Project Vote’s Election Administration (EA) Program was created to respond to on-going problems that restrict Americans' access to the democratic process. In 2011, Project Vote's team of experts is working through research, litigation, advocacy, and field efforts to ensure that voter registration is accessible, effective, and enduring.

This year, with the 2012 election looming, threats to accessible and accurate registration and voting systems are coming primarily from state legislatures, where legislators have unleashed a storm of bills that would make registration and voting more difficult. (For an overview of the current legislative environment, read Project Vote's August 2011 research memo, Election Legislation 2011: Threats and Opportunities Assessment.)

In 2011, Project Vote is fighting against the following threats to voting rights:  

• Photo ID: As of August 2011, 33 state legislatures had introduced bills to require current, government-issued photo ID at the polls. According to a 2006 survey conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice, approximately 11 percent of Americans – 21 million citizens – do not have the proper ID. Learn more about photo ID here.
  
• Proof of citizenship: Despite the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeal’s reversal of Arizona’s proof of citizenship law, several state legislatures considered laws to require proof of citizenship to register to vote.
• Limitations on voter registration drives:  Several states considered bills that would severely restrict voter registration drive activity. Bills under consideration include measures to limit performance standards for canvassers, stiff requirements for temporary canvassers, prohibition of copying applications or use of applicant information for future organizing, and other policies that will make running community-based drives prohibitive. Read a brief about restricting voter registration drives here.
  
• Repeal of Election Day Registration: A number of states considered bills to repeal laws allowing citizens to register to vote on Election Day. Election Day Registration is a progressive voting policy that is most often utilized by students and lower-income citizens that tend to more frequently. Learn more about Election Day registration here.
  
• Early vote reduction: Several legislatures passed bills that would shorten early vote periods, add vague rules about poll closing times, or deny public disclosure of early vote information. Learn more about early voting here.
  
• Voter caging: “Voter caging” is the practice of “cleaning” voter rolls by sending large batches of certified mail or matching databases between states. Caging is used on the premise of voter fraud prevention, despite the fact that voter fraud is a crime rarely committed, generally targeting voters in minority communities. Advocates should watch for the resurfacing of the Voter Caging Prohibition Act of 2009, which will provide additional protection to an untold number of historically targeted voters from unknowingly being removed from voter rolls. Learn more about voter caging here.
  
• Illegal data matching: Several states share voter registration databases and engage in a data matching procedures in which apparent duplicates are purged from the rolls of the first state in which the registration was completed. The National Voter Registration Act specifies various rules and requirements for such procedures to ensure that legitimate voters are not disenfranchised. Some questionable practices remain in states like Arizona and Kansas, and should be monitored to ensure federal law is followed. Learn more about database matching here.
  

In 2011, Project Vote is also working to support and advance the following voting reforms:

• Online registration: Several states considered adding online voter registration, which would allow citizens with a qualifying signature on file (such as on a driver’s license) to register to vote online. Learn more about electronic registration here.
• Paperless registration: Paperless registration laws allow citizens to register to vote automatically while applying for a driver’s license. Bills allowing for paperless registration through motor vehicles offices were considered in several states in 2011. Learn more about paperless registration here.
• Automatic registration: Vermont’s state legislature proposed a bill that would automatically register all citizens between 16 and 18 who possess a driver’s license or state ID. Citizens would be allowed to vote once they reached 18 years of age.
• NVRA enforcement and agency designation: Several bills to expand the scope of the National Voter Registration Act, which requires government-funded agencies (such as the DMV or Food Stamps offices) to offer voter registration assistance to all voting-eligible clients, are under consideration. Passage of these bills would require additional agencies or institutions (such as public libraries or universities) to offer voter registration assistance. In 2011, several states are considering bills that would expand the scope of the NVRA. Learn more about public agency registration here.
• Preregistration and other youth engagement efforts: Many states currently allow 16- and/or 17-year-old citizens to preregister to vote, though voter participation is not allowed until they turn 18. In addition, efforts to increase registration and voting by youth currently include bills to require registration on college campuses, and bills to require increased civic education – including more specifics on registering and voting – in public high schools.Learn more about preregistration and youth voting here. 
• Convenience voting: Early voting and vote by mail were two popular convenience voting polices under consideration this year. Learn more about convenience voting options here.
• Restoration of voting rights: State policy varies widely regarding the restoration of felon voting rights, though many advocates believe this is an essential step to fully reintegrating society. Bills that would allow citizens released from prison to reclaim their voting rights after their debt to society is paid are currently under consideration in a number of states. Learn more about restoration of voting rights here.

Project Vote works towards systemic changes. Our goal is to lower the barriers that prevent underrepresented populations from registering, voting, and casting ballots that count, while while working to ensure public policies and procedures that encourage full participation in elections. For more information on the Election Administration program, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Executive Director.