Same-day registration is essential to voting rights debate

Although the path forward is still uncertain, one thing is clear: There is momentum around voting rights, and Americans across the country are ready for our elected officials to do everything they can to make it easier — not harder — to vote.

Now, it’s up to our leaders in Congress to ensure that the final legislation does everything possible to advance racial equity in a democracy with a troubling history of race-based exclusion. Essential to this pursuit is same-day voter registration. 

Same-day registration is a common sense, tried and true reform that has been around in some states since the 70s. It’s time to bring it to voters in all states. A supermajority of Americans (61 percent) supports same-day registration, the efficacy and integrity of which are already evident in 21 states and Washington, D.C. 

And now, new Demos research suggests that same-day registration, which ensures all eligible people can register to vote and cast a ballot that counts at the same time, reduces barriers to the ballot box and boosts turnout for Black and Latinx Americans.