Vermont will allow voters to cast ballots the same day they register to vote, effective January 2017. It used to be that voters would need to register close to a week before casting a ballot, but that’s changing.
“For the greatest democracy in the world, the number of people who vote in elections is too low, and it hurts our democracy because it's so low,” said Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vermont.
Shumlin authorized the so-called same-day voter registration law Monday in Montpelier, making Vermont the 14th state to have such a law. Other New England states that allow same-day voter registration include New Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Shumlin said same-day registration could increase voter turnout. He cited data from the public policy group Demos, which said voter turnout is about 10 percent higher in states with same-day voter registration.
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