The "Challenges to Fair Elections" Briefing Series

Challenges to Fair Elections 8 Election Day Registration Works November 6, 2006 In the 2004 election, states that offered Election Day Registration boasted, on average, voter turnout that was 12 percentage points higher than turnout in non-EDR states, and reported few problems with fraud, costs, or administrative complexity.

Challenges to Fair Elections 7 Voter Intimidation and Vote Suppression November 1, 2006 Voter intimidation and vote suppression campaigns are often mounted in communities of color, where voter participation is more tenuous. Few states have enacted clear and effective prohibitions against these abuses.

Challenges to Fair Elections 6 National Voter Registration Act October 30, 2006 Implementation of the NVRA in public assistance agencies, designed to bring the vote to low-income citizens, has been inconsistent at best. Full implementation and rigorous enforcement of the NVRA would reduce a significant barrier to democratic participation in America.

Challenges to Fair Elections 5 Poll Worker Training October 25, 2006 If elections are the foundation of our democracy, then poll workers are the gears and wheels that make the mechanics of democracy function on Election Day. But states squeak by each year with a bare minimum of poll workers who receive inadequate training for an increasingly complex task.

Challenges to Fair Elections 4 The Case Against Felony Disfranchisement October 24, 2006 In 2004, felon disfranchisement laws were responsible for directly denying 5.3 million Americans their right to vote, with millions more disfranchised due to a variety of procedures that leave even eligible voters misinformed about their voting rights. No other Western democracy disfranchises so many of its citizens, and no other democracy in the world takes the vote away from citizens who have completed their sentences.

Challenges to Fair Elections 3 Ballot Access for Language Minority Voters and People with Disabilities October 19, 2006 Vast numbers of eligible voters depend on enforcement of landmark laws that ensure that access to voting is available to all, including persons with disabilities and citizens with limited English proficiency, to protect their right to vote. Yet it is clear that we still have a long way to go in assuring that all citizens enjoy access to the ballot.

Challenges to Fair Elections 2 Provisional Ballots October 17, 2006 Much like patients sent home with a placebo, many provisional voters think they are being given the vote, when in fact they are receiving a false promise.

Challenges to Fair Elections 1 Voter ID / proof of citizenship requirements for voting and registration October 16, 2006 Voter ID laws risk preventing upwards of 20 million Americans without government-issued identification from meeting the most fundamental responsibility of citizenship - exercising the right to vote.