|
MEDIA ADVISORY
MARCH 17, 2008
March 20, 2008, Press Teleconference
Contact:
Avi Green, MassVote
Tel: 617-542-8683 ext. 207
Email: agreen@massvote.org
Timothy Rusch, Demos
Tel: (212) 389-1407
Email: trusch@demos.org
NEW STUDY SHOWS IMPACT OF ELECTION DAY VOTER REGISTRATION IN MASSACHUSETTS
PROJECTED INCREASES IN VOTER PARTICIPATION TO BE ANNOUNCED AS LEGISLATION MOVES THROUGH STATEHOUSE
WHAT
Briefing for journalists on new report, Election Day Voter Registration in Massachusetts, to be published on March 20, 2008 by the non-partisan public policy center Demos, and announced in collaboration with MassVOTE, a Massachusetts-based voting rights organization.
WHEN
Thursday, March 20, 2008, at 3:00 PM Eastern (2 PM CST/ 12:00 PM PST)
CALL-IN DETAILS
Conference Call-in Number: (888) 491-8283
Conference ID: 39817329
Please RSVP to Tim Rusch, trusch@demos.org, if you plan to participate, and you will be emailed a full press release and an embargoed copy of the report at least one day prior to the call.
WHO
R. Michael Alvarez, report co-author, Professor of Political Science at California Institute of Technology.
Jonathan Nagler, study co-author, Professor of Politics at New York University.
State Senator Edward Augustus, Chairman, Committee on Election Laws. Senator Augustus served as Chief of Staff to Third District Congressman James P. McGovern before joining the State Senate in 2005.
Diane Jeffery, President, League of Women Voters of Massachusetts. The Massachusetts League of Women Voters is one of the oldest and largest Leagues in the United States, founded in 1920 with over 8,000 members and supporters.
Avi Green, Executive Director of MassVOTE, will moderate.
BACKGROUND
Publication of a new report by Demos, a national public policy, research and advocacy center, examining the impact of Election Day Registration (EDR) on voter participation in the state of Massachusetts. On February 21, EDR legislation passed out of the Joint Committee on Elections Laws. The bill allows eligible citizens who reside in the Commonwealth to register to vote on the day of a state election, which includes this year's Presidential election on November 4, and on November 2, 2010--the following state election. Prospective registrants would be required to show proof of identity and proof of residence using forms of ID that are consistent with the federal Help America Vote Act. The bill would sunset on July 1, 2011 unless the Legislature acts to extend the legislation. An advisory committee would study how EDR is implemented and how effective it is, and report back to the Legislature by March 1, 2011.
Findings of this report reveal:
Potential increase in turnout by age, specifically the 18-25 year old vote;
Impact on the participation numbers of "recently relocated" voters-those that have moved within six months;
Possible impact on voter participation among African Americans;
Potential voter participation increase by educational achievement level of (those with college degrees and those without).
At 3pm on March 20, 2008, a PDF file of the Election Day registration in MASSACHUSETTS report will be available for download at www.demos.org and
www.massvote.org.
Additional new research from Demos on Election Day Registration--including a national report on EDR state turnout in 2006, a new national survey of election clerks, and a new study examining EDR and election integrity--are available at www.demos.org.
Hard copies of the report are available on request.
###
|
