Public Assistance Agencies

Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act

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The plaintiffs and attorneys in Project Vote and the NAACP’s public assistance agency lawsuit in Louisiana.

Though most people know the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) as the “motor voter” law, fewer people know that it also mandates that voter registration be offered at other government agencies besides DMVs. State agencies offering SNAP (food stamps), TANF, Medicaid, and other government benefits are also legally required to assist their clients in registering to vote under the NVRA.

Congress included this provision, Section 7, exactly to reach the citizens who are less likely to register through other means: low-income people, minorities, the elderly, and the disabled.

However, too many states have been ignoring this part of the NVRA, meaning that millions of our most vulnerable citizens are missing out on the change to make their voices heard. That’s why Project Vote and our partners are working to fix that. We investigate compliance. We document violations of the NVRA. And, where we find problems, we work—through advocacy, assistance, and litigation—to ensure that states are following the law and doing right by their citizens.

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Report: Incorporating Automatic Voter Registration with the NVRA

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At Project Vote, we are excited about the growing interest in AVR at both the state and federal level. We hope this paper will be useful to advocates and policy makers alike as we pursue this promising reform within existing federal law. Read more

The EAC is Back on Track and Project Vote Lends a Hand

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Project Vote's Sarah Brannon explains how the EAC is back on track to fulfill its purpose of improving the process of elections in America. Read more

Voting Rights Advocates Settle Long-Running Voter Registration Suit

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MassHealth, EOHHS, and SOC Agree To Remedy NVRA Compliance Problems Read more

Texas Fails to Help Citizens Register to Vote Under Law

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Today, a pre-litigation notice letter was sent to the Texas Secretary of State on behalf of a number of Texas citizens. Read more

Voter Registrations Drop Sharply at N.C. Public Assistance Agencies

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According to a notice letter sent today, voter registration applications initiated at public assistance agencies have dropped dramatically since Gov. Pat McCrory took office. Read more

Voter Registration Law Helps Close Disparities in Voter Turnout

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A recent article in Bloomberg View highlights some of work conducted by Project Vote and our partners to further the implementation and goals of the NVRA. Read more

New Video Highlights Georgia NVRA Section 7 Case

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In 2011, Project Vote and our partners—including the ACLU, the Coalition for the Peoples’ Agenda, Demos, the Lawyers’ Committee for... Read more

Project Vote Intervention Results in Surge in Public Agency Registrations in Colo.

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In the past we’ve told you about lawsuits Project Vote and our partners have brought in several states to enforce... Read more