Government Agency Registration

Who Should Register Americans to Vote? Their Government

When the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) was passed in 1993, it was heralded as a watershed in voting rights law. It was popularly known as the “motor voter” law, because—in addition to other important provisions—the NVRA requires voter registration services to be provided through venues where citizens regularly interact with their government: motor vehicle offices, public assistance agencies, and other government outlets.

This expansion of voter registration opportunities was expected to usher in a new era of universal, or nearly universal, enfranchisement and political participation. And indeed, in the first two years of implementation, the NVRA contributed to one of the largest expansions of the voter rolls in American history.

In the 20 years since the law went into effect, however, it has become all too common for states to neglect or ignore the requirements of the NVRA. This means that millions of Americans—particularly low-income, minority, and disabled citizens who are already underrepresented in the electorate—have been illegally denied their federally-mandated opportunity to register to vote.

Project Vote and our partners—including Demos, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and other civil rights organizations—work to rectify this problem. Through advocacy, technical assistance, and—where necessary—litigation, we are ensuring that state agencies fulfill their responsibilities and help realize the full promise of the NVRA.

 

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Groups say state highway safety agency violates voters’ rights

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Project Vote and partners put the state of Florida on notice for alleged violations of the federal "motor voter" law. Read more

Florida Fails to Register Voters at Motor Vehicles Offices

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Florida residents have been denied the federally required opportunity to register to vote when interacting with motor vehicles offices. Read more

Report from US Commission on Civil Rights Highlights Crucial NVRA Section 7 Compliance Requirements

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A new report from the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights provides important proposals and guidelines for ensuring that all Americans have an opportunity to register and vote. Read more

Court Must Intervene to Protect N.C. Voters, Project Vote Argues

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At a court hearing this week, Project Vote attorneys argued North Carolina voters need immediate relief in advance of the November election. Read more

Louisiana Federal Court Upholds the Spirit and Letter of the NVRA

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In an exhaustive opinion handed down in Louisiana, a federal district court basically held that mere lip service to the public assistance provisions of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) is not an option. Read more

Families USA Offers Voter Registration Webinar for Health Exchange Assisters

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Drawing on Project Vote resources, Families USA recently provided a webinar reminding ACA Assisters that they can serve another important role: helping clients register to vote. Read more

Automatic Voter Registration and the NVRA: A New Report (and a Podcast) Explains

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Today we are proud to release Automatic Voter Registration: Two NVRA-Compliant Models, by election counsel Niyati Shah, and an audio... Read more

Report: Automatic Voter Registration: Two NVRA-Compliant Models

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A new, comprehensive report explains two models for how states can implement automatic voter registration while remaining compliant with the voter registration requirements of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). Read more

Congressional Democrats Introduce Transformative Automatic Voter Registration Bill

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Today, senior congressional lawmakers introduced the Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2016, a transformative bill that would add up to 50 million new voters by automatically registering eligible citizens to vote. Read more

Bridging the Latino Voter Registration Gap Is More Crucial Than Ever

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Twenty-three million Latinos are currently eligible to vote in the United States, but less than 14 million are registered, according to a new report by the NALEO Educational Fund yesterday. Read more