Voter Registration System May Be a Barrier to Voting, Says a New Issue Brief

August 21, 2002, New York City--The United States has one of the lowest voter turnout rates among democratic nations. A new Century Foundation issue brief argues that the onerous voter registration procedures have contributed to low voter turnout. Tova Wang, the author of the brief, recommends steps to reduce the barriers to voting and increase voter turnout. Her recommendations include: election day registration; moving registration deadlines closer to elections; and shifting the financial and administrative burdens of voter registration towards the federal government.

In "Reforming the Voter Registration System," Wang proposes that Election Day Registration (EDR), which allows eligible citizens to register and vote simultaneously on election day, would make voting easier for people who move to a new jurisdiction, especially those who do so after the cut-off date for registration. This system also would eliminate the probability of voters showing up at the polls and being turned away, because their registration applications were not properly processed.

Alternatively, Wang suggests making the registration deadline closer to the date of the election: [This] "is one of the few voter registration provisions statistically shown to have a consistent and significant relationship to turnout," she says. Wang explains that the level of public interest grows significantly as election day draws near. And although some state election administrators are wary of shortening the time frame because it could lead to mishandling of registration applications, other administrators say that with sufficient funding and personnel, a closer deadline is manageable.

But who will pick up the extra tab? Wang says shifting the financial responsibility to the federal government would reduce the disparities in the efficiency of carrying out registration duties. Moreover, if the government took responsibility for seeking out voters, it could help to dispel the notion that only those who have the ability to go through a complex administrative process can participate.

Finally, Wang suggests making voter registration application accessible on the Internet. And while a signature is still required to complete the form, many say the on-line process allows the forms to be easily distributed.

Wang concludes that since no current federal legislation addresses this, reform will only come when the public understands the impact the voter registration system has on voter participation.

The issue brief is available on The Century Foundation's Federal Election Reform Network Website (www.reformelections.org) and on the main website www.tcf.org. For More information contact Christy Hicks at (212) 452-7723 or e-mail her at [email protected].

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