Public Assistance Agencies

Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act

PAA-image
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.

Most Recent / Relevant Items

Advanced Filters and Sorting

63 results returned

WA Governor Gregoire Signs Executive Order to Better Implement National Voter Registration Act

Press Release See all

On July 4, Washington Governor Christine Gregoire signed an executive order to better implement the federal National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), a move which should help thousands of low-income Washingtonians become registered voters. Read more

Justice Department’s Failure to Enforce National Voter Registration Act Underscored by New Report

Press Release See all

Late last week, the federal Election Assistance Commission (EAC) published its biennial report (PDF) to Congress on the impact of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). Read more

Project Vote & Demos notify New Mexico of Voting Rights Law Violations

Press Release See all

New Mexico is failing to meet requirements of a federal voting rights law, according to a letter sent by Project Vote and Dēmos to Secretary of State Mary Hererra on behalf of Project Vote and the New Mexico chapter of the community organization ACORN. Read more