Experts
- Brenda Wright - Director
- Lisa J. Danetz - Senior Counsel
- Scott Novakowski - Senior Policy Analyst
- Allegra Chapman - Counsel
- Susan Gershon - Counsel
- Rebecca A. Wilsker - Counsel
- Youjin B. Kim - Policy Analyst
About National Voter Registration Act
Congress enacted the National Voter Registration Act in 1993 to increase the number of citizens who register to vote and therefore cast ballots in U.S. elections. Recognizing that the law's "motor voter" provision was unlikely to reach low-income citizens who are less likely to own automobiles, Congress also mandated in Section 7 of the NVRA that voter registration be offered at public assistance agencies. While most states have adopted programs for driver's license-based registration, an increasing body of evidence suggests many states have roundly ignored the public assistance provisions of the law.
Demos and our partners at Project Vote, ACORN, and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law are collaborating in a National Voter Registration Act Implementation Project, and have worked for the past several years to improve states' compliance with the public assistance provisions of the NVRA through negotiation, technical assistance, and litigation. Our work indicates that full implementation of the NVRA can significantly increase the opportunities for low-income citizens to register to vote and participate in the democratic process.
National Voter Registration Act
New Report Shows How to Fulfill the Promise of Expanding Voter Registration Millions of low-income Americans can be brought into the political process through proper implementation of an often-neglected provision of the National Voter Registration Act, according to a new report. Read More | Aug 10, 2010 |
New Report Shows Over 100,000 Ohio Citizens Benefit From Voter Registration Compliance Efforts Over 100,000 low-income Ohio citizens have already submitted voter registration applications as a result of steps the state has taken to comply with the NVRA, after a three-year lawsuit brought by Demos and its partners. Read More | Aug 9, 2010 | Related Research New York Times: A Welfare Check and a Voting Card What is the National Voter Registration Act? Expanding Voter Registration for Low Income Ohioans Learn More, here. |
As We Celebrate Independence Day, Many New Citizens Still Left Out Of American Democracy As the nation celebrates the 234th Independence Day, thousands of immigrants will take the citizenship oath at naturalization ceremonies. Yet, the promise of full participation in our democracy is faulty. Read More | Jun 29, 2010 | Related Resources Learn more about National Voter Registration Act |
Justice Department Issues Guidance on Implementation of National Voter Registration Act In a significant move, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued guidance regarding the National Voter Registration Act, an important federal statute governing voter registration. Read More | Jun 9, 2010 | Related Resources Read the Guidance: Questions & Answers The National Voter Registration Act: Facts at a Glance Learn More about Implementation of the NVRA
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Low-Income Women Benefit From Federal Law Requiring Agency-Based Voter Registration A new report by Demos documents how proper implementation of a 15-year old federal voter registration law has the potential to bring millions of low-income women into the political process. Read More | Mar 31, 2010 | Related Resources Women and the National Voter Registration Act The National Voter Registration Act Learn More about Public Agency Voter Registration |
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