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Movers and Students: Addressing Registration Challenges
JULY 2009
Movers and Students: Addressing Registration Challenges
As many as 11 million people may have failed to register to vote before the 2008 election because of registration deadlines and changes in residency shortly before Election Day. Two new studies explore strategies for addressing this problem, with one focusing on the unique challenges of the college population and another examining the concept of permanent registration.
Featured Resources
This report reviews the election process across all fifty states, using the Carter-Baker Commission’s recommendations as guidelines.
The NVRA was meant to increase registration levels across the country and as a result, increase participation in elections. Despite the fifteenth anniversary of NVRA in 2008, registration problems remain an issue, as Estelle Rogers, a Consulting Attorney with Project Vote finds.
As part of a project conducted on behalf of the Colorado Secretary of State, the Elections Division has recently made available for comments a draft voter registration form. It will be accepting comments until October 30, 2009.
Convened to provide guidance to the state of Utah in the areas of election law, the Commission made recommendations regarding voter registration. Joining a number of other groups in proposing automatic voter registration, the Commission adopted all of its recommendations unanimously.
Focusing on the four major provisions of the National Voter Registration Act, Project Vote’s report reviews implementation of voter registration programs at the state level.
Research Projects
electionline.org provides daily news updates on election reform issues, as well as deeper analysis of selected topics, including recent reports on voter registration, recount procedures, and the progress in implementing the Help America Vote Act since 2002.
The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law is a non-partisan public policy and law institute that focuses on fundamental issues of democracy and justice.
Election Law @ Moritz, run through Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University, contains both explanation and commentary on a wealth of election reform issues from a legal perspective.
Center for Democracy & Election Management was established at the School of Public Affairs at American University in 2002. Their broader goal is to pave the way for and strengthen democracy through improved electoral performance.
Dēmos is a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2000. A multi-issue national organization, Dēmoscombines research, policy development, and advocacy to influence public debates and catalyze change.
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