Open Left - voter participation

Report Shows 2008 Electorate is Most Diverse in Modern History

project vote — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:36:27 GMT

The 2008 election was the most diverse in modern history, with increases in participation among young people, minorities, unmarried individuals, and other historically underrepresented groups, according to a comprehensive new report by the voting rights group Project Vote. Whether gains by these groups will hold steady in 2010, however, remains to be seen.
Representational Bias in the 2008 Electorate-written by Project Vote researchers Douglas R. Hess and Jody Herman-is an in-depth study that analyzes data from the 2008 general election, and compares them to registration and turnout rates from every presidential election this decade. Historically the U.S. electorate has been disproportionately skewed towards White, older, and more affluent Americans, and while the study shows this is still true, the increasing diversity of the American population was more accurately reflected at the polls in 2008.

"The good news of the 2008 election was the surge in young voters, particularly young minority voters," says Hess. "The only age group that demonstrated an overall increase in participation rate was voters under the age of 30, and that was largely driven by young Black, Latino, and Asian voters."

The voting rate of Black women under 30 increased by 7 percentage points compared to 2004, surpassing the voting rate of White women in that age group. The participation rate for Black men under 30 surged by nearly 11 points over 2004, and surpassed that of White men in that age group. Registration and turnout rates also increased among young Latinos and Asians of both genders.

The report, which analyses data from the U.S. Census Bureau, provides detailed information on registration and voting populations according to race/ethnicity, income, education, age, gender and marital status, residential mobility, and disability status. It also provides registration and turnout rates for each state with comparative rankings. Maine, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia are near the top of the list, with 78-79 percent of their eligible populations registered. New York, Arkansas, Tennessee, Utah, and Hawaii make up the bottom of the list, all with more than a third of their eligible residents still unregistered.

The surge in minority voting is an encouraging sign, says Project Vote executive director Michael Slater, and clearly had a powerful impact on the 2008 election. However, the report finds that significant disparities in participation still exist.

"Voter registration is the key," says Slater. "Roughly 90% of registered Americans from all demographics cast a ballot in 2008. However, nearly a third of all eligible Americans-over 60 million people-are unregistered, and they are disproportionately people of color, lower-income Americans, and citizens under the age of 30."

The report finds that the disparities, while smaller in 2008, still meant that millions of eligible Americans were left out of the process. If the underrepresented populations were registered and had voted at the rates of those in the overrepresented groups, tens of millions of more citizens would have cast a ballot in 2008, including over 5 million people of color, 8 million low-income Americans, and more than 7 million young people.

"It is clear that traditionally underrepresented groups will vote if given access to voter registration and candidates that speak to their issues," says report co-author Jody Herman. "But it is also clear that we need registration reforms that increase access to registration and promote participation among these groups."

This will be particularly important in the coming year, Slater cautions, as the 2010 mid-term elections may erase the gains made in 2008. "Mid-term elections always see a drop in participation, and if the 2009 Virginia election is any indication, the 2010 drop may once again hit these groups hardest. The youth vote dropped by half in Virginia from 2008 to 2009, the 60-and-over vote doubled, and turnout by people of color dropped significantly."

"It is important that government officials and civic organizations renew their commitment to helping underrepresented populations register and vote in 2010," says Slater.

Revamping Voter Registration to Reduce Disparities in the Electorate

project vote — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Although the 2008 presidential election showcased a more diverse electorate with an increase in voter registration and turnout by historically underrepresented Americans - including youth and minorities - the movement toward a more balanced electorate that represents all citizens is still a work in progress. Advocates have long maintained-and recently Congress has heard testimony to the fact-that disparities in turnout rates are less an issue of voter apathy, and more related to a severe lack of democratic access for many groups. The growing awareness of this problem has inspired an increased interest among citizens, advocates, legislators, and officials to improve the administration of elections, particularly regarding voter registration.
Enforcing Current Voter Registration Law

As Project Vote reported last week, with the release of an analysis of the 2008 electorate based on U.S. Census data, while the 2008 electorate showed improvement significant disparities still remain in voter registration and turnout between low-income and wealthy Americans. In 2008 there was a there was a 20 point gap in the registration rates between Americans from households earning $25,000 or less per year and those earning over $100,000.

One culprit for this continuing imbalance in representation is the states' failure to comply with provisions of the National Voter Registration Act that require public assistance programs to provide voter registration opportunities to their clients and applicants. These provisions were added specifically to help register low-income Americans and close the gaps in participation, but have been largely ignored by many states.

On April 10, the New York Times cited a recent report by Project Vote and pubic policy group, Demos that found registration at public assistance agencies dropped 79 percent in the 10 year period for which data was collected between 1995 and 2006.

Unsurprised by the lack of enforcement of public agency registration, the Times called on Obama's Justice Department to "do better" than the Bush administration, which "showed little interest in enforcing the law" that is supposed "to make it easier for eligible voters to register and to increase registration rates of traditionally underrepresented groups, including poor people.

"The larger answer to low registration rates is to enact laws requiring universal voter registration, which would put the burden on states to find people - through government lists, including tax records - and register them," the Times editorialized. "But until that happens, the Justice Department should make sure that states follow the motor voter law's more modest mandates."

Automating Voter Registration Procedures

"Universal Voter Registration" has been of key interest following the 2008 election as advocates and the media report on the voter registration system's negative impact on eligible voters who faced wrongful voter purges, or missed voter registration deadlines, among other voting barriers. With the NVRA currently being the "the only mechanism through which the government gets involved at all in voter registration," there's room for innovative improvements, according to Tova Wang, vice president of research at advocacy group, Common Cause in an April 8 Christian Century report.

"A better term for it is automatic permanent registration," Wang said. "Under such a system, the government gets people on the rolls in the first place and then keeps them on...At every point of their interaction with the government, citizens who are unregistered would be put on the registration list unless they opted out." Wang also noted how this would help mobile voters (who also tend to be young and low-income citizens) since "your change of address with the postal service or the DMV, for example, could automatically update your registration status. Your voter registration would essentially become portable."

Legislators on the state and Congressional levels are also addressing voter registration access issues on a smaller scale. Some measures focus on enfranchising young people through preregistration on the state level or requiring college campuses to serve as voter registration agencies by amending the NVRA. (Despite surges in youth voting in 2008, particularly among minority youths, roughly half of eligible 18-29 year olds failed to cast a ballot on Election Day.) More expansive efforts to create voter registration access online have been discussed in both state and federal legislatures, a movement that we warned lawmakers to approach with caution in a March 25 blog entry.

"While any attempt to make voter registration more accessible is to be applauded, it is important to note that these bills only benefit those who have the resources to obtain a driver's license or state ID. The very people most in need of increased accessibility to voter registration-low-income Americans, minorities, new citizens, young, and elderly voters-are those least likely to be helped by this kind of electronic registration...If we do not wish to perpetuate the current imbalances in the electorate, any efforts to make it easier for citizens to register to vote must recognize the need to make it easier for all citizens, not just those already likely to be enfranchised."

Through the enforcement of current election law and the careful consideration of voter registration reform that reduces disparities among underrepresented groups, the possibility of an electorate that represents all American citizens may finally be realized.

To monitor election bills, 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.

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.

Exit Poll Analysis Suggests Obama Victory Due to Surge in Youth and Minority Voting

project vote — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:43:42 GMT

The United States saw dramatic increases in voting from traditionally underrepresented groups, including minorities and young voters, according to a new analysis released this week by Project Vote. If borne out by systematic analysis of the voter rolls, this change in the electorate is evidence of the power of successful voter registration drives and an indication of the strong inclination of voters to participate in the process when candidates address their issues.
Countering the conventional wisdom that the voting population on November 4 did not change as dramatically as predicted, the analysis, The Demographics of Voters in America's 2008 General Election: A Preliminary Assessment, demonstrates that African-Americans, Latinos, and young voters cast millions more ballots in 2008 than in 2004.

"The analysis estimated that about 5.8 million more minorities voted in this year's presidential election than in 2004, while nearly 1.2 million fewer whites went to the polls," wrote Greg Gordon of McClatchy Newspapers. "The figures appear to reflect the success of Project Vote and other liberal voter registration groups in registering millions of young, poor, elderly and minority Americans to vote in recent election cycles."

According to the analysis, African-Americans cast nearly three million more ballots nationwide in 2008 than in 2004-an increase of 21 percent. The total votes cast by Latinos went up by 16 percent-more than 1.5 million-and young Americans aged 18-29 cast 1.8 million more votes, a nine percent increase. That the overall totals did not increase significantly compared to 2004 was in part due to a decrease in voting by white voters.

In addition to presenting an analysis of ballots cast from the United States as a whole, the memo by Project Vote consultant and Ph.D. candidate Jody Herman and Barnard College political science professor Lorraine Minnite examines several key states in detail, including Colorado, Florida, Missouri, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

The Project Vote data is preliminary, and does not speak to "turnout," which is traditionally a measure of the percentage of the voting-eligible population that shows up to vote. Project Vote expects to release a full report on turnout in the 2008 election in 2009 when government survey data on the voting-eligible population comes available. Yet, this preliminary analysis indicates that a significant shift occurred this year.

"There is no doubt that this surge in voting by Americans of color and young people had a powerful impact on the outcome of the election," said Michael Slater, executive director of Project Vote, in a press release issued today.

"Separate opinion polls and election results themselves indicate that an overwhelming majority of African-Americans and Latinos backed Obama," according to Gordon.

"Thus, the appearance of an African-American presidential candidate with a sympathetic message may have prompted the nation's minorities to vote at levels approaching white voters -- if final state vote counts do not upend Project Vote's figures," wrote AlterNet's Steve Rosenfeld last week. "Its findings also suggest the U.S. electorate is not an inflexible assembly of voting constituencies, but has segments that are mobilized -- or demobilized -- depending on the year, candidate and message,"

In an email exchange with Rosenfeld, Frank Sharry, executive director of pro-immigration reform group, America's Voice, said "neither the turnout increase among Latinos -- nor the swing in support to Democrats -- were surprising."

"Telling people you don't like them and don't want them is not a winning electoral strategy," wrote Sharry. "But that is what the Republican Party has been saying to immigrants, Latino immigrants in particular, for the past four years. No surprise, then, that record numbers of Latinos turned out in 2008 and that the swing away from Republicans to Democrats among Latino immigrants in particular was dramatic."

Blumner: "Universal Voter Registration Needs to Be Tried"

project vote — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:20:48 GMT

Following the historic 2008 election and the plethora of problems with voter registrations - from partisan cries of voter fraud by third party registration drives to voter suppression from bad list maintenance procedures - syndicated columnist Robyn Blumner offers a solution: Universal Voter Registration.
"The problems arose because our old system of state-by-state registration rules - some of which appear designed for a mail system via pony express - is outmoded and frankly retains vestiges of our racist past," wrote Blumner in a Nov. 23 op-ed . "We need to follow the lead of at least 24 other countries and adopt a system of automatic and permanent voter registration. "

Blumner asserts that problems with voter registration would disappear if state or federal government took responsibility for ensuring every eligible citizen was registered to vote. This would eliminate the need for third-party voter registration drives, cut the "redundant, phony" and illegal cards that "gum up" the voter registration process, and curb voter disenfranchisement from problem-prone procedures, such as "No Match, No Vote," she said.

"But if the pragmatic arguments don't sway, perhaps the moral ones will. Holding onto the current voter registration system is like cleaving to a relic of our disgraced history," she wrote, recalling the origin of voter registration, which along with literacy tests and poll taxes, began "in the late 19th century as a way to tamp down the votes of 'undesirables,'" which meant immigrants and freed slaves.

"Then there is the length of time between registration and the election," she wrote. "While eight states allow registration and voting on the same day, 21 states cut off registration on Oct. 6. We can send money around the world in the blink of an eye, but it apparently takes weeks of lead time to put a voter into a database. Ridiculous."

"Despite the large turnout in the last election, there are still 64 million unregistered voters in the country," she wrote. "Universal registration needs to be tried."

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

Election Reform: Universal Registration and Early Voting Take Lead in Voting Rights Discussion

project vote — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:54:29 GMT

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

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

Following one of the most momentous elections in the nation's history, officials and advocates across the country are already turning their attention to the future of American democracy. After a grueling battle over voter registration, voter roll maintenance, and ballot access for the ever growing electorate, leaders and advocates are evaluating what worked this year and considering major administrative and legislative overhauls before coming elections.
Last week, voters exhibited "remarkable persistence and patience" after "waiting in lines way too long" or "questioning challenges to their right to cast a ballot," the Washington Post editorialized Sunday.
"The fact that problems were not as pervasive as they might have been is due to the hard work of the voting rights community and election administrators in the months and even years before the election and the enthusiasm and persistence of voters," wrote voting rights expert, Tova Wang of Common Cause at AlterNet.

Some are calling the turnout of 132 million voters, according to figures from Monday's Los Angeles Times, a "record." However, others claim the turnout, while high at 62 percent, was just shy of beating the record 67 percent turnout of 1960, according to Curtis Gans, director of American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate on NPR Tuesday. Although the number of voters always goes up-by about 6.5 million this year--Gans said the percentage may not. Despite clear electoral excitement across the country, with record numbers of young and minority voters registering to vote earlier this year, the relatively unremarkable turnout and the "forbearance" voters needed to cast a ballot may be indicative of a need to revamp the election system to provide access to all eligible citizens without compromising the democratic process.

After what voting rights advocate, Wendy Weiser calls the "ACORN issue," - referring to partisan attacks against third-party voter registration drives - voting rights advocates hope to "shift the onus on registering from the individual to government" through Universal Voter Registration, according to the Post.

"This means the registration process would no longer serve as a barrier to the right to vote," said Weiser, a lawyer at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law in the Times.

"All across America, our people wasted untold hours dealing with duplicate registrations," said R. Doug Lewis, executive director of the National Assn. of Election Officials, according to the Times. This issue, along with high mobility rates in the country (which tend to be higher among lower income and younger citizens), warrant a revamping of the system. Under the current system, voters are required to update their registration every time they move, something that many voters do not realize, according to the Times.

To help resolve this, groups like the Brennan Center are proposing Universal Voter Registration, whereby states "update their computerized voter rolls when residents move from one city to another. And they could add new voters who move to the state and apply for driver's licenses." Others propose to "automatically add teens when they turn 18," the Times reports. "Under some plans, Congress could create a national voter registration roll, modeled after the Social Security database. Others say states should take the lead in expanding and improving their voter rolls."

Similar methods have been discussed by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D N.Y.), who has said she plans to introduce legislation to move automatic voter registration, according to the Times.

With an estimated third of all voters taking advantage of their state's early voting laws this presidential election, convenience voting (voting early or by mail without an excuse) is taking the lead in election reform discussions. According to the Post, "studies have shown that early voting results in greater participation."

As a result of the apparent early voting success across the country, various jurisdictions are considering early voting, including the city of Worcester, Massachusetts. City Councilors hoped to file legislation to allow early voting as well as Election Day Registration in the city, two measures that are not allowed under state law, according to the Worcester Telegram.

"The intent behind early voting is to increase voter participation and relieve congestion at the polls on Election Day," according to the Telegram.

However, some election experts are still skeptical of early voting and its mobilization powers: "There's no evidence that convenience voting...enhances turnout," Gans told NPR. "There is some evidence that it detracts from turnout. Of the 13 states that had the greatest decrease in turnout this time around, 12 of them had one of the convenience voting features. Of the 14 states that had the greatest increase, only six had convenience voting. This has been true in every election."

Gans continued, "this is a time shift for some people. Some people with no excuse absentee [voting] leave their ballots on the kitchen table. You diffuse mobilization over a period of X number of days rather than one day and you reduce the power. In this election, the Democrats did a major early vote mobilization effort, but it's not clear that they would've gotten the same amount of votes had they showed up on Election Day."

Other issues in election reform discussions include anti-voter caging and deceptive practices measures. After incidences of voter intimidation, such as a phony flier in Virginia that misled voters to believe Republicans voted Tuesday while Democrats voted Wednesday, advocates are pushing legislation to ban deceptive practices. "It's amazing how many emails with deliberate misleading information were sent out this year," Wang told the Times.

Wang said that a pending 2007 U.S. bill banning deceptive practices (S 453) has not yet become law, but stands "a good chance next year" because a key sponsor of last year's bill to outlaw deceptive election fliers was Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). In an AlterNet opinion piece, Wang also touched on the issue of voter caging, providing support for anti-caging U.S. Senate Bill 2305. The pending bill is similar to U.S. House Bill 5038.

On a state level, key states Ohio and Colorado are taking measures to evaluate this year's election issues. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is planning a one-day, bipartisan summit "to see what worked well and see what the state can do better," reported the Associated Press, referring to a slew of recent election issues, including multiple Republican filed lawsuits regarding voter registration lists; the state's "unique" same day registration/early voting period; and the "surge in voters" who opted to vote on paper ballots, overwhelming officials in several large counties on Election Day.

Similarly, Colorado's Election Reform Commission was scheduled to meet Wednesday "to begin identifying ways to improve future elections in Colorado," particularly regarding mail voting, voter registration, voter purging and provisional balloting, according to the Rocky Mountain News. "The commission, established by a state law passed in the spring, is charged with making recommendations to the legislature by March."

Quick Links:
Weiser, Wendy. Universal Voter Registration. Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law. 31 October 2008.
Convenience Voting. Project Vote [Web page].

In Other News:

Polls show big Hispanic voter turnout: Univision hails registration effort in state - Las Vegas Sun
A few days before early voting began Oct. 18, Univision anchor Luis Felipe Godinez stood next to a giant thermometer like the ones used for fundraising drives. He issued a challenge to his audience.

Let the bills begin: Area legislators get early start on 81st legislative session - Athens Review [Texas]
...Brown filed a bill requiring voters to present identification to vote. She said a voter will present either one photo identification card, such as a drivers license, or two forms of non-photo ID.

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

Voters Eager to Have A Stake in Historical Election: Early Voting Predicts Strong Turnout Tuesday

project vote — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:47:47 GMT

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

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

In the last two weeks voter registration and early voting has shown that voters are geared up and ready to take part in what has been called a "historical event" on November 4.
Last week, voters scrambled to register at drive-thru election office windows in Southern California, busy street corners in Wichita, Kansas, and post-naturalization ceremonies in Los Angeles County. These efforts to meet the Oct. 20 registration deadlines in some states are seen as evidence of a surge in voter registration among historically underrepresented communities, including newly naturalized Latino and Asian citizens, and Black voters as well as formerly disenfranchised ex-felons.

This week, early vote turnout gave a sneak peek at what voters and election officials can expect at the polls on Tuesday, and it's "going to be busy as heck" said one official in Orange County, Calif., where registration rates went up 15 percent since 2004. To accommodate the high turnout, which is expected to exceed "the recent high-water mark in voter participation set in 2004," some states are taking precautionary measures, adding new machines and even extending early voting.

Experts predict "huge turnout" of as much as 132 million people, or 60.4 to 62.9 percent of eligible voters this year, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The last presidential election brought 60.7 percent of eligible voters to the polls, "the highest since 1968, when 61.9 percent cast ballots." Election officials in many states, including Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico, and Minnesota, have predicted turnout as high as 80 percent.

"We are going to have long lines," with some states expecting voting machine shortages, according to Curtis Gans, director of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate. "But long lines in this election, as in 2004, are not going to deter people from voting, because of the emotional context of this election. They didn't deter people in 1992 or in 2004, and they're not going to deter people now."

Managing long lines has already been a point of contention in key states. In Georgia, voters waited four to five hours to cast early ballots on Wednesday, in spite of last minute changes Tuesday to reduce the eight hour waits voters encountered on Monday, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. A combination of "high turnout, staff and equipment shortages and state computer problems slowed the process."

Like Gans predicted, however, these issues are not stopping voters from showing up at the polls bright and early.

"It's a historical event and I want to be part of it," said Hampton, Ga. voter, Dara Christian, who arrived at her precinct to be second in line shortly after 5 a.m. on Wednesday. According to a Tuesday AJC report, a million ballots had already been cast during more limited voting in the last few weeks. And about 125,095 of those were cast as of Tuesday night.

While officials in various counties addressed some of the problems by supplying extra equipment and staff, according Tuesday's AJC report, the Democratic Party and election officials are still pleading with Secretary of State Karen Handel to extend early voting in order to support high turnout, including state Democratic Party chairwoman Jane Kidd and DelKalb County Commissioner Lee May.

"It is not my intention to lay blame on any particular, person or body of government," May wrote in a letter to Handel and Ga. Governor Sonny Perdue. "It is my desire that we don't inadvertently squelch the desire of so many Georgians to participate in the political process."
"Handel said Tuesday that Georgia law doesn't include a mechanism to allow her or Perdue to extend early voting," according to AJC. Handel said that even if she could allow the extension, it would be a "logistical disaster," dismissing Kidd's plea an "orchestrated effort of that political party across the country."

In Florida, on the other hand, after record turnout Monday,Governor Charlie Crist listened to similar concerns and signed an order to extend early voting hours to 12 hours a day, over the objections of Secretary of State Kurt Browning, according to the Miami Herald.

"It's not a political decision," said Crist, a Republican. "It's a people decision."

In Broward and Miami-Dade counties alone, more than 43,000 people cast their votes Monday, "roughly 5,000 more than on any other previous day."

Other efforts to help ensure Election Day runs smoothly for voters are underway, including the National Campaign for Fair Elections' hotline, 1-866-OURVote. The line has already received up to 4,000 calls a day, according to New York Times blog, The Caucus. The group plans to have 20 call centers set up around the country by Tuesday with a capacity of handling 100,000 calls on Election Day.

"The notion behind the non-partisan National Campaign phone line is that if problems erupt at polling places on Election Day, the group will have lawyers at the ready to respond to the complaints," the Times reports.

"So far, most calls have been from voters experiencing problems with their registration along with those trying to locate their polling place, according to Ken Smukler, president of InfoVoter Technologies, the Bala Cynwyd, Pa.company that which manages the call system."

Among those who will benefit from the voter protection hotline and other precautions learned are the large numbers of new voters around the country. Since 2004, voter registration rose 15 percent in Orange County, Calif. where citizens were allowed to register at a drive-thru elections office window last week, according to the Associated Press. Alabama has 76,000 new voters since 2004, two thirds of whom are African-American, according to the Mobile Register-Press. Last week, two thousand voters registered on a street corner in Kansas, about a quarter of whom were ex-felons who until then thought they were ineligible to vote, according to MSNBC. Newly naturalized Latino and Asian citizens in Los Angeles County doubled last year's registration rate with 64,000 new voters this year, according to the Los Angeles Times. Up until last week, community groups were "walking precincts, conducting phone banks, holding forums, and distributing multilingual voter guides" to help new citizens become a part of the democratic process.

Historically, Latino, Asian, and African-American citizens have registered and voted at alarmingly lower rates than their White counterparts. In 2006, just 41 percent of African-Americans and 32 percent of Asians and Latinos, respectively, voted in the midterm election compared to 52 percent of Whites, according to Project Vote report, Representational Bias of the 2006 Electorate. But that may just be changing this year.

"We want people to know we're here and our next generation is going to be very important in the process," said recently naturalized citizen, Carlos Romero in the Los Angeles Times.

In Other News:

In Ohio, Wary Eyes On Election Process: Fears of Fraud and Blocked Votes - Washington Post
CLEVELAND -- With Ohio still up for grabs in next week's presidential election, the conversation here has expanded from who will carry the state to how -- the nitty-gritty of registration lists, voting machines, court challenges and whether it all will play out fairly.

Provisional Ballots Get Uneven Treatment - Wall Street Journal
WASHINGTON -- Provisional ballots, one of the fixes the government implemented following the disputed 2000 election, are often proving to be a poor substitute for the real thing.

Erin Ferns is a Research and Policy Analyst with Project Vote.

Waking the Giant: Making the Latino Vote Count in 2008

project vote — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:54:27 GMT

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

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns and Nathan Henderson-James

Massive voter registration drives, recent passionate immigration debates, and the contested presidential primaries are finally bringing one of the nation's fastest growing populations into the democratic process, despite decades of low voter participation rates and recent voting rights attacks based on anti-immigrant rhetoric. Recognizing their rapidly increasing voting power - which is catching up with their "raw demographic power," particularly in the closely contested states of Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada - both presidential candidates are actively pursuing Latino voters. However, advocates caution a powerful lesson must be learned from voter suppression schemes executed in recent elections in order to ensure this former "sleeping giant" of electoral participation will have access to the polls in November, and most importantly, have their votes counted.
Latinos have long been noted as the "sleeping giant" of elections in the United States because they turn out to vote in numbers far below their percentage of the voting-eligible population. For example, in 2006, Latinos made up nine percent of the voting eligible population in the United States, but only six percent of the voters, according to Representational Bias, Project Vote's 2007 analysis of the 2006 electorate. In contrast, Blacks, who make up roughly the same amount of the overall population in the U.S. as Latinos, account for 12 percent of the voting-eligible population, and 10 percent of the voters.

One reason for the lag in voter participation among Latinos is their very low voter registration rate. Only 54 percent of voting-eligible Latinos are registered to vote, compared to 61 percent of Blacks and 71 percent of Whites. Further, Latinos did not turnout at rates similar to Blacks or Whites. In 2006, 60 percent of registered Latinos voted, compared with 67 percent of Blacks and 73 percent of Whites. Overall this means that just 32 percent of the Latino voting-eligible population cast a ballot in 2006 compared with 41 percent of Blacks and 52 percent of Whites. If Latino voter turnout had matched their percentage of the voting-eligible population in 2006, an additional 2.6 million Latino voters would have gone to the polls.

The Asheville Citizen-Times echoes these statistics in a story this week. They note that Latino population growth outpaces their representation in the electorate for multiple reasons including low rates of naturalization and voter registration. However, they also report a projection from the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute at the University of Southern California that projects Latino turnout of 9.3 million in November. This would be an astounding 18 percentage point increase over participation in 2006 and would represent voting by roughly half the Latino voting-eligible population, a mark this population group has never met.

This projection underscores the kind of impact Latinos could have if they were to participate at rates similar to other large population groups. Partisans and those who prefer an electorate that makes predicting turnout as easy as looking at who voted the last time and simply assuming much the same will happen again have a vested interest in ensuring that the sleeping giant never awakes.

Sometimes this insurance takes the form of coordinated voter suppression schemes. For example, in the 2004 presidential election, Latino voters in the battleground state of Ohio were the victims of a partisan voter disenfranchisement scheme, according Richard Hayes of online news magazine, AlterNet. In an excerpt from his new book on the subject, Hayes reports voters experienced a number of irregularities, including receipt of ballots already spoiled and marked for a third-party candidate and incorrect distribution of voting machines, causing the votes to be shifted to the incorrect candidate depending on the precinct the machine had been intended to be placed in.

However, the most sinister finding of his research indicates specific and direct attempts to suppress the Latino vote. "And we have powerful evidence that Latino voters in Cleveland were intimidated into leaving the polling place without ever receiving a ballot at all," Hayes wrote.

After finding it suspicious that turnout was so low in a "hotly contested presidential election in the foremost battleground state," Hayes examined the initial explanation given by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. The election board claimed a lack of Spanish-speaking Cleveland poll workers and a high number of Latino voters lead to Spanish-speakers' ballots being rejected because they could not adequately read the ballot in order to enter their punch cards correctly.

The explanation is not true, according to Hayes who said official results indicate that no more than three ballots were rejected at the three precincts within the Cleveland polling place in question. A more likely explanation would be that a number of voters at the "overwhelmingly Democratic precincts" were intimidated by challengers at the polls before signing in or receiving a ballot, he wrote.

Recent voter suppression attempts have gone beyond dirty tricks and entered the realm of law. Attempting to institutionalize voter suppression based on anti-immigrant rhetoric, state and federal legislators have introduced retrograde proposals to amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and require proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Most recently, U.S. Representative Dean Heller introduced a bill to repeal the VRA provision that requires counties to provide bilingual ballots if more than five percent of the voting age population is non-English speaking. The bill, H.R. 5971 was last referred to the Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Proof of citizenship requirements at registration - a measure that would affect millions of Americans who do not have proper documentation - is currently implemented in one state, Arizona. However, five states have similar legislation pending (Calif., Ill., Mass., Mich., and N.Y.). To monitor some of these bills, visit www.electionlegislation.org.

Democracy is stronger when everyone participates and both legislators and election officials should put more emphasis on creating access to the polls, not barriers. This election cycle shows all signs of being precedent setting in terms of increases in civic engagement and electoral participation. As Hayes wrote, "all eligible voters should be allowed to vote without interference, for the candidates of their choice, and have their votes counted as cast."

Quick Links:
A Summary of the Voting Rights Act. Project Vote. May 24, 2006.
U.S. Representative Dean Heller

In Other News:

Florida Felons May Not Be Aware Of Restored Voting Rights - Capitol News Service
TALLAHASSEE - More than 150,000 former felons in Florida are eligible to cast ballots in this year's elections, but most of them may not even know their rights have been restored, according to state parole commission officials.

Reed Outspoken on Veterans' Voting Rights - KNDO/KNDU [Wash.]
KENNEWICK, Wash.- Voter registration is becoming a controversial issue, especially in the veteran's community.

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

Who Gets to Vote? State's Struggle to Register Veterans, Felons and Minorities

project vote — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 03:03:34 GMT

Weekly Voting Rights News Update

By Erin Ferns

In the aftermath of the presidential primaries, stories of unprecedented voter registration and turnout are drifting to the back burner. But with an exceedingly imbalanced electorate, the fight to create access to the voting rolls and enforce the voting rights of all Americans continues. With historic voter registration drives underway and a preview of the types of problems that could occur in November, the focus of the media is beginning to shift towards the less sexy, but crucial elements that work to maximize voter participation while ensuring eligible voters can cast their ballots and have them counted. In Project Vote's view, this is a welcome development since many of the potential issues require more time to sort out than is available if problems are noted only weeks in advance of the election. This week, election officials, advocates and a presidential candidate worked to assist in or restore voting rights for hospitalized veterans in Connecticut, minority citizens in Georgia, and former felons in Tennessee.
In protest of a ban on voter registration drives issued by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in May, Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz and state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal held an impromptu registration drive outside of a VA center on Monday, according to the New Haven Register. Last week, Bysiewicz's office had been verbally denied access to the VA centers to conduct registration drives on site.

"I believe that there is a concerted effort going on to suppress voter registration," [said] Bysiewicz, pointing to the department's directive, and a separate ban issued for Indian reservations, because they are on federal property," the Register reported.

"To ban voter registration drives is a slap in the face to veterans like Mr. Onieal, who have served and sacrificed greatly for our country and for the basic freedoms that we have here," Bysiewicz said, referring to Martin Onieal, a World War II veteran and one of a "handful" of VA patients that she registered Monday.

But state-by-state interpretation of the new directive creates more worries. According to Roger Johnson, director of the VA Connecticut Healthcare System, nonpartisan voter registration drives are indeed acceptable and Bysiewicz's denial was a mistake. Other states deny all voter registration activity, according to the Register.

"What you have here is either a colossal misunderstanding, or an unconscionable misreading of this directive," said Blumenthal. "The VA has to have its act together when it is talking about basic rights."

Those basic rights are being defended on behalf of former felons in Tennessee, according to the Tennessean. The lawsuit challenges the constitutionality of the state's felon voting rights policy that bars ex-felons from voting if they owe child support or court-ordered restitution, a measure that advocates argue comes "dangerously close to a poll tax."

With the urgency of the upcoming presidential election, the number of requests to restore voting rights has more than doubled since last year. "African-Americans, disproportionately arrested, charged and convicted of crimes, are a major part of the surge to get their rights restored," the Tennessean reports.

An estimated 90,000 adults have lost their right to vote in the state due to felony convictions - just a fraction of the 5.3 million nationwide, according to the Tennessean. Tennessee is one of 48 states to strip felons of voting rights and one of 11 that make it more difficult for former felons to reintegrate into society by not automatically restoring their civil rights upon completion of his or her sentence.

With less than half of all eligible Americans participating in the electoral process, one would expect public policy to encourage access to voter registration, rather than making it more difficult to obtain. This problem particularly affects minority and low income citizens whose over representation in the criminal justice system and high residency mobility rates appear to contribute towards low registration and voting rates.

In the 2006 midterm election, 52 percent of eligible citizens did not participate, most of whom were simply not registered, according to Project Vote report, Representational Bias in the 2006 Electorate. Particularly, minority voters lag at least 10 percentage points behind White voters, perpetuating the imbalance in the electorate.

However, once registered, voters in general are more likely to actually participate, as illustrated in the 2006 election with more than 70 percent of registered voters casting ballots. The participation trend continued on Super Tuesday when Black and Latino voters showed tremendous increases in voter turnout in several states, surprisingly including Georgia, a state with a history of low turnout from voters of color.

The state's boost in voter registration is significant with more than a 20 percent increase since the last presidential election, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The recent surge is largely attributed to the Obama campaign, which is targeting Black and young voters. Black voter registration in particular has increased one percent since November 2006.

Quick Links:
Urbina, Ian. "V.A. Ban on Voter Drives Is Criticized." New York Times. June 13, 2008.
"Out of Step with the World: An Analysis of Felony Disfranchisement in the U.S. and other Democracies." ACLU. May 26, 2006.
Hess, Doug R. "Representational Bias in the 2006 Electorate." Project Vote. September 2007.

In Other News:

Republican Campaign Against Likely Democratic Voters Begins: The GOP's latest accusations are long on rhetoric but short on fact - AlterNet
Across the country and on the Republican National Committee website, a handful of GOP office holders and party officers are trying to discredit recent voter registration drives and record-setting turnout by Democrats in 2008 primaries, saying efforts seen as benefiting Democrats are rife with "voter fraud."

N.Y. Voter Turnout Among Lowest in the Nation - The New York SunNew York State has some of the lowest voter turnout numbers in America, according to a report released yesterday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

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).

Shows Persistent Electorate Bias In the Buckeye State

project vote — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 17:35:07 GMT

Ohio's electorate is not reflective of the state's voting eligible population, according to a new report by Project Vote. "Ohio Votes: Civic Engagement in the Buckeye State," written by Benjamin Spears, examines disparities in registration and voting rates by race/ethnicity, income and age.

Key findings from "Ohio Votes" include:
Key findings from "Ohio Votes" include:

+Ohio's population became more diverse from 2002 to 2006; in part because of a net decline in the White population and in part because the Latino and Asian populations grew by of 14 and 17 percent, respectively.
+A greater percentage of eligible White and Black Ohioans were registered in 2006 than in 2002.
Ohio's registration rate disparity between White and Black eligible voters was more pronounced in non-presidential elections, including 2002 and 2006.
+Ohioans were more likely to have voted in the 2006 election than were Americans as a whole.
=Older voters make up a larger share of the electorate than their share of the voting-eligible population merits: 4 of 5 Ohioans over age 30 were registered to vote; less than 3 of 5 Ohioans under 30 were registered.
+The disparity in voting rates between racial and ethnic groups in Ohio widened between 2002 and 2006.

"Ohio Votes" was cited in a news conference by Ohio ACORN, which is launching a voter registration drive. According to Ohio public radio:

ACORN Columbus Chair Donald Coulter says young adults, lower income citizens and people of color are underrepresented in Ohio's electorate.
"Only 66 percent of Ohioans earning less than $25,000 per year are registered to vote," Coulter says. "That is compared to 88 percent of Ohioans earning over $100,000 per year."
Coulter says that while 72 percent of white Ohioans are registered, only 65 percent of blacks are. He called the numbers "troubling disparities."

Ohio Votes's author, Benjamin Spears, said of the campaign, "ACORN is making an important contribution towards closing the registration gaps identified in Ohio Votes," said Spears. "Ohio Votes" continues Project Vote's work documenting disparities in the electorate. Earlier reports include "Who Votes in the Bluegrass State," also by Benjamin Spears, and "Representational Bias in the U.S. Electorate," by Doug R Hess.

Report Shows Kentucky's Persistent Electorate Bias After Highest Minority Turnout Ever

project vote — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:17:52 GMT

Project Vote released a report this week that shows persistent bias in the Kentucky electorate: those who were registered to vote and vote in the Bluegrass State were not representative of the state's overall eligible population in 2006. This report takes a state-level look at the same topic as a recently released Project Vote report by Doug Hess, Representational Bias in the 2006 Electorate.
On the characteristics of Kentucky's registered and voted population, Who Votes in the Bluegrass State's executive summary shows that:

*Kentucky's white population has a high percentage of its population eligible to vote relative to Blacks and non-whites (75 percent for the white population and 57 percent for the non-white population).
*Blacks gained ground in registration as a percent of their eligible voting population, from 47 percent 1998 to 68 percent in 2006).
*Once registered, Kentucky's Blacks vote at a rate equal to whites (68 percent or both groups in 2006).
*More than four out of five citizens aged 65 and over were registered in 2006 compared to less than 3 out of five citizens under 30.
*Just 33 percent of voting-eligible persons earning less than $25,000 in 2006 voted; 80 percent of persons earning more than $75,000 voted.

"Community organizations should take aim at the biases in Kentucky's electorate by engaging youth, low-income, and new Kentuckians, helping these groups make a greater impact at the ballot box," says Spears. For more information on Project Vote, visit the website and see the full Who Votes in the Bluegrass State report.

Census Mobility Data Highlights Need for Large-Scale Voter Registration in Communities of Color

project vote — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 20:19:27 GMT

The US Census Bureau released data this week on the millions of Americans who moved between 2005 and 2006. The Census tables highlight demographic characteristics, including sex, race and ethnicity, income, educational attainment and other qualities.

Considering that persons must re-register at every new address to be eligible to cast a ballot, the effect that mobility can have on the enfranchisement of millions of Americans is enormous.

Highlights of the Census Geographic Mobility 2005-2006 data include:

*Latinos had the highest moving rate (18 percent) of any race or ethnicity, followed by Blacks (17 percent), Asians (14 percent) and non-Hispanic whites (12 percent).
*Americans between age 25 and 34 had the highest moving rate (24 percent) of all age categories; persons over 65 had the lowest moving rate (4 percent).
*Lower-income persons were more likely to move than higher-earning counterparts; unemployed Americans were much more likely to move (24 percent did so) than those who were employed (14 percent moved).
*Renters were much more likely to move (30 percent) than Americans who owned their housing unit (7 percent).

Young, low-income, minority, and renting populations were much more likely to move than older, higher-income, white, and home-owning counterparts. Voter registration requirements, therefore, have a disproportionate impact on the traditionally disenfranchised, often urban poor.

These observations make it is especially clear that laws, such as Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act - which requires public assistance agencies to provide opportunities for clients to register to vote - must be strongly enforced. Further, in the absence of comprehensive pro-active registration programs at the county level, regular voter registration drives, such as those sponsored by Project Vote, should be conducted amongst those populations with high mobility rates. For more information, here is the full Census press release; to learn about Project Vote, see the website and Voting Matters blog.