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Toward an Equal Electorate
Five States' Gains Under the National Voter Registration Act
October 29, 2008
An Agenda for Strengthening Our Nation's Democracy
Conference Report & Policy Recommendations
October 29, 2008
Expanding Voter Registration for Low-Income Virginians
The Impact of the National Voter Registration Act
October 20, 2008
Voter Registration for Wounded Warriors
Testimony of Lisa Danetz
September 15, 2008
Ohio NVRA Directive
August 26, 2008
Missouri NVRA Prelimanary Injunction
August 26, 2008
Deparment of Social Service Response to VA Notice Letter
August 26, 2008
Missouri Compliance Plan
August 26, 2008
Virginia NVRA Notice Letter
August 26, 2008
Letter from Miles Rapoport in Support of VA Voter Registration Bill
July 25, 2008
Letter to VA Secretary Peak
July 21, 2008
Letter to Secretaries of State Urging VA Voter Registration
July 21, 2008
Federal Court Decision in Missouri NVRA Implementation
July 16, 2008
Arizona's Settlement with Department of Justice
May 21, 2008
Expanding Voter Registration for Low-Income Citizens:
How North Carolina is Realizing the Promise of the National Voter Registration Act (April 2008 Update)
May 1, 2008
How Same Day Registration Became Law in North Carolina
May 1, 2008
Complaint Filed Against Missouri Department of Social Services
April 23, 2008
Election Day Voter Registration in Nebraska
April 4, 2008
NVRA Testimony Before the House Subcommittee on Elections
March 31, 2008
Election Day Voter Registration in Massachusetts
March 20, 2008
Porter v. Bowen Decision
March 13, 2008
Stuart Comstock-Gay's EDR Testimony Before the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee
February 28, 2008
Testimony of Brenda Wright on Restoring Contribution Limits
Vermont House Government Operations Committee
February 22, 2008
NVRA Intent to File Letter--Arizona
February 11, 2008
Unequal Access:
Neglecting the National Voter Registration Act, 1995-2007
February 11, 2008
NVRA Intent to File Letter--Florida
February 11, 2008
Anatomy of a Successful Campaign for Election Day Registration in Iowa
December 6, 2007
A Fallible 'Fail-Safe'
An Analysis of Provisional Balloting Problems in the 2006 Election
November 20, 2007
Election Day Registration: A Ground Level View
What Local Election Officials Have Learned About Letting Americans Register and Vote on the Same Day
November 20, 2007
Voters Win with Election Day Registration
Election Day Registration Was Successful in Several States During the 2006 Mid-term Elections
November 19, 2007
Election Day Registration
A Study of Voter Fraud Allegations and Findings on Voter Roll Security
November 18, 2007
An Analysis of Voter Fraud in The United States
Adapted from the 2003 Report, Securing The Vote
November 18, 2007
Same Day Voter Registration in North Carolina
November 6, 2007
Election Day Voter Registration in Iowa
November 6, 2007
R. Michael Alvarez & Jonathan Nagler
Amicus Brief in Committee on Jobs Candidate Advocacy Fund v. Herrera
August 27, 2007
Amicus brief in Committee on Jobs Candidate Advocacy Fund v. Herrera - supporting constitutionality of San Francisco's law limiting to $500 any contributions to independent political committees. Filed with four other organizations before the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California.
Missouri Department of Social Services Notice Letter
August 23, 2007
Status of State EDR Legislation
August 16, 2007
Ninth Circuit Court Decision Upholding Rights of Vote Trading Websites
August 6, 2007
Demos and Project Vote Notify New Mexico of Voting Rights Law Violations
July 16, 2007
New Mexico is failing to meet requirements of a federal voting rights law, according to this letter sent by Project Vote and Demos to Secretary of State Mary Hererra on behalf of Project Vote and the New Mexico chapter of the community organization ACORN. The letter, which is required by law prior to initiating litigation, notifies Secretary Herrera that the state's Human Services Department (DHS) is failing to meet its obligation to offer voter registration at public assistance agencies as required by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
6/13/2007 Testimony ony Mass. Voter ID proposals
July 3, 2007
Brenda Wright, Demos' Legal Director, testifies on June 13, 2007, before the Massachusetts General Court on the problems with legislative proposals that would mandate strict photo identification requirements for voting.
Connecticut State Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections
Testimony of Maine Representative, Anne Haskell in support of EDR.
April 16, 2007
EDR Nevada Testimony
Testimony by Miles Rapoport in support of Election Day Registration.
April 10, 2007
Iowa Newspapers Editorialize in favor of EDR
March 31, 2007
Fusion Voting: An Analysis
March 30, 2007
Miles Rapoport's 3/28/07 Oregon Fusion Ballot Testimony
March 30, 2007
Miles Rapoport testifies on 3/28/07 before Orgegon State Legislature on the merits of fusion balloting.
EDR Oregon Testimony
Testimony of Miles Rapoport in support of Election Day Registration.
March 21, 2007
Des Moines Register Editorial on EDR
Let Iowans Vote on Election Day, Convenience Outweighs Unlikely Fraud.
March 2, 2007
Election Day Registration is a Reform That Works
February 15, 2007
Improving Access to Voting
A Report on the Technology for Accessible Voting Systems
February 14, 2007
Letter to Congress Urging Paper Ballots
February 2, 2007
Demos joined a coalition of organizations urging Congress to enact legislation protecting the accuracy of elections by requiring paper ballots. The letter, signed by 37 organizations, includes the following statement: "We, the undersigned non-partisan election integrity organizations, strongly urge you, as a first order of business in the 110th Congress, to enact new federal legislation to protect the integrity of our elections. While there are many areas of concern for any such legislation, none is more essential to the accuracy of our elections and the confidence among our electorate than for there to be a paper ballot for every vote cast. Not a paper "trail" or a paper "record," but a paper ballot."
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Challenges to Fair Elections 8
Election Day Registration Works
November 6, 2006
In the final days of the 2006 campaign, as in any election year, citizen interest is peaking as election news--and debates on the issues--becomes more pervasive in the media. Unfortunately for America's voters, in all but eight states (one of which does not require voter registration) , if you are not already registered to vote in this week's election, it is too late.
There are seven states, however, where eligible voters are not hampered by arbitrary deadlines, no matter when they become engaged by an election, and can register to vote on Election Day itself. Thanks to Election Day Registration (EDR), also known as "same-day registration," eligible citizens can register to vote on Election Day in Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming, each of which offered EDR in the 2004 presidential election. These states boasted, on average, voter turnout that was 12 percentage points higher than in non-EDR states, and reported few problems with fraud, costs, or administrative complexity. Inspired by their example, Montana is implementing a form of EDR this year.
In fact, in 2006, 2008 and beyond, one could easily predict where turnout will be consistently higher than the national average--in states that offer Election Day Registration.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 7
Voter Intimidation and Vote Suppression
November 1, 2006
Political candidates win elections by generating more votes than their opponents. A vigorous and superior get-out-the-vote campaign is commonly understood to be the key to success. A less recognized but all-too-familiar alternative tactic is to intimidate their opponent's supporters and suppress their votes. Voter intimidation and vote suppression campaigns are often mounted in communities of color, where voter participation is more tenuous. Few states have enacted clear and effective prohibitions against these abuses.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 6
National Voter Registration Act
October 30, 2006
Representational Inequality: Bad for Democracy
Economic inequality in America has been spiraling out of control in recent decades. The income gap between the rich and the poor in America has steadily increased since the early 20th century and is at its largest in 40 years. Unfortunately, this also translates into political inequality. According to the 2004 U.S. Census, 59 percent of citizens in households making less than $15,000 a year were registered to vote versus 85 percent of those in households making $75,000 or more.
A vibrant democracy is one in which all individuals, regardless of income, are able to have a voice in the democratic process. When the electorate is disproportionately made up of wealthy voters, elected officials are more likely to address the needs of their high-income voter base. It is easy to see how ordinary Americans become disaffected and decide to opt out of the political process altogether. In fact, a recent Gallup poll found that 41 percent of respondents agree with the statement, "I don't think public officials care much about what people like me think."
In 1993, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) with the purpose of establishing "procedures that will increase the number of eligible citizens who register to vote in elections for Federal office." The NVRA is often called the "Motor Voter" law because of its well-known provision requiring state motor vehicle departments to offer customers the opportunity to register to vote. Recognizing that low-income citizens are among the least likely to own cars and therefore not as likely to frequent motor vehicle offices, Congress deliberately included a provision requiring public assistance agencies to offer voter registration services to applicants and clients. Yet implementation of the NVRA in public assistance agencies has been inconsistent at best. Full implementation and rigorous enforcement of the NVRA would reduce a significant barrier to democratic participation in America.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 5
Poll Worker Training
October 25, 2006
If elections are the foundation of our democracy, then poll workers are the gears and wheels that make the mechanics of democracy function on Election Day. Regrettably, this human factor is often overlooked and under-supported. States squeak by each year with a bare minimum of poll workers who receive inadequate training for an increasingly complex task. Recent surveys, press accounts, and troubled primary elections attest to the problem.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 4
The Case Against Felony Disfranchisement
October 24, 2006
Felony disfranchisement is the practice of denying people with felony convictions the right to vote. The American tradition of states determining their own election laws has led to a national patchwork of policies and practices that result in de jure and de facto denial of the vote based on felony conviction status Currently, most states impose some voting restrictions on people with felony convictions, ranging from a prohibition from voting while incarcerated to a virtual lifetime ban. In 2004, these laws were responsible for directly denying 5.3 million Americans their right to vote, with millions more disfranchised due to a variety of procedures that leave even eligible voters misinformed about their voting rights.
No other Western democracy disfranchises so many of its citizens. Furthermore, the United States is the only democracy in the world that takes the vote away from citizens who have completed their sentences. Compounding the problem, state corrections authorities and elections officials rarely advise people with felony convictions about their voting rights, and when they do, they often distribute unclear and inaccurate information.
As the November 2006 election approaches, with so many known problems and new concerns about the health of our election system, this is a pivotal time to examine the state of our democracy.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 3
Ballot Access for Language Minority Voters and People with Disabilities
October 19, 2006
A properly functioning democracy encourages all eligible citizens to participate in elections. Our nation's commitment to this goal has resulted in landmark laws to assure that access to voting is available to all, including persons with disabilities and U.S. citizens who may have limited proficiency in English. Vast numbers of eligible voters depend on enforcement of these laws to protect their right to vote, yet even as we approach the third major election cycle of the 21st Century, it is clear that we still have a long way to go in assuring that all citizens enjoy access to the ballot.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 2
Provisional Ballots
October 17, 2006
The 2000 election will be remembered as a national debacle in which millions of citizens were denied the right to vote and have that vote be properly counted. To remedy the problems of 2000, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA). One of HAVA's principal provisions required states to adopt a system of "fail-safe" voting in which a person who goes to the polls, but whose name is not on the voter lists or who cannot produce the necessary identification, is allowed to vote on a provisional ballot. These provisional ballots will only be counted if elections officials are able to subsequently determine that the individual was eligible to vote.
While Congress may have scored points with the rhetoric of "fail-safe" voting, many states have taken advantage of HAVA's vague language to implement excessively restrictive provisional balloting rules and therefore deny otherwise eligible Americans their right to participate in the democratic process. Much like patients sent home with a placebo, many provisional voters think they are being given the vote, when in fact they are receiving a false promise.
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Challenges to Fair Elections 1
Voter ID/ proof of citizenship requirements for voting and registration
October 16, 2006
As a nation, we now face a serious threat to the very nature of our democracy, and the core American belief that wide electoral participation by as many eligible voters as possible is central to our prosperity and success. With salacious and often unfounded allegations of efforts to vote by non-citizens, the deceased, felons and even pets, partisans, fringe organizations, and opinion makers of all kinds have pressed for strict new voter identification requirements. But the facts do not warrant these extreme proposals. All available evidence suggests that voter fraud is exceedingly rare. The few substantiated instances of actual voter fraud in recent elections involved absentee voting, fraudulent voter registration applications, and erroneous voting by those ineligible to cast a ballot--none of which would have been prevented by requiring photo ID in order to vote. Courts have recently enjoined photo ID laws passed in Georgia, Missouri and Arizonat. Just as the proposals don't stop the problems, these laws also risk preventing upwards of 20 million Americans without government-issued identification from meeting the most fundamental responsibility of citizenship--exercising the right to vote.
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Ohio Legal Complaint
Legal Action In Ohio for Noncompliance With Federal Voter Registration Law
September 21, 2006
Fulfilling America's Promise
Ideas to Expand Opportunity and Revitalize Our Democracy, a 2006-2007 Policy Briefing Book
September 6, 2006
A Demos briefing book, with state-and federal-level application, to help elected officials advance new policies that promote electoral participation and provide all Americans with access to a stable, secure middle class.
Tools for Democracy: Felon Re-enfranchisement
Restoring Voting Rights to Citizens with Felony Convictions
September 1, 2006
Briefing paper explaining the benefits of restoring voting rights to citizens with felony convictions.
Tools for Democracy: Election Day Registration
In the 2000 and 2004 elections, EDR states had significantly higher voter participation rates than the national average.
September 1, 2006
A four-page toolkit of facts, analysis and persuasive reasons that all states should adopt Election Day Registration.
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Re-Drawing Lines
A Public Interest Analysis of California's
2006 Redistricting Reform Proposals
August 16, 2006
In recent years, citizens, the media and political experts have expressed growing concern over redistricting--the process of drawing new district lines to determine which residents will be grouped together when electing representatives. This concern has focused on the steady decline in competitiveness in congressional and legislative districts across the country and the recent efforts of several states to redraw legislative districts mid-decade to gain partisan advantage. In addition, most observers agree that there is a fundamental conflict of interest when state legislators exercise the power to redraw the boundaries of their own districts.
Letter to Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell on NVRA Noncompliance
May 17, 2006
Following a recent report by the NVRA Implementation Project documenting widespread national noncompliance with the NVRA, the National Voting Rights Institute, along with several voting rights groups and a prominent national law firm sent a letter to Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell notifying him of Ohio's failure to comply with the thirteen year-old National Voter Registration Act.
Letter to Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell on NVRA Noncompliance
May 17, 2006
Following a recent report by the NVRA Implementation Project documenting widespread national noncompliance with the NVRA, the National Voting Rights Institute, a formal Demos collaborator, along with several voting rights groups and a prominent national law firm sent a letter to Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell again notifying him of Ohio's failure to comply with the ten year old National Voter Registration Act.
Boards of Elections Continue Illegally To Disfranchise Voters with Felony Convictions
March 15, 2006
Maximizing Voter Registration Opportunities in Human Service Agencies
An Important Responsibility for Agencies and Clients
November 30, 2005
Ten Years Later, A Promised Unfulfilled
The National Voter Registration Act in Public Assistance Agencies, 1995-2005
September 14, 2005
Drawing Lines
A Public Interest Guide To Real Redistricting Reform
February 1, 2005
A new report by Demos and the Center for Governmental Studies that shows that current (February 2005) legislation and proposed initiatives on redistricting in California all fail to sufficiently address the needs of the public, and suggests clear guidelines for much fairer redistricting. The report responds to the California State Legislature and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who are considering sweeping changes to the way California draws electoral district boundaries with several new proposals that would give redistricting authority to an "Independent Redistricting Commission" and take it away from partisan legislative control.
EDR and the 2004 Election
January 10, 2005
Continuing Failures in "Fail-Safe" Voting
A Preliminary Analysis of Provisional Voting Problems
December 7, 2004
In this preliminary analysis, Demos finds that the right to provisional ballots was violated
across the country on November 2, 2004. While all the data on provisional balloting have
yet to be collected and assessed, available evidence suggests that Congress and the states
must revisit provisional ballot statutes, regulations and procedures if the original "failsafe" voting mandate is to be fully realized.
Placebo Ballots
Will "Fail-Safe" Provisional Voting Fail?
October 28, 2004
Demos' Ari Weisbard examines the practice of provisional balloting after the implementation of the Help America Vote Act.
Purged!
Will Eligible Voters Be Purged From Election Rolls?
October 27, 2004
Purged! provides an in-depth analysis of the confusing, disorganized and often partisan process used to "purge" voter rolls and deny eligible Americans the right to vote.
Ballot Barrier
Will Proposition 62 Limit Voter Choice in California?
October 4, 2004
A new Demos report on California's Proposition 62, which would replace partisan primaries with a "top-two" system, finds that it would be less effective than other electoral reforms, while risking significant reductions in voter choice and participation in general elections.
Divided Citizens
How Inequality Undermines Trust in America
May 1, 2004
An exploration of the importance of social trust in U.S. society and troubling ways in which rising economic inequality since the 1970s has helped to decrease trust between Americans.
EDR: Making Voting Easier
Election Day Registration in New York
April 20, 2004
Democracy Denied
The Racial History and Impact of Disenfranchisement Laws in the United States
February 26, 2004
This brief examines the relationship between criminal justice practices that disproportionately target people of color, and disenfranchisement laws that deprive citizens convicted of felonies of their right to vote.
Restoring Your Right to Vote in NY (page 2)
February 14, 2004
Restoring Your Right to Vote in NY (page 1)
February 14, 2004
Restaurando Su Derecho Al Voto en NY (p 1)
February 14, 2004
Restaurando Su Derecho Al Voto en NY (p 2)
February 14, 2004
Voting Rights Testimony at NYC Council Hearing 11-24-03
November 24, 2003
Demos' Joseph "Jazz" Hayden and Ludovic Blain testified about the impact of the Pro-Voter Law at a New York City Council hearing on November 24, 2003.
Punishing at the Polls
The Case Against Disenfranchising Citizens With Felony Convictions
November 24, 2003
Political scientist Alec Ewald sheds new light on the fundamentally undemocratic nature of felony disenfranchisement laws. Tracing the history of these laws from ancient Europe to their racist application in the post Civil War U.S., Ewald concludes that felony disenfranchisement laws are in profound conflict with America's best ideals of fairness and traditions of democracy.
HAVA Implementation in the 50 States
A Summary of State Implementation Plans
November 1, 2003
A comprehensive summary of plans in each state for implementation of the Help America Vote Act, focusing mainly on the issues which will most directly affect voters.
Securing the Vote
An Analysis of Election Fraud
April 14, 2003
An in-depth study of election fraud issues and the policy requirements of the Help America Vote Act.
Voting Rights Restoration and HAVA
December 30, 2002
An advocate's guide to using the Help America Vote Act to restore voting rights to citizens with felony convictions.
California Votes
The Promise of Election Day Registration
January 1, 2002
A comprehensive report about the benefits EDR would bring to California voters.
Expandiendo el Voto
Registro para el Día de Elección En California
January 1, 2002
Spanish translation of "California Votes," an analysis of how implementing Election Day Registraion would affect California.
Expanding the Vote
The Practice and Promise of Election Day Registration
January 1, 2002
Election Day Registration could bring millions of new voters to the polls and help reverse the long-term decline of voting in the United States.
Overdue Reform
The Need for Statewide Computerized Voter Registration Systems
January 1, 2002
Conference Report: Eliminating Barriers to Voting: Election Day Registration
November 30, 2001
A full report on the conference co-sponsored by Demos and the Brennan Center for Justice.
Democracy and the New Federalism
Report from a National Workshop
July 15, 2000
Proceedings from a national meeting at Demos in June 2000 which explored how trends such as globalization, demographic change, and technological advances are affecting civic life and democratic institutions in the 50 U.S. states, as well as state-federal relations.
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