Experts

Democracy Program

Youjin B. Kim - Policy Analyst

About Modernizing Voter Registration

America prides itself on its commitment to fair and democratic elections. Yet our system of voter registration--the precondition for voting in most states--still relies upon inefficient and burdensome voter registration procedures that too often prevent qualified voters from participating. Many states still impose lengthy pre-election voter registration deadlines first adopted decades ago, despite their proven effect in dampening voter participation. Registered voters may lose eligibility merely because they move to a different neighborhood or county, or because of clerical errors with their registration. Problems with voter registration remained the single biggest source of voter complaints in the 2008 presidential election.

We can do better.

The U.S., like most modern democracies, should seek universal voter registration by taking responsibility to ensure that every eligible person is added to the voter rolls. Modernizing America's voter registration system in this way requires three key elements:

First, registration should become automatic through use of existing government databases to add eligible citizens to voter registration rolls.

Second, voter registration should become portable and permanent for persons who move within a state, by automatic updates to registration records as citizens change address.

Third, if automatic registration systems fail, voters should have the opportunity to register or correct mistakes on voter rolls and cast a regular ballot. Nine states already allow Same Day Registration, with demonstrable benefits for voter turnout.

Through research, advocacy, litigation, and public education, Demos supports voter registration modernization and related reforms including Same Day Registration (SDR), and full enforcement of the National Voter Registration Act's requirements for Public Agency Voter Registration (PAVR).

Modernizing Voter Registration

New Report: States Well-Positioned to Have Automatic Voter Registration at Public Assistance Agencies

In order to better understand public assistance databases and their ability to facilitate automatic voter registration, Demos conducted a survey of public assistance agencies in 41 states, and recently published the findings.

Read More | Mar 19, 2010

Related Resources

READ: Public Assistance Databases and Automatic Voter Registration

READ: The National Voter Registration Act

Learn More