voter's registration status wherever they move in within the state while Assembly Bill 6971 would help expand the likelihood of a provisional ballot being counted by allowing voters to cast such ballots within their county of residence rather than precinct. It is unclear at this time if any of these bills are viable in their respective legislatures.

While restrictive voter-ID laws are based on a fear of fraudulent voting undermining the system, there is almost no evidence to justify these concerns. The evidence provided in these Congressional hearings, on the other hand, shows that flaws in the system pose a significant threat to the participation of eligible voters. This should resonate with lawmakers on the state level who continue to focus their election reform agendas on the voter--via voter-ID-rather than on the voting system at large. While the Post reports these Congressional hearings are "just a start in laying out the issues," both Congress and the states should adhere to their responsibility to carefully facilitate and protect our rights as Americans.

To monitor voter registration, provisional voting, and related legislation, visit www.electionlegislation.org or subscribe to the weekly Election Legislation digest, featuring election bills in all 50 states, by emailing Erin Ferns at eferns [at] projectvote.org.

Several States Debating Election Day Registration to Expand Access to the Polls

project vote — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:20:54 GMT

Cross-Posted at Project Vote's Voting Matter's Blog

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

by Erin Ferns

Election Day Registration has been the subject of election reform debates for decades and the year following one of the most historic presidential elections makes no exception. As lawmakers in at least 16 states hope to expand access to voter registration and effectively increase voter participation, skeptics of such reforms raise the fear of voter fraud. Today, 10 states successfully practice Same-Day Registration (either on Election Day or during an early voting period), with above-average turnout rates and no reported problems with voter fraud. For those states considering EDR, the decision to efficiently expand access to democracy should be clear.
Since the 1970s, 10 states have implemented Same-Day Registration with average turnout rates that are 10-12 percentage points higher than national averages, according to research and public policy group, Demos. Despite the growing acceptance of EDR across the country and its smooth implementation for 35 years there is still stiff resistance to adopting such policies in a majority of states.

After years of introducing and failing to pass EDR bills, New Mexico's House committee finally approved a bill providing for registration and voting both during the early voting period and on Election Day. However, this bill, HB 52, may not survive in its current form if EDR supporters cave to voter fraud hysterics raised by state Republicans who claim being on the border raises vulnerability, despite the fact that there is no history of voter fraud in the state, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

The voter fraud argument against EDR is not unique to New Mexico; opponents of EDR measures frequently claim that the possibility of voter fraud is heightened when voters are allowed to register and vote at the same time. However, a study on voter fraud in EDR states found only 10 incidents of voter fraud in six EDR states over the course of three election cycles (1999-2005). "Of these, there was only one case of voter impersonation at the polls," in which a 17-year-old boy voted on behalf of his father, an instance unrelated to EDR, according to a 2007 Demos report.

The other isolated voter fraud problems that led to federal investigation "were directly attributable to clerical errors, poll worker shortages and incompetence, not any organized scheme or intent on the part of voters to scam the system," according to the report.

If administered efficiently, residents who register at the polls are required to substantiate their residency and the entire registration process is carried out under the supervision of an elections official on the same day, limiting the chance for errors or fraud.

"Advocates of same-day voting say it increases voter participation and makes it easier for those who have moved from another state," the New Mexican reports. "William Mee of Voter Services Coalition told the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee that many people are disenfranchised by failing to register in time."

Failure to register in time is not just an issue of "laziness" or last-minute political interest. Other issues such as clerical errors, voter purges, and high mobility rates are often reason for voters to be unknowingly left off of voter rolls. EDR would help short-circuit purge and suppression attempts by allowing these individuals a "fail-safe" opportunity to correct registration errors and increase their voter turnout rates.

Allowing citizens to register and vote on Election Day would also ameliorate issues surrounding provisional balloting, an option that is often utilized by underrepresented voters who are more likely to encounter registration problems. Provisional ballot counting procedures vary from state to state, rendering many legitimate ballots ineligible if not cast within the correct county or even precinct. For example, acceptance rates of provisional ballots in 2004 varied from 96 percent in Alaska to just four percent in Delaware, according to a 2006 Project Vote report.

As if the lack of voter fraud and the elimination of the risk of voter disenfranchisement wasn't enough to prove EDR is a viable and effective election reform, Patty O'Connor, an election official from long-time EDR state, Minnesota "told the [N.M. House] committee that it has worked well in her state," the New Mexican reports. Based on figures from the United States Elections Project, Minnesota's voter turnout rate exceeded the national average by at least 16 percentage points in 2008.

Despite being met with resistance from the GOP, the New Mexico bill is supported by the County Clerks Association "if the registration is limited to early voting." Although HB 52 sponsor, (Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe) supports this idea, he is being "urged...to keep Election Day registration in the bill" by committee chairwoman Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque. The bill is currently in the House Voters and Elections Committee.

Quick Links:
Case Study: Election Day Registration. electionline.org. February 2007.

In Other News:

Exemption removed from voter ID bill - Associated Press
JACKSON - The Republican-controlled Mississippi Senate reversed course Wednesday on part of an election bill by saying that all voters, not just those below retirement age, would have to show photo identification at the polls.

Voter ID bill would make Minnesota laws most restictive in the nation - The Minnesota Independent
House Republicans are urging passage of a bill to require every Minnesotan to have a government-issued photo identification in order to vote in the state. The bill (HF 57) introduced by Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, would make Minnesota's voting laws among the most restrictive in the nation.

ACLU attacks voter registration bill - Associated Press
ATLANTA - A bill introduced in the state Senate that would require proof of citizenship when you register to vote is under attack.

Organizing a Push for Voter Registration Modernization

Michael Connery — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 18:36:09 GMT

As I've mentioned in a number of recent posts, I think that one of the most important projects for the progressive youth community in the 111th Congress is the passage of major voter registration reform legislation.

As I've written many times in the past, voter turnout is about access, not apathy. There are no numbers yet for 2008, but in 2004, 81.6% of all registered 18 - 29 year olds voted. The problem is not that young people register than forget or abstain from voting; the problem is that, due to a variety of factors, young people are registered in far fewer numbers than older portions of the electorate.

Today, the Millennial generation is in a position to push for broad policy changes - on energy and climate issues, education issues, and more - thanks in large part to the massive youth turnout and their key role in electing President Obama. Retaining that power beyond one congressional session or Presidential term will require a repeat performance at the polls year in and year out. Reforming our voter registration laws and removing so many of the barriers that keep young Americans registered at low rates is key to solidifying this newfound political power. So I'm super excited to report that a coalition seems to be forming to push forward Voter Registration Modernization legislation during the current Congress.
The coalition, composed of a number of organizations including (but not limited to) US PIRG, the League of Women Voters, the Lawyers Committee on Civil Rights, and the Brennan Center, view 2008 as an election cycle in which the biggest problem was not necessarily voter suppression (this does not mean suppression didn't happen, it did. Rather, this year there were no Florida 2000 or Ohio 2004 moments). Instead, the biggest problem in 2008 was registration: not enough people were registered and problems with our complex and varied registration systems left others off the rolls who should have been allowed to cast a ballot. The coalition wants to capitalize on the momentum coming out of the election to push through a voter reform bill that will lower barriers at the voting booth, simplify the registration process, and solidify increased participation throughout the electorate.

The building blocks for this reform will be the National Voting Registration Act and the Help American Vote Act. NVRA mandates that public service agencies provide voter registration assistance. Most famously, this bill is also known as the "Motor Voter" bill for mandating voter registration assistance at the DMV. HAVA, for all its faults, madates that

states develop a single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive computerized statewide voter registration list defined, maintained, and administered at the State level. (Previously, voter registration lists were maintained by local officials.) HAVA requires the statewide list be coordinated with other agency databases within the state.

These two laws will be the building blocks of any proposed voter registration modernization act. In its most basic form, the (currently theoretical bill) would expand these two laws and get them working together in sync. The NVRA would expand beyond public assistance agencies to include universities and other public institutions, and these databases would provide automatic updates to the state voter files mandated by HAVA. Preliminary work is underway to ascertain the feasibility of including new databases and how any challenges to updating could be overcome.

In its final form, the bill would look to accomplish four main objectives:

Mandate automatic registration: get everyone on the rolls just like 16 year old boys are automatically signed up for the Selective Service.
Create a system to move information from public databases to the voter roles. This will ensure that information on individuals is accurate and up to date.
Create an Election Day Registration fail-safe component to ensure that people can vote in the event of computer or human errors in the system.
Fund the proposal. This can't just be rhetoric or another unfunded mandate. States, public agencies and local municipalities will need the resources required to make this system work.

Throughout this process, we're going to need to continue raising awareness in the media, the blogosphere, and in congress about the importance of this legislation. Of particular importance, though, will be reaching out to local election officials and Secretaries of State. These are the people who can stop this program in its tracks. They must see it as a time and cost-saver, not a burden to them and their already overburdened agencies. There will need to be an education and lobbying campaign aimed at this particular constituency to ensure that legislators are on board and any law is properly implemented.

As I've said, this could be a game-changer in the youth organizing community, and would enfranchise millions of Americans who are not voting or who have tried to vote and been turned away at the polls. I know we are in a time of economic and environmental crisis, but let's not allow this to drop below the radar. As the coalition continues it's work, I'll write periodic updates on where we stand on this issue, and what organizations and individuals can do to help land a bill on President Obama's desk.

Record Voter Turnout Indicates Closing of Electoral Gaps With the Help of Early Vote

project vote — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:39:20 GMT

Cross-posted at Project Vote's Voting Matters Blog

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

Final election results from the 2008 presidential election reveal that voter turnout was at the "highest level in 40 years." However, the biggest gain cannot just be seen in overall turnout. As Project Vote assessed in a recent report on 2008 voter demographics - now confirmed by other sources - the biggest gain was among minority and young voters. This success signifies a shift towards a more balanced electorate, and may herald election reforms to expand early voting and voter registration opportunities.
"Final figures from nearly every state and the District of Columbia showed that more than 131 million people voted, the most ever for a presidential election," according to the Associated Press on Monday. Nearly 62 percent of eligible citizens cast ballots in 2008, compared to the 60.1 percent that turned out in 2004.

"We seem to have restored the levels of civic engagement that we had in the 1950s and 1960s," said George Mason University political science professor, Michael McDonald. "But we didn't break those levels."

Southern California voters were among the many that have brought civic engagement back to the levels the region saw nearly three decades ago. Until recently, the inland region, consisting of Riverside and San Bernadino Counties, registered and voted at rates well behind the state average, according to the Press-Enterprise. Although nearly a third of region's 2.5 million eligible voters have reportedly never registered to vote, turnout rates in 2008 broke a quarter-century record in the area. Both counties report turnouts in the mid to upper 70s, one even exceeding California's projected turnout rate of 77.5 percent.

"Turnout is always higher in presidential elections," Riverside County Registrar of Voters Barbara Dunmore said. "We certainly hope that it will encourage voters to return to their polling places and exercise their right to vote."

While overall turnout records are being set or broken by the 2008 election, advocates are taking closer examinations of turnout among certain sections of the electorate, particularly among the historically underrepresented.

Black voter turnout in particular "was at a historic high," according to a new analysis of black voter turnout in 2008 by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. According to the report, "the Census Bureau's November 2006 Current Population Survey reported that there were 24.81 million eligible African American adults, and with 16.6 million black votes cast, 2008 black turnout would be 66.8 percent - smashing the previous record of 58.5 percent in 1964; the post-Voting Rights Act turnout high was 57.6 percent in 1968."
Florida Today, a Brevard County publication, also analyzed voter data, attributing the increase in Democratic turnout to "a surge in minority voters. The number of minorities who cast ballots this year was up 47 percent from 2004. The increase for white voters was 4 percent."

The paper also cited Project Vote's recent analysis of voter turnout, which "found the number of minority voters was up significantly in the state -- and nationwide."

"I think there was definitely an attempt to participate in the process in a way they haven't been able to before," said chairman of Brevard Republican Party, John Anderson, who credits black churches and civil rights groups for playing a "pivotal role in increasing black turnout."

This surge in black turnout, according to the Associated Press, "helped" Obama win as it gave black voters "the opportunity to elect the first black president."

Obama's campaign also mobilized voters to cast ballots early, AP reports, perhaps contributing to the heightened interest in this method of voting. Early voting, "either by mail or designated sites," accounted for more than 31 percent votes on Election Day. In 2004, just 22 percent of votes were cast early.

Early voting is among the most talked about election reforms following the election. Since November, at least six states have pre-filed early voting bills for the 2009-2010 legislative sessions. Similarly, voter registration reforms, such as Election Day Registration (EDR), are gaining interest among advocates and lawmakers with at least two states considering EDR for 2009 so far and one state putting EDR to the test in the 2008 election.

Calling the election a "true test" of the state's 2007 EDR law, Secretary of State Michael Mauro reported voter turnout increased threepercent in Iowa with nearly 48,000 Iowans showing up on Election Day to both register to vote and cast a ballot, according to a Radio Iowa report.

Despite unfounded but common fears of EDR being particularly susceptible to voter fraud, Mauro reported that there were no "real cases" of voter fraud and that the state was successful in allowing "many more people to participate in the process" while keeping the voting system "safe and secure."

Iowa is among nine states that practices EDR, not including Ohio which permitted voters to register and vote during the early voting period this year. Though Iowa only passed its law last year, other states have practiced EDR since the 1970s, showing turnout rates increase 10-12 percent above the national average, according to public policy group, Demos.

Quick Links:
Jodie Herman and Lorraine Minnite. "The Demographics of Voters in America's 2008 General Election: A Preliminary Assessment." Project Vote. Nov. 18, 2008.

In Other News:

Bill eliminates same-day register, vote - Cincinnati Enquirer
COLUMBUS - Setting up a possible showdown with Gov. Ted Strickland, the Ohio House passed a bill Tuesday that eliminates the "golden week"- a period when voters could register and vote by absentee ballot on the same day.

OPINION: Toward A Better Registration System: Eliminating A Mountain Of Paperwork Is A Top Priority For Gathering Of Election Administrators - National Journal
Imagine an election in which registration is automatic, voters cast their ballots online, and more than half the votes are in before Election Day.

Lawmakers Target Individual Voters, While Failing to Address Systemic Problems

project vote — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:36:20 GMT

Cross-posted at Project Vote's blog, Voting Matters

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

Recent analyses of the 2008 general election find that overall participation increased on November 4, with a significant surge in voter participation among historically underrepresented Americans. Yet, while some lawmakers have been inspired by the recent voter turnout to propose election reforms that expand access to voting rights, others continue to focus on creating additional barriers to voting.
While new legislation aims to create additional hurdles to prevent one of the rarest election crimes-individual voter fraud-- some more serious election administration problems have still not been addressed a month (and, in some cases, years) after they were identified as Election Day problems, and little to no legislation to improve the way states manage voter rolls or distribute provisional ballots has been filed to date.

"I know there's a perception out there that this election proceeded more smoothly than the one four years ago," said election law expert at Ohio State University, Dan Tokaji in a recent Associated Press report. "But it's also clear from this election that we've got serious problems that remain," he said.

The inconsistency among states in interpreting federal election law is proving problematic in the administration of elections. Provisional ballots, for example, which are granted to voters who encounter "voter registration problems or because a person had signed up to vote by mail but wanted to cast their ballot at the polls," are counted differently from state to state, rendering many legitimate ballots ineligible if not cast within the correct county or even precinct.

In Colorado, a recent lawsuit to look into the questionable purging of 44,000 voters led to the investigation of whether 69 rejected provisional ballots were actually legitimate, according to Rocky Mountain News reporter, Myung Oak Kim.

"The analysis is being done as a result of a lawsuit filed last month by state and national voter-rights groups against Secretary of State Mike Coffman," Kim wrote. "The plaintiffs claimed that Coffman inappropriately removed scores of people from the voter rolls in violation of a federal law that prohibits purging of voter files within 90 days of a federal election. Coffman contends that it was legal to remove 44,000 voter files since May."

About 365 voters with canceled registrations cast provisional ballots, wrote Kim. Statewide, more than 53,000 provisional ballots were cast, about 80 percent of which were actually counted.

In 2004, acceptance rate of provisional ballots varied from 96 percent in Alaska to 6 percent in Delaware, according to a Project Vote report, Maximizing the Effectiveness of Provisional Voting.

These kinds of inconsistencies are also being challenged in Ohio for their potential to violate "citizens' equal protection and due process rights," according to the Associated Press . The report announced the court's decision to move forward with a lawsuit challenging the state's voting system after the 2004 presidential election.

"The Ohio lawsuit cites examples of voters in some counties who were misdirected by poll workers, believe their votes were miscounted or not counted at all, found broken or not enough voting machines at their polling sites, and it also alleges misuse of provisional ballots. It claims the irregularities fell disproportionately on minority voters," AP reports.

The case, filed by the League of Women Voters three years ago, cites election system issues that date back to 1971. And yet the problems persisted in 2008, according to Pete Johnson of The Free Press. According to this story, a coalition of Election Day observers from The Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism and the Ohio Green Party found an "outrageous" number of provisional ballots being distributed in inner city precincts due to misinterpretation of voter ID law and even data errors on voter rolls. Malfunctioning machines were also reportedly a serious voting inhibitor.

Despite state compliance issues with state and federal election law to protect and facilitate voting rights, from registration to ballot casting, several states are attempting to institutionalize barriers instead.

After instituting Same Day Registration during the early voting period this year to the dismay of state partisans, Ohio Republican lawmakers are attempting to halt the practice by passing a bill (SB 380) that would require voters to be registered 30 days before the early voting period, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Most states require voters to register 30 days before the actual election.

Proposals in other states to implement Same Day or Election Day Registration are being met with resistance from election officials. In West Virginia, for example, according to local newspaper, Beckley Register-Herald, "a proposal before a legislative interims panel would allow potential voters to come by Election Day, get registered and promptly mark ballots, all in one convenient trip."

But many elections clerks are against the proposal out of unsubstantiated fear of voter fraud.
"They don't realize what a monster they're trying to create," Raleigh County, W. Va. Clerk, Betty Riffe said of proposed EDR in the state. "They should, with other states trying it and all the problems they've had. I don't think it's a good idea." According to public policy group, Demos, voter fraud in EDR states is rare. Over three federal election cycles (1999-2005), "only 10 discrete incidents of voter fraud or alleged voter fraud that appeared
to have some merit [were found]. Of these, there was only one case of voter impersonation at the polls-ironically one of the most frequently claimed abuses when fraud enters the public debate."

And the isolated voter fraud problems that led to federal investigation "were directly attributable
to clerical errors, poll worker shortages and incompetence, not any organized scheme or intent on the
part of voters to scam the system," according to the report.

The Orlando Sentinel criticizes the "movement brewing to overhaul the nation's system of elections through a series of federal mandates." The editorial not only slams the prospect of federally mandated Election Day Registration because of the "chaos" that uninformed voters would bring to the polls, but inexplicably dismisses the idea of providing high school graduates the opportunity to register to vote.

"In Florida, the deadline is about one month before the general election. It's hard to muster much sympathy for someone who doesn't start paying attention until a few weeks before Election Day."

The editorial trivializes the need for such reforms by pinning the problem on the voter who, presumably, could not take the time to register before Election Day. In reality, voters who do not have stable residences and set incomes face more hurdles when it comes to registering to vote and staying on the rolls. Young, low income, and minority voters change residences at much higher rates than the national average of 14 percent, according to recent Census Bureau data. This requires them to go through the often untimely process of re-registering whenever they change residences and the headache that may result from overzealous list maintenance procedures (as illustrated in Colorado). Election Day Registration would help ameliorate those problems.

Like the argument against EDR in West Virginia, unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud are also perpetuating the demand for voter ID by lawmakers in numerous states for the 2009 legislative sessions.

In Mississippi, secretary of state and longtime voter ID advocate, Delbert Hosemann hopes to resurrect nine failed voter ID bills from 2008 by supporting early voting as long as it involves voter identification in 2009, according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. However, House Apportionment and Elections Committee Chairman Tommy Reynolds said the two reforms are unrelated and should not be tied together.

Maryland, another state hoping to pass a voter ID law, is also making headlines.

"Republican Delegate Nic Kipke drew headlines earlier this month when he said he would propose the requirement for Anne Arundel County during the 2009 General Assembly session," according local publication, the Frederick News-Post. However, lawmakers say that the law, which is criticized for its potential to "disenfranchise poor voters because there is a fee for state-issued identification such as a driver's license" is unlikely to pass.

Finally, one state actually has a voter ID bill filed and ready to be heard in 2009. The Oklahoma bill will be carried over from the 2008 session, according to the Associated Press. "Senate Bill 4 changes the types of documents that would be required, but still requires voters to provide identification. The new measure requires a photo identification that is issued by the federal government, state government or a tribe. If one of those items is not available, the voter can show a county-issued voter ID card."

Seemingly ignoring numerous lawsuits and reports that point to systemic problems in recent elections, lawmakers continue to point the finger at individual voters-not the state election system-as the biggest threat to election integrity. Enacting laws to prevent the rare crime of voter fraud does not alleviate the real issue of long lines, misuse of provisional ballots, data errors on voter rolls, or voting machine malfunctions. Until states get the system right, and remove state-to-state inconsistencies and barriers to participation, shouldn't the real focus be on reforms that create easier access to voting such as EDR?

Quick Links:
www.ElectionLegislation.org

In Other News:

Some confusion over motor-voter - Fredericksburg Free Lance Star [Va.]
A Virginia driver's license is not a ticket to vote.

OPINION: Where Are The New Voters? Look Closer: Overall Turnout Increased, But Some Sections Of The Population Took A Giant Leap Forward - National Journal
Given voter registration spikes and widespread predictions that this year's turnout would shatter records, it's tempting to look at exit polls and ask: Where did all the voters go?

After 2008 Election, Some States Want to Make Voting Easier; Others Determined to Make it Harder

project vote — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:32:40 GMT

Cross-posted at Project Vote's blog, Voting Matters

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

Following an historic turnout in the 2008 election comes a flurry of election reform agendas from both sides of the battle over voting rights. Since November 4, some state lawmakers have seized on the success of early voting and Election Day Registration (EDR) as models for facilitating voter registration, while others appear to have been threatened by the heightened turnout and inspired to introduce restrictive voter ID and proof-of-citizenship bills for the 2009 legislative session.

Following what appears to be significant progress this year in closing participation gaps among historically underrepresented young and minority voters, we review Election Day stories in states with voter ID and EDR laws, and preview next year's legislative battle for election reform.
Election Day Registration

In North Carolina, lawmakers report being "proud" of the implementation of the state's 2007 Same Day Registration law, which permits early voters to register and vote at established "One-Stop" voting sites, according to the Raleigh News and Observer. In the 2008 primary and presidential elections, the law seemed to boost voter registration while cutting the use of provisional ballots by more than half, compared to figures from the 2004 election. On average, EDR states tend to outperform non-EDR states in election outcome by a minimum of 10 percentage points, according to public policy group, Demos.

"State Rep. Paul Luebke said he expects other states to model North Carolina's early voting system," according to the report. "The only change he would suggest for the next elections would be to standardize the hours, encouraging local boards of elections to stay open longer in early voting."

Despite the smooth success of Same Day Registration at early voting sites in North Carolina and other states,Republican lawmakers in Ohio are pushing to end the state's new mandate to allow voters to register during the early voting period.

State Republicans recently announced that they would file legislation to move the voter registration deadline to 65 days before Election Day, according to an Associated Press report. They hope to pass the bill before the 2008 session ends "and a new, Democratic-controlled House takes over in January."

However, election law expert Dan Tokaji said the bill will likely run into opposition as "federal law clearly prohibits states from having registration deadlines earlier than 30 days before an election."

Before the Nov. 4 election, the "Republican Party sued Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to stop the same-day window...but state and federal courts upheld it."

Brunner has planned an election summit in December to review the elections process and will likely not adhere to any changes before the new legislature takes over, according to the AP report.

Meanwhile, states like West Virginia are considering implementing Election Day Registration, which currently exists in about eight other states in its traditional form whereby eligible citizens may show up at their polling place on Election Day, register to vote and cast a ballot. First implemented in Maine in 1973, EDR is also practiced in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, New Hampshire and Wyoming. Other states, like North Carolina, Ohio and Connecticut permit variations of the option to register and vote at the same time, either during an early voting period, or-in the case of Connecticut-on a special ballot that only allows them to vote for the president.

"I lost my card, and I didn't think I could do it too close to the time," said one West Virginia voter and supporter of an EDR law, according to Parksburg, W. Va. News station, WTAP. "So, if it was that way, I could have voted."

However, Woods County clerk, Jamie Six, who "studied the idea for the state clerk's association" is against the implementation of EDR.

"The poll workers have a long and very busy day already," Six said. "And to add this to their plate to take care of on election day, we don't feel it would be fair."

While EDR in the state is unlikely, Six says it is possible to allow voters to register during the early voting period. "A committee of the West Virginia Legislature is to hear from Six on Monday," according to WTAP.

In the 2008 session, about 19 states introduced EDR legislation. Bills are pending in four states: Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio. None of these bills have moved since this summer.

At least two states, Texas and Montana, which currently practices EDR, have pre-filed several bills relating to EDR for the 2009 session.

Voter ID

While some states were facilitating voter registration and voting this year, Indiana - home of the country's strictest voter ID law - reportedly turned some of its young voters away without casting a regular ballot, and even encouraged poll workers in other states to mandate voter ID when no such law existed in the first place.

Despite being properly registered and equipped with out-of-state and student ID, the young voters were only allowed to vote provisionally on Nov. 4, leaving some discouraged and others in tears, according to a letter to the Indianapolis Star by Leon Riley, an election official at Butler University's Hinkle Fieldhouse precinct.

"The Indiana voter ID law amounted to disenfranchisement for a number of young, well-informed voters, as well as some voters who have various limitations of resources, transportation and problem-solving ingenuity. Is this what we want for some of our brightest and best, or for some who need help along the way? In fairness, this unnecessary barrier must be abolished," wrote Riley.

The day before the election, an emergency motion was filed to stop enforcement of the voter ID law based on constitutional violations. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago denied the motion a week later without citing any reasons why, according to the Indiana Lawyer.

With the controversy over the U.S. Supreme Court's upholding of Indiana's voter ID law, and a flurry of voter registration fraud allegations in the weeks before the election, poll workers in some states appeared confused over their own states' laws. Voters in Mecklenburg County, Virgina, for example, complained that poll workers illegally asked them to provide proof of identification, including photo ID, according to the Smith Hill Enterprise. There were also reports of misleading signs outside of polling places that indicated photo ID was required.

The misinformation amounted to a misinterpretation of the Help America Vote Act, which required voters who registered by mail after 2003 to provide proof of ID.

"The voter being asked to present a photo ID is not the preferred language to use," said Jessica Lane of the State Board of Elections. The preferred language, she said, is to ask for "a form of ID."

Whatever the intention, voters were set back after waiting hours in long lines, leaving to get their IDs, or possibly, not return at all, according to the Enterprise.

"I am registered with neither party. I am a devout independent with libertarian leanings, but I believe in the constitution and the fact that everyone needs to get out and vote," wrote one concerned voter. "Was anyone denied the right to vote? If they did not have a photo ID and saw the sign, did they say 'Oops. I guess I can't vote' and leave?".

For voter ID advocates, preventing the extremely rare crime of individual voter fraud is worth the risk of compromising a voter's right to cast a ballot. However, preventing many eligible voters from casting a ballot just to prevent a rare crime hardly seems on par with democracy. A four year investigation by the federal government found only 24 instances of voter fraud out of more than 214 million votes cast. Several studies have found that a number of already under-represented Americans - primarily young, elderly, minority and poor - would have a difficult time meeting the requirements. These studies include a Brennan Center survey that found 21 million Americans were without the required identification; a University of Washington study that found about a quarter of Indiana's young, African-American and low income voting-age populations lack the necessary ID; and a University of Georgia study found the state's Latino and Black voters were twice as likely not to posses required ID compared to White voters.

Yet despite the lack of evidence of voter fraud, and a well known, recent history of young and elderly voters missing out on the democratic process in Indiana (including Indiana nuns and Notre Dame University students who were turned away in the 2008 primaries) lawmakers in states like Oklahoma and Texas are hoping to make voter ID a reality in 2009.

While acknowledging that Oklahoma Speaker of the House Chris Benge "and the others pushing for a voter ID system have a certain level of common sense on their side (one idea is to offer free ID with their plan), Wayne Greene of the Tulsa World dismisses the argument that if people are required to show photo ID to cash a check, they should be required to show ID when they vote. Greene points out that there is plenty of evidence of people attempting to cash fraudulent checks, but no evidence of people attempting to cast fraudulent votes in Oklahoma.

"Benge told me he didn't have any examples of fraudulent voting to justify what sounds like a pretty expensive free ID system," Greene says. The state, which introduced and failed seven voter ID bills this year, will convene for the 2009-2010 session next February.

Immediately after Election Day, lawmakers in Texas - where there was a serious voter ID battle during the 2007 session - pre-filed a few bills requiring voter ID as well as proof-of-citizenship at registration.
Supporters of voter ID hope to have it in effect by the next gubernatorial election, according to local publication, Athens Daily Review.

In total this year, 25 states introduced voter ID bills, and bills are still pending in four states: Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Track these and other election-related bills by visiting www.ElectionLegislation.org.

After this presidential election's phenomenal turnout that showed the American electorate is finally closer to representing all of its citizens, lawmakers should recognize that voters take this fundamental right seriously. The passage of laws that help facilitate that right are far more conducive to a fair and healthy democracy than the passage of those that prevent some citizens from voting at all.

Quick Links:
www.ElectionLegislation.org

In Other News:

More minorities voted this year, but white turnout dropped - McClatchy Newspapers
WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's 8.5 million-vote margin over John McCain was fueled by a more than 20 percent surge in minority voting, a new analysis of exit polling data suggests.

Minnesota group asks feds to investigate problems with state's voter rolls - Associated Press
ST. PAUL (AP) - A group opposed to Minnesota's same-day voter registration law has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate problems it suspects with the state's voter rolls.

Woman seeks limits on mentally disabled voters - Associated Press
GRINNELL - A Deep River woman wants to change a[n Iowa] state law to require that mentally disabled voters be supervised when they cast a ballot.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote's Strategic Writing and Research Department (SWORD

Record Youth And Minority Turnout Threatened By Persistent Election Barriers

project vote — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:20:17 GMT

Cross-posted at Project Vote's blog, Voting Matters

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

Reports and exits polls this entire political season have built a narrative of tremendous, even record-breaking voter participation, pushing us to believe that voter turnout in November will exceed all expectations.

Maybe.
The dirty secret of elections in America is that getting on the rolls, casting a ballot, and having that ballot counted is a complicated system adjudicated and carried out by more than 3,000 counties and towns and regulated by a complex mix of state and federal laws. In order for the expected record-shattering turnout to occur in November, all aspects of the system, from registration procedures to polling place systems to ballot counting procedures all need to work properly. However, those with an interest in suppressing turnout may disrupt the process at any one of those points. The biggest impact comes by preventing people from making it onto the voting rolls in the first place since no one can cast a ballot without being registered.

Unsurprisingly, politicians with partisan interests at heart are pushing states to raise barriers to the democratic process by enforcing laws that restrict voter registration drives and violate the Voting Rights Act. These election-related policies have disproportionately negative impact on young people and minorities - two groups that have historically suffered underrepresentation in the electorate. However, in an encouraging move aimed at lowering these kinds of barriers, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill that would help enfranchise all voters on Election Day.

Restrictions on Voter Registration Drives
During presidential election years, efforts to register more citizens increase dramatically. However, several states impose various restrictions on voter registration drives, which in turn has a disproportionate impact upon youth and people with disabilities - two communities that commonly register to vote through such drives, according to Ben Adler of the Politico.

The swing state of New Mexico is under the most scrutiny for their drive policy and has recently been sued for unconstitutionally hindering the right to collect voter registrations under a 2005 election reform law.

"The activists contend that because the law creates criminal penalties for failing to meet its requirements - which even supporters acknowledge are stringent - it discourages groups from collecting registrations," Adler wrote. New Mexico's excessively short 48 hour time frame to turn in a completed application and subsequent misdemeanor charge if the collector is late has reportedly stopped students who "'simply want to get out on campus and register their friends to vote.'" The Federal government recognizes the challenges imposed by short time lines: Under the National Voter Registration Act, state agencies are provided 10 days to turn in new applications.

Violations of the Voting Rights Act
Other voting rights issues that have recently been battled involve violations of the Voting Rights Act.
The U.S. Justice Department recently announced an agreement to protect Latino voters in New Jersey after a complaint was filed involving discrimination in the voting process. Puerto Rican voters in the Penns Grove borough had complained they were subject to racial comments and hostility as well as disproportionately asked for voter ID and turned away at the polls. It was the third lawsuit of this nature this year. The suit also alleged that Spanish-speaking voters were not provided Spanish-language election materials or enough aid from bilingual poll workers, also requirements of the Act. The agreement must still be approved by the court, the Justice Department press release said.

"The right to vote is a fundamental guarantee for all American citizens," said U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Christopher Christie. "The Division is committed to vigorously enforcing federal civil rights laws during the important election year and commends the county and borough for promptly and constructively resolving the matter."

Asian voters in Massachusetts were not as successful in getting the state to provide fully sufficient bilingual ballots, according to a column by Adrian Walker of the Boston Globe. Advocates recently attempted to meet with Secretary of State William Galvin to gain his support for a proposed law requiring ballots be translated into Chinese and Vietnamese. The bill passed the Boston City Council earlier this year, but still requires legislative approval in order to ensure elderly Asian residents with limited English skills are not denied the right to vote in November.

"Voting is as American as apple pie," said Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon. "This is something everyone should want to protect."

However, Galvin - who the legislature looks to when considering election law - denied the group, as he has for the last year, according to Walker.

Despite swelling interest and rising registration rates among youth and minorities, there are significant and persistent barriers to their increased participation. The identification of these barriers should serve as a wake-up call in each state, pushing them to take steps to address the barriers and equip themselves to handle the influx of new voters this coming Election Day.

Voter Registration Surge and Election Day Chaos
An example of this swelling interest can be seen in one county in Florida where minority voters are beginning to balance their share of the electorate. This year alone in Lee County, Florida, black and Latino voters have increased by as much as 22 percent - more than double the increase among white voters, according to local publication, Fort Meyers News-Press.

"The increase in minority voter registration gives voice to people who haven't always been represented at the table," the News-Press editorialized. "Whether it's the presence of a nontraditional candidate, the pressing economic conditions, or the war in Iraq, anything that inspires citizens to participate in the political process is beneficial."

The unprecedented surge of voters expected to turn out in November could pose a major challenge for states, according to Stateline.org. The online news site, run by the Pew Research Center, raised concerns about poor ballot design and even last minute voter registration drives that could swamp understaffed offices, making it more difficult for voters to get on the rolls, let alone cast a ballot.

"People know it's going to be a historically high turnout. Whether they can do anything about it is another question," said Dan Seligson of electionline.org, a Pew Center on the States project that provides analysis on election reform.

Smart Election Reform
While other states scramble to figure out how to accommodate the influx of voters and advocates ensure voting rights are protected, one state is pushing one of the most effective measures to expand access to democracy for all American citizens - Election Day Registration. On Tuesday, the Massachusetts Senate passed a bill that would allow voters to register and vote on Election Day. The bill, SB 2807 is currently in the House Ways and Means committee. If passed, Massachusetts would join the ranks of eight other EDR states, which have average turnout rates that exceed non-EDR states by as much as 12 percent. Three other states are considering EDR bills: New Jersey, New York and Ohio. To view these bills, visit www.ElectionLegislation.org.

Quick Links:
Contacts:
Mass. Committee on House Ways and Means
State House #237
Boston, MA 02133
Phone:617/722-2380
Mass. Secretary of State William Galvin
Citizen Information Service
One Ashburton Place, Room 1611
Boston, MA 02108-1512
Tel: (617) 727-7030
Toll Free: 1-800-392-6090
TTY: (617) 878-3889
Fax: (617) 742-4528
E-mail: cis@sec.state.ma.us
Reports:
"A Summary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965." Project Vote.
"Voters Win with Election Day Registration: Election Day Registration Was Successful in Several States During the 2006 Mid-term Elections." Demos. 19 November 2008.

In Other News:

Voter-rights group cries foul in state: La. defends process for dropping names - The Times - Picayune [La.]
BATON ROUGE -- A national voting rights organization says Louisiana election officials are violating federal law by dropping voters who have registered in other states. But state officials said Friday they are in compliance with all federal and state voting laws.

More homeless people expected to vote this fall - Associated Press; The Raw Story
Among the record number of voters expected to cast ballots this fall may be an increase from an often-invisible population - the homeless.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote's Strategic Writing and Research Department (SWORD).

Who Gets To Vote? States Battle Over Voter ID and Election Day Registration

project vote — Thu, 29 May 2008 18:25:04 GMT

Cross-posted at Project Vote's blog, Voting Matters

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

In light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold Indiana's voter ID law, the state-by-state battle to pass similar legislation has escalated with politicians seeking partisan gain furiously pushing laws that hinder access to the ballot. However, lawmakers seeking to dismantle barriers to electoral participation are just as committed to election integrity and protecting the voting rights of potentially millions of voters by calling out voter ID laws as "sheer political posturing." Meanwhile, positive measures to increase participation through Election Day Registration (EDR) are gaining ground in several states even as Iowa prepares to test-drive its new EDR law in the June 3 primary.
Voter ID

Last week, two states introduced new voter ID bills, including Mississippi. The state - which convened for a "costly special session" - introduced two new voter ID bills after seven failed at the end of the 2008 regular session in April. One bill, S 2004a passed, but is expected to die in the House, according to Jackson, Miss. publication, The Clarion Ledger. The other state, North Carolina introduced voter ID bill, H 2284, explicitly citing the Supreme Court's Indiana decision and the state's unspecified "voter fraud history" as reason to enforce voter ID.

This week, stubborn Illinois politicians extended the deadline to pass voter ID bill, H 4403 for the third time since the bill was introduced in January. The state is projected to adjourn on May 29. Illinois' openness to continued efforts to pass a voter ID bill was not mimicked in Massachusetts on Tuesday when lawmakers blocked an effort to allow voter ID legislation in the city of Lawrence, according to The Eagle Tribune.

The Lawrence bill passed the city council in February in hopes of silencing "frequent rumors of electoral fraud and voter mischief," the mayor, Michael Sullivan, said. In another interview, Sullivan admitted he was not aware of actual voter fraud in the state, the Eagle Tribune reported. Even on the national level, voter fraud is exceedingly rare. Between 2002 and 2005, the federal government was able to secure just 24 voter fraud convictions out of 214 million ballots cast in federal elections during the same period, according to Project Vote report, The Politics of Voter Fraud.

Despite nine pending voter ID bills, such legislation is unwelcome in Mass., having a "powerful enemy" in chief election officer and Secretary of State William Galvin and organizations such as MassVote and the state ACLU, which "contended requiring voter ID was an unreasonable burden on voter access."

While the Mass. legislature blocked the bill to avoid setting "a precedent of allowing individual communities to have different election laws," Delaware politicians were less concerned with confusion and disenfranchisement. State legislators enacted a law permitting Milton city councilors to pass an ordinance requiring both proof of citizenship to register to vote and voter ID to cast a ballot.

This legislative session, Project Vote has monitored 25 states that introduced numerous voter ID bills. Currently, six states are still considering such legislation. To track some of these bills, visit ElectionLegislation.org (registration required).

Election Day Registration

On the positive side of election reform, several states are considering or preparing to implement a measure that "significantly increases the opportunity to cast a vote and participate in American democracy."

Iowa will "test" a new law allowing citizens to both register and vote on Election Day during the June 3 primary, according to the Associated Press. "It will be a good test for the county commissioners, because in November there will be a flood of people," said Secretary of State Michael Mauro.

The AP noted fears of voter fraud as a result of convenient registration procedures like EDR.

However, "administered effectively, Election Day Registration may actually provide more security for the ballot, not less," according to Demos, a research and advocacy organization. "As the secretary of state of Minnesota [Mark Ritchie] recently put it, 'EDR is much more secure because you have the person right in front of you-not a postcard in the mail. That is a no-brainer. We have 33 years of experience with this.'"

Election Day Registration helps enfranchise historically underrepresented communities, including minorities and young people. Currently, eight states allow same day registration, most of which boast a turnout rate 10-12 percent above the national average, Demos reports.

Last week, Ohio joined the ranks of seven other states that are currently considering EDR. The state introduced House Joint Resolution 6 to provide for same day registration. It is currently in the House committee on State Government and Elections. Same day registration is also being considered by Congress. Earlier this month, Sen. Russell Feingold introduced an EDR bill, S 2959. The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. To monitor Election Day Registration bills, visit ElectionLegislation.org or Demos.org.

Quick Links:
Voter ID:
Bills and Contact:
Miss. Senate Bill 2004a
Sponsor: Sen. Terry Burton (R-31)
Resources:
BLOG: Counter framing Voter ID: Voting is a Right, Not a Privilege. Voting Matters Blog.
Citizens Without Proof: A Survey of Americans' Possession of Documentary Proof of Citizenship and Photo Identification. Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law.
EDR:
Bills and Contact:
Mass. S 2514
Sponsor: Joint Committee on Election Laws
Mich. H 410
Sponsor: Rep. Bettie Scott (D-3)
Neb. L 803
Sponsor: Sen. Ray Aguilar (NP-35)
N.J. S 141
Sponsor: Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-20)
N.Y. A 4488
Sponsor: Asm. Michael N. Gianaris (D-36)
N.Y. S 581
Sponsor: Senate Rules Committee
Ohio HJR 6
Sponsor: Rep. Tyrone K. Yates (D-33)
Okla H 3035
Sponsor: Rep. Ryan McMullen (D-55)
Resources:
www.Demos.org

In Other News:

The Vote Fraud Bogeyman: Evidence suggests that rampant voter fraud is a myth, and voter-ID laws may suppress votes rather than protect them - Newsweek
Just as a sizable fraction of American children firmly believe in a bogeyman in the closet, many American adults are gripped by the paranoid fear that the opposing political party regularly steals votes-Democrats allegedly do this through vote fraud (i.e., casting ballots for dead people) and Republicans apparently do so through vote suppression (i.e., preventing voting through intimidation or misinformation).

Arizona to seek dismissal of challenge to voter ID law - Associated Press
State officials say a challenge to Arizona requirements for voter identification and proof of citizenship should be thrown out in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Indiana's voter ID law.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote's Strategic Writing and Research Department (SWORD).

Voter Registration Discrepancies May Result in Voter Suppression

project vote — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:11:00 GMT

Cross-posted at Project Vote's blog, Voting Matters

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

In recent weeks, two Congressional hearings examined hot button voter suppression issues, voter fraud and voter caging, that have the potential to "taint the November election." These major voting rights issues have moved into broad public consciousness thanks to the 2007 exposure of the U.S. Attorney scandal in which nine federal prosecutors were fired for alleged lack of zeal in pursuing partisan accusations of widespread voter fraud. Now, two states with upcoming primary elections, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, have made local headlines for voter registration discrepancies, creating openings for confusing and discouraging voters and possibly even allowing those with voter suppression agendas to make an impact.
Just one month before the state's presidential primary, Pennsylvania "pulled the plug on a voter registration Web site," on Tuesday. A Web programming error allegedly exposed voter registration forms filled out by state residents online, including personal information such as name, birth date, driver's license and party affiliation, according to International Data Group News Service. "About 300,000 voter registration records appeared to be available on the site."

Typically, voter registration data is accessible - excluding private information that could be 'misused' - so that voters can check their registration status. This is an appropriate practice that helps promote transparency in the electoral process. However, poorly conceived systems can have grave consequences.

The governmental use of "'sophisticated technology in thoughtless ways'" is "'alarming,'" according to Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation, a group that examines voting technology issues. "All kinds of dirty tricks could be played...In heated campaigns, we've seen cases where someone will call a whole bunch of voters and tell them that the election date has been changed."

Voter deception and intimidation tactics have long been used to suppress voters, particularly those from marginalized communities, according to a report by People for the American Way. According to the report, "[i]n recent years, many minority communities have tended to align with the Democratic Party. Over the past two decades, the Republican Party has launched a series of 'ballot security' and 'voter integrity' initiatives which have targeted minority communities."

One initiative that can affect tens of thousands of voters at a time involves the "caging" of voters, which involves "partisan operatives sending 'do not forward' letters to voters in areas heavily populated by people registered with the competing party. Letters that are returned undelivered are then offered as evidence that the voter no longer lives where he or she is registered," according to a recent Project Vote blog. This occurs, even though "letters can be returned for a variety of reasons, such as that recipient is in the military and stationed elsewhere, or is a student, or simply that there is an error in the name or address."

Thus, when the voter goes to the polls on Election Day, he or she is subject to a direct, personal challenge to their right to vote. Errors such as the one in Penn. create boundless opportunities for partisans to pursue voter suppression programs.

A recent cluster of Congressional hearings examining both overt and accidental voter suppression tactics. The Caging Prohibition Act of 2007, a bill sponsored by Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), would outlaw voter caging activities, which would minimize the damage that a situation like the one in Penn. could cause. Project Vote submitted testimony for the hearing on the Whitehouse bill and another for the hearing on the Justice Department's failure to enforce important provisions of the National Voter Registration Act that would increase the number of low-income Americans registered to vote.

Voter caging is one way in which voters can be disenfranchised using databases and voting lists. In recent years, other issues surrounding voter lists have frequently lent themselves to both purposeful and inadvertent voter disenfranchisement. As illustrated in Florida before the 2000 presidential election, faulty database- matching of names with a felon database resulted in the denial of voting rights of thousands of legitimate voters.

On Tuesday, the Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune published a column by a local election clerk, advising voters to help keep the statewide voter registration system up-to-date by providing additional information, including driver's license numbers and date of birth, "as is now required by law. That information is important to help the system and local election officials differentiate between voters."

After discouraging established voters from re-registering with the additional information, the election clerk added that some voters will be asked to "provide extra information to complete your voter record" at the April 1 primary, a Sept. 9 election and again on Nov. 4. While the clerk stressed that her directions were to help avoid confusion on Election Day, the chances of puzzled voters only seem to increase. The column is unclear on how extensive these requests at the polls will be and whether or not voters will be turned away if they do not provide such "additional information" - especially since the state has several voter identification bills pending in the legislature.

Whether the cause for disenfranchisement (or discouragement) of legitimate voters is technical glitches, list maintenance mix-ups or the partisan ploy of voter caging, the most pressing issue is that nontransparent election administration procedures are vulnerable to voter suppression. Instead of legitimatizing voter suppression methods, state and Congressional legislatures should consider adopting anti-voter deception and caging measures - as well as transparent, non-discriminatory list maintenance procedures. These would not only help build public trust in elections, but ensure voters have a clear vision of how democracy works - and have a stake in it.

Quick Links:
"Caging Democracy: A 50-Year History of Partisan Challenges to Minority Voters." Project Vote.
"Voter Caging" Definition. Project Vote
"The Long Shadow of Jim Crow: Voter Suppression in America." People for the American Way.
"Maintaining Current and Accurate Voter Lists." Project Vote.

In Other News:

"Saugus Town Clerk Joanne Rappa hopes that state lawmakers give the thumbs-down to a pending bill that that would allow people to register to vote on election days in Massachusetts." More of this Boston Globe article here.

"JACKSON - The House and Senate will continue their tussle over various election reforms, but voter-ID legislation got snuffed out twice Tuesday." More of this Columbus Commercial Dispatch article here.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote's Strategic Writing and Research Department (SWORD).

EDR Emerging As Target of Voter Suppression Activists

project vote — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:27:06 GMT

Barely noticed in the crush of attention paid to the Crawford v. Marion County Election Board case was coverage of what we think may be an emerging strategy to vilify Election Day Registration by using the same cries of voter fraud that typify arguments for voter ID laws.
This blatantly political connection between one election law that is being considered by the Supreme Court for voter disenfranchisement and another law that provides all eligible citizens the opportunity to exercise their given right as Americans, makes the Crawford case even more important for determining who can and cannot vote in future elections across the United States starting this November. Ultimately, the only similarity between the two laws is that low income, young, minority and elderly voters are affected, whether it means enfranchising or disenfranchising them.

To contrast, let's review the week in op-ed news regarding the nation's most controversial election administration case which was heard in the Supreme Court last week:

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita and Crawford case defendant wrote in this Indianapolis Star op-ed that "the court quickly cut through the politics that brought the case there and asked profound questions on both sides of the issue. From the advocacy presented, it was evident that this common-sense law was designed to prevent vote fraud and thereby improve the overall confidence in our election process."

Contrary to Rokita, Adam Cohen of the New York Times called it "an abandonment of voters" if the high court favors the Indiana law, pointing out that "restrictions on voting are subject to heightened constitutional scrutiny, and the state cannot justify the enormous burdens the law imposes." Cohen further emphasized that "there is no evidence that in-person vote fraud has ever occurred in the state, but there is considerable evidence that voters will be disenfranchised. Indiana could have deterred fraud in less harmful ways, including by accepting a wider range of ID's."

A reader and former supporter of voter ID laws illustrated the perils of a voter without proper identification in this letter to the Indianapolis Star. The reader's "politically active 83-year-old mother" endured "100 miles of driving, hours on the phone, and several weeks to provide the same security against voter fraud that a simple signature would have offered." Although the elderly woman now has proper identification to vote, it is safe to assume that such perseverance is a rarity among most others who would face such barriers.

As a prelude to what may happen if the Supreme Court upholds Crawford v. Marion, new voter ID legislation is being introduced in several states monitored by Project Vote's election bill tracking website, ElectionLegislation.org, most recently in Oklahoma.

In an effort contrasting sharply with efforts to restrict access, a Trinity College political science professor wrote this opinion piece, calling for the "resurrection" of Election Day Registration, or "EDR" legislation as a means of protecting the voting rights of "more than 900,000 Connecticut voters." These voters, "may forfeit their right to participate in the nomination of our next president" because of the state's lack of "Election Day registration and its primaries are closed to unaffiliated voters," the professor, Clyde D. Mckee Jr. wrote in the Hartford Courant.

McKee gave a confusing list of dates by which unregistered, eligible voters must have their applications processed in order to vote in the February 5 primary, an obstacle course that has proven to be a recipe for failure, he said. The solution he offered was to implement EDR so that "voters who become interested in the election late in a campaign are not disenfranchised because, even if they arrive at the polls on Election Day, they can still participate." Recalling a failed "comprehensive" EDR bill "that addressed issues such as voter fraud," McKee hopes to find it "resurrected in the session beginning next month."

Since the early 1970s, eight states have passed EDR laws (ID, IA, ME, MN, NH, ME, MN, MT) and one (NC) has enacted "same day registration" at its early voting sites, according to Demos, a nonpartisan public policy research and advocacy organization. In the 2004 presidential election, voter turnout in EDR states averaged 12 percentage points above non-EDR states.

"EDR can be particularly effective at raising turnout among young adults, newly naturalized citizens, people of color, and those with lower incomes and levels of educational achievement," according to Demos, highlighting the advantages of EDR for the very same groups affected by voter ID laws.

In keeping with the "election integrity" trend of limiting ballot access, a proposal to eliminate Wisconsin's EDR practice received its first hearing last week. Bill sponsor, Assemblywoman Suzanne Jeskewitz (R-24), said it "creates more work for clerks and allows for voter fraud," according to this WQOW report Wednesday. Eau Claire County, Wisc. Clerk Janet Loomis told WQOW that "taking away same-day registration could reduce turnout." In Eau Claire alone, voter turnout expanded by 10,000 in the 2004 presidential election, the report said.

Election Day registration has been a practice in Wisc. since the 1970s and has rarely, if ever, been subject to voter fraud, according to a recent Demos survey of election officials in EDR states. "Just one of 49 respondents suggested a link between EDR and an increased likelihood of vote fraud. (This official, the clerk of a Wisconsin town of fewer than 9,000 people, was also unique in expressing emphatic opposition to EDR)," Demos reported. "A number of respondents took the position that EDR had actually reduced the risk of fraud. Several agreed with the deputy town clerk in New Hampshire who said that her staff could process voter registrations with greater accuracy after Election Day than in the hectic pre-Election Day period, when the labor was more likely to be performed by temp workers or by in-house staff working overtime."

Quick Links:
Websites
ElectionLegislation.org
Demos
*About EDR
*Survey of Election Officials in EDR States
*Tools for State Advocates
*Other Resources
One Wisconsin Now
Contact
Click here to reach the office of WI A 158 sponsor, Assemblywoman Suzanne Jeskewitz (R-24) or email rep.jeskewitz@legis.state.wi.us.

In Other News:

"Overall voter registration numbers have declined slightly in Florida over the past two years, but Democrats made gains among Hispanics, the only one of three major ethnic groups that has shown an increase, state figures released Monday indicate." Read this Associated Press story here.

"With Super Tuesday looming large in the closely contested presidential race, potential voters are flooding into City Halls across Massachusetts to register for the key Feb. 5 contest." Read this Boston Globe story here.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote's Strategic Writing and Research Department (SWORD).

PPOTV: Peer Pressure Out the Vote

Living Liberally — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:58:04 GMT

Drinking Liberally Shot of Truth by Justin Krebs

Voter turnout in yesterday's New Hampshire primary surpassed previous totals. Without getting into how independents split, why polls were proven wrong or who out-maneuvered whom, we want to posit one factor (besides the warm weather) that boosted these numbers: peer pressure.

If you're monitoring techPresident's Facebook, Myspace and YouTube tallies, you know that web-based social networks are lighting up over the elections. If you follow the work of sites like Future Majority, you know that a major component to youth turn-out is peer-to-peer communication. If you attend chapters of Drinking Liberally, you know that people everywhere are talking politics and pulling each other to the polls.

Peer pressure works. That's what it's so scary in junior high school. And that's why it's so awesome in voter turnout (although sometimes scary again, depending on whom peers are pressured to vote for).

But as we all know, peer pressure works best when it's easy to give in to, and that's the real hero in the turnout story so far: Election Day Registration.

In both Iowa and New Hampshire, you can show up, register and vote...all at once!!! Inconceivable to folks like us in New York who have a labyrinthine calendar to determine when you need to register by. Efforts to pass EDR in places like Iowa (an initiative to which our friends at CREDO Action were integral) have made peer pressure easier...and that makes it work.

Say for example that somebody came to Drinking Liberally for the first time, and we told them they had to wait 3 weeks to have a drink. Doubtless, they would find other pursuits. But, when you make political participation as easy as buying a round, all the social networks, web 2.0 apps, and good old-fashion cajoling become that much more effective.

I feel bad for the unregistered New Yorkers who may feel the peer pressure to show up on February 5th, only to find at the polling station that they can't take the dive down the slippery slope of political engagement. At least, in their moment of dismay, they can still have a drink.

Uneventful Legislative Year May Be Prelude to Exciting 2008

project vote — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:39:13 GMT

In 2007, Project Vote tracked 485 election bills in 24 states, some of them appearing to promise a consequential impact on voting rights. Bills ranged from good-Election Day Registration and felon voting rights restoration, to bad-voter ID, and everything in between. Few of the bills, however, made it beyond one chamber, making the 2007 legislative year an uneventful one. But it was a preview of what we can expect from the 2008 legislative sessions: an abundance of election bills expanding (or restricting) voter access in a presidential election year.
Photo identification and proof of citizenship requirements to register or vote were among the election bills introduced this year that threatened to limit access to the ballot box. Voter ID law will be the subject of Supreme Court hearing in January 2008 as the high court assesses the constitutionality of Indiana's current photo ID requirement. The verdict could have an impact on the outcome in the 2008 presidential election and a ruling upholding the law will almost certainly lead to a flood of copycat legislation in other states. Although 15 states monitored by Project Vote in 2007 introduced voter ID legislation, most failed to pass even one chamber. The closest call was Texas's HB 218, which passed the House and later became the centerpiece of a media sensation when an ailing Senator Mario Gallegos cast the deciding vote against the restrictive voter ID bill from a temporary hospital bed set up for him at the state capitol.

Gallegos joins many other voting rights advocates and organizations who argue that voter ID laws- are a solution in search of a problem. Rather than deterring polling place fraud, which rarely occurs, such laws instead disenfranchise low income, minority, and elderly voters. Studies show these populations have lower probability of having valid ID and are disproportionately affected by voter ID laws. "Proof-of-citizenship" requirements, another emerging legislative trend tackling so-called fraudulent voting, found its way into 14 legislatures across the country, 11 of which were monitored by Project Vote. None of these bills passed more than one chamber.

Conversely, a variety of bills designed to expand ballot access to otherwise underrepresented or disenfranchised voters were introduced this year, including bills to permit Election Day Registration. Of the 20 EDR bills tracked by Project Vote, just one became state law. North Carolina's HB 91 creates Same Day Registration, which permits people to register and vote on the same day in the period between the close of traditional voter registration and a few days before election day. Seven states permit registration the day of election.

A number of bills restoring voter rights to former felons were introduced, only two of which made any headway. Maryland's SB 488 passed and now allows former felons the opportunity to regain voting rights. Texas' HB 770, a bill requiring the state Criminal Justice Department to provide notice and voter registration forms to newly eligible former felons, passed but was vetoed by the governor.

Mobilizing young voters was a popular issue with state legislatures. Bills to lower the voting age, allow pre-registration, and provide voter education were introduced in 6 the 24 states we tracked. Even a "Student Voting Rights Act" was introduced in Maryland. Of all these bills, just one went the desk of the governor. California's AB 183 was introduced as a bill making voter registration a high school graduation pre-requisite and amended to simply provide "high school voter weeks," or the opportunity for students to register on campus. The bill was vetoed by the governor.

Although hundreds of election bills, good and bad, were introduced in 2007 very few made it through the legislative process. But 2007 is perhaps best understood as a prelude to what will be happening in 2008. What did not pass this year stands a good chance of being re-introduced or re-invented in 2008, including bills expanding voter participation through Election Day Registration initiatives or limiting access through the voter ID proposals.

In order to keep up with the flurry of activity from the 2008 elections, please visit Project Vote's election bill tracking website, www.ElectionLegislation.org, a free service for advocates, reporters and policymakers that includes weekly status updates, bill summaries, links to bill text and daily postings of related news. Click here to view our 2008 Election Legislation calendar, listing the session and bill tracking schedules of the 21 states we will monitor in the new year.

Americans Faith in Vote Counting Crashes.

project vote — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:49:41 GMT

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

This an entry in a series of blogs to keep people informed on current election reform and voting rights issues in the news.

Featured Story of the Week:

Most voters suspicious of ballots' accuracy, Field Poll finds - San Francisco Chronicle

More than half of California voters are not fully confident that their votes are accurately counted, prompting the assessment of a "huge change in the country's attitude," according to John Wildermuth of the San Francisco Chronicle, Thursday. The recent Field Poll findings from the country's most populous state are a clarion call for voting rights advocates to press election officials to be more transparent about the election process and in addressing the system's flaws.

Lack of confidence in the vote count is split evenly between paper ballots and touch screen voting machines, however, those with most concern about election integrity are more skeptical about electronic systems. One out of every seven "likely voters" who vote every election and pay attention to politics do not believe their votes are being counted.

"'The truth is, the Florida 2000 presidential election rocked public confidence in the voting system,'" California Voter Foundation president, Kim Alexander said. "Some election officials believe that if people like me would stop talking about election security, voter confidence would go up, but that's not a solution." The group did a 2004 study of occasional and nonvoters that found an even greater percentage of voters believed their votes would not be counted properly as compared to the "likely voters" in the Field Poll, Wildermuth wrote.

Project Vote argues that the plunge in voter confidence is not just a result of how ballots are counted, but in the exposure of wrongful voter purges, experiences with long lines at the polls, and the plethora of so-called voter fraud stories that have plagued the news in recent years. All of these election administration issues have the potential to deter or disenfranchise voters.

For example, as we reported in a recent blog, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 - designed to alleviate the very problems that caused voter concern after the 2000 presidential election - has raised issues in how states must implement the law, particularly regarding list maintenance. HAVA requires each state to have a statewide voter database that must be routinely cleared for address changes, felony conviction or death. A lack of clear and specific criteria for performing list maintenance programs has resulted in inconsistent standards within states for federal elections. In the November 2006 election, Florida had approximately 150,000 fewer voters than were on voter lists the previous November as a result of a shaky list maintenance program, part of which Secretary of State Kurt Browning called "inane."

Additionally, voter confidence is compromised when lack of planning and of effective statewide, uniform pollworker training creates confusion, long lines, shortage of machines, and worse, the improper denial of the right to vote. This was evident in battleground state of Ohio in 2004, where voters were waiting in lines for hours at a time, among other issues. Poll workers are the interface between voters and the election system. Therefore, training should be developed at the state level to ensure accuracy, uniformity and comprehensiveness. Read more on poll worker training in this Project Vote report here.

And finally, the partisan insistence that the repeatedly debunked myth of voter fraud is a major problem by way of media frenzy and voter ID laws has undoubtedly raised more voter suspicion about the integrity of elections. This Election Assistance Commission study found that states with voter ID laws have a 2.7% decrease in overall turnout in states that required documentary ID compared to states that required voters to give their names. Voter ID is promoted to supposedly protect against "voter fraud," which has virtually no evidence of actually occurring in recent elections. "We need better data, better election administration, transparency and more responsible journalism to improve public understanding of the legitimate ways in which electoral outcomes can be distorted and manipulated," wrote Barnard College assistant professor Lorraine Minnite in this Project Vote report on voter fraud.

For democratic elections to function in the interests of all citizens, voters need to be confident in the voting process. Having more than half of the most populous state in the nation's voters lacking confidence in how ballots are counted says a lot about the voters' faith in the integrity of our voting system as a whole. We need higher profile, transparent election administration that is governed by clear cut laws and standards and is monitored and enforced by voting rights groups and a non-partisan Department of Justice. By being open and honest, election officials have the opportunity to gain American confidence in the integrity of elections and thereby strengthen democracy.

We've provided links below on election administration, including several sources with recommendations by Project Vote.

Quick Links:
Election Administration
"Key Recommendations to Improve Election Administration." Project Vote. December 2005.
Pollworker Training
"Elements of Successful Pollworker Training." Project Vote. February 8, 2007.
List Maintenance
"Maintaining Current And Accurate Voter Lists." Project Vote. December 22, 2006.
"State's voter rolls shrinking: The trend may seem unlikely considering Florida's growth, but a closer look shows a law is behind it." St. Petersburg Times. August 6, 2007.
Voter Fraud
Blog: "Backroom Voter Suppression: Who Gets Knocked Off Voter Lists?". Project Vote. August. 10, 2007.
"The Politics of Voter Fraud." Project Vote. March 2007.
"Best Practices to Improve Voter Identification Requirements-." Election Assistance Commission. June 2006.

In Other News:

A federal judge heard arguments on Georgia voter ID Wednesday, with many groups arguing that such a measure could hurt voters. The 2005 law may finally be implemented this year as the Supreme Court recently ruled the law constitutional. Read more in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The Department of Justice has approved a new North Carolina law permitting voter registration at early voting sites. North Carolina is now the eighth state to provide some form of election day registration. Read more in the News Observer.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote's Strategic Writing and Research Department (SWORD).