However, the policies discussed in this report have been shown to improve voter participation and help make the process of voting more convenient by eliminating many of the barriers keeping millions of Americans from exercising their civic duty. If properly implemented, these policies and practices have the potential to expand the electorate and to elect representatives that are more reflective of and responsive to the American population.
The utility and impact of the pro-voter structural policies described in this report depend largely on people knowing that they exist and how to use them. As described by voting expert Tova Wang:. They need to be provided with this information in very simple straightforward terms. Infrequent or first-time voters are especially unlikely to know about the availability of things such as same-day voter registration and early voting.
This obligation falls largely on states and localities, both of which should send eligible voters notifications regarding voting registration deadlines and information about eligibility as well as where and how to register. Well in advance of Election Day, eligible voters should receive notifications that remind them to vote and include information about their respective polling place and voting hours.
This would help cut down on improperly cast ballots. The sections that follow describe pro-voter tools that states can adopt in order to increase voter participation and provide more voting opportunities for eligible Americans. By adopting the following recommendations, states can diversify and expand the electorate, resulting in a government that is more representative of the American populace and in policy outcomes that better reflect public will. One of the most effective ways to improve voter participation is to increase the number of people who are registered to vote by making the process more convenient.
Every state except North Dakota requires that people register to vote before casting their ballot. Census Bureau, in , approximately 1 in 7 American citizens who were of voting age self-reported that they were not registered to vote. Simply registering more people to vote would increase participation, as registered individuals are more likely to cast a ballot in elections. For example, in , 61 percent of U. Each election cycle, barriers to the voter registration process—including a lack of accessible information about where and how to register—prevent countless Americans from voting.
In a survey, 6 percent of respondents said that they were not registered to vote because they did not know how to register. Certain groups are less likely to be registered to vote; these include communities of color, low-income Americans, those with disabilities, and young people. Young people are particularly burdened by barriers in the voter registration process. According to the census, people ages 18 to 34 were registered at a rate of 64 percent in , compared with 72 percent of citizens 35 years or older.
Improving the voter registration process can decrease gaps in voter participation between demographic groups. For example, in , white voting-age citizens participated at a 63 percent rate, while voting-age citizens of color participated at a 53 percent rate.
Therefore, while the participation gap between eligible white citizens and eligible citizens of color is 10 percentage points, among registered citizens, the gap is only 2. Even if one succeeds in navigating the labyrinthine voter registration process, for the millions of Americans who move frequently or lack traditional addresses, registration can be difficult to maintain. From to , approximately 11 percent of people changed their place of residence.
Here, too, there are demographic disparities. Census Bureau, from to , the black or African American population had a higher moving rate than any other racial or ethnic group; Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 changed addresses more than three times as often as Americans age 35 and older; and those living below the poverty line were about 6 percentage points more likely to move than those living above the poverty line.
Additionally, arbitrary voter registration deadlines that occur needlessly early make the voter registration process even more difficult for eligible voters. In , arbitrary voter registration deadlines prevented 4. The case was heard by the Massachusetts Supreme Court in May To ensure voter registration rolls are accurate and regularly updated, states should enlist the help of the Electronic Registration Information Center ERIC.
For those whose registration information is identified by the report as inaccurate or outdated, the state provides them with information on how to update their record. AVR encourages voter participation by realigning incentives and shifting the burden of voter registration onto the state. In this way, AVR offers a secure, modern way to use data efficiently to enhance the integrity of voter rolls and facilitate voter participation for all. Once the Oregon State Elections Division receives qualifying voter records from the DMV, it sends postcards to each individual informing them that they will be registered to vote through AVR unless they decline by signing and mailing back the postcard.
The individual has 21 days to return the postcard indicating that they do not wish to be automatically registered to vote; afterward, they will be registered to vote upon confirmation of eligibility.
Due to the many benefits that automatic voter registration offers election administrators and eligible voters, AVR programs are being adopted across the country.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, AVR has been passed by 12 states and the District of Columbia, with varying processes and implementation models.
For example, roughly one-third of the , individuals registered to vote through AVR within the first year of its implementation in Oregon voted in the election. Similarly, of those registered, some CAP research finds that, if every state implemented AVR, more than 22 million registered voters could be added to state voter rolls in just the first year.
All else being equal, if every state adopted the Oregon model of AVR, within just the first year of implementation, one could expect more than 7. This model is structured to include as many eligible Americans as possible and is the best option for voters in states that are equipped with databases that are secure and efficient. Additionally, states should ensure that designated AVR agencies extend beyond state DMVs to include social services agencies, universities, and departments of correction, where they are technologically prepared to collect and share information to confirm voter eligibility.
Doing so will help guarantee that AVR has the greatest impact on the largest number of eligible voters. Same-day registration, which this report defines as including Election Day registration, improves the voter registration process by allowing registration to take place at the same time that voters are casting their ballots, removing barriers such as arbitrarily early registration deadlines.
Moreover, individuals who have moved can simply bring a bill or other documentation showing residency to the designated voting location in order to update their voter registration. In the election, nationwide, more than 1. Same-day voter registration has proven effective in increasing voter participation.
Notably, same-day registration is effective at increasing voter registration for historically underrepresented groups. In , young people from states with SDR policies were, on average, 9 percent more likely to vote than those living in states that lacked the policy. According to estimates, if implemented nationally, SDR could boost participation for young people—ages 18 to 25—by 12 percent as well as by 7.
In addition to increasing participation, the majority of election officials in jurisdictions with SDR have found implementation costs to be minimal, and roughly half of respondents said that it reduced the burden of voter registration surges that occur before traditional registration deadlines. All else being equal, if projections are based on the 5-percent average increase in voter turnout that was experienced by states with SDR, had all states that do not have SDR passed and implemented the policy, there likely could have been more than 4.
Same-day voter registration is a common-sense policy proven to increase voter participation and close participation gaps. States enacting it must be sure that the policy includes Election Day registration, as opposed to only allowing SDR during early voting periods. To ensure that the policy is carried out effectively, voting locations must be adequately staffed to handle large numbers of same-day registrations, as the policy has proven popular in the states that use it.
One way to improve voter participation for young people is to welcome them into the democratic process early, preregistering them to vote at a time when they are more likely to begin interacting with government agencies where voter registration services are offered. Preregistration policies allow eligible Americans to preregister to vote before their 18th birthday. Upon turning 18, their voter registration is automatically activated so that they can exercise their right to vote.
During the elections, African Americans who preregistered to vote in Florida were 5. Since launching its program in the fall of , the state has already preregistered , and year-olds. In adopting preregistration policies, states should offer preregistration services through not just the DMV, but other sites and services that are frequented and used by young people, such as schools, hair salons, movie theaters, community days of action, volunteer programs geared toward young people, and naturalization ceremonies.
Online voter registration makes the voter registration process more convenient and drives voter participation, particularly for young people. It eliminates the hassle of locating where to register, securing time off work, and finding transportation to DMVs or other voter registration locations in order to register in person.
Online voter registration is particularly useful for eligible voters who are highly transient as well as those with inflexible schedules. Online voter registration is popular in jurisdictions that have it. Research shows that those who register online are more likely to participate in elections. And, as new generations become more accustomed to using web-based services, reliance on online voter registration may increase in the future. In addition to improving participation in elections—particularly for young people—online voter registration has been shown to save jurisdictions money.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 38 states and the District of Columbia currently provide eligible voters with the option to register to vote online. As of , 11 percent of all Americans still do not use the internet. Most non-internet users are older, lower-income, and live in rural communities. As such, to ensure that they are not shut out of the democratic process, they must be provided opportunities to register through other means.
In addition to implementing those policies mentioned above, states must meet their obligations under the National Voter Registration Act NVRA , which requires DMVs, social service agencies, and other government offices to offer voter registration services to eligible people during transactions. In just its first year of implementation, the NVRA helped facilitate voter registration applications and updates for more than 30 million people.
In , when the NVRA was enacted, only Unfortunately, in some places, compliance with the NVRA is lacking. A Pew survey found that only 16 percent of unregistered respondents were asked to register to vote by an official at a motor vehicle department, social services agency, or other government office.
Many eligible voters with young children must find reliable and affordable child care before going to the polls. However, this can be especially difficult if designated polling places are located far away or if polling place lines are long, requiring additional time away from work or home—time that many Americans cannot afford.
Black voters are, on average, forced to wait in line nearly twice as long as white voters. Eligible voters should be provided ample opportunity to exercise their civic duty and have their voice heard in our democracy. Affirmative voting policies—including in-person early voting, no-excuse absentee voting, and vote-at-home with vote centers—aim to make the voting process more convenient for voters, particularly for those with scheduling and transportation challenges.
Some convenience-based voting policies, like vote-at-home, have shown to be more effective in driving participation than others. States should implement the following pro-voter policies in order to expand voting opportunities for eligible Americans and drive participation:. Early voting aims to make voting more convenient for eligible voters by providing them with greater flexibility and opportunities to cast ballots.
If implemented correctly and with sufficient resources, early voting has the potential to facilitate shorter lines on Election Day—particularly among communities of color—and to improve the voter experience. Although some research suggests that, by simply making the task more convenient, early voting mostly benefits people who would already vote, one study found that early voting can increase participation by about 2 to 4 percent. It is also worth noting that cuts to early voting can have a detrimental impact on voter participation.
A study by The Atlantic found that, in North Carolina counties with polling place closures and reductions in voting hours, during the first week of early voting, black voter participation reached only 60 percent of the cumulative participation at the same point in And while participation increased some in the weeks leading up to the election, black participation never reached more than 90 percent of the cumulative participation in All else being equal, if states that currently do not have early voting had it in place during the elections, one could have expected at least , more voters that year based on conservative 2 percent estimates.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, early voting is permitted in 33 states and the District of Columbia, though early voting opportunities vary in terms of timing and location. In implementing this policy, states should ensure that there is an adequate number of early voting locations conveniently located near public transportation. Early voting should be available on Saturdays and Sundays and should begin at least 14 days prior to Election Day, as research suggests that early voting is most commonly utilized by infrequent voters and nearer to an election.
However, hours of operation vary significantly depending on the jurisdiction. Limited polling place hours can be problematic for voters whose workdays begin especially early and end late in the evening and for those who are unable to take time away from work.
As noted in previous sections of this report, the act of voting can be a burdensome process for many eligible Americans who otherwise want to participate. It may involve taking time away from work, child care costs, and mobility and transportation challenges as well as long lines and complications at polling places.
No-excuse absentee voting and vote-at-home policies help voters avoid these altogether, allowing eligible voters to cast ballots at their convenience, often in the comfort of their own homes. By Mark Ritchie. Voter turnout can vary widely across states and within cities and counties, even when structural factors are the same.
A shared sense of responsibility among residents for taking care of their communities may be part of the explanation. By Kate Lydon. IDEO brings a human-centered design lens to voting in Los Angeles County—and finds compelling opportunities to increase participation nationally. By David Becker 3. To increase voter turnout, other approaches are needed—ones intended not to inflame passions about what may be at stake in a particular election but instead to connect more voters to the process of voting and to the value of participating in our democracy.
In , the UK Parliament published a report outlining ways to increase turnout. Their suggestions included: a statutory requirement for mandatory voting, electoral reform and an increased level of online campaigning. These measures have an aim — to provide a higher level of participation and ergo, strengthen the legitimacy of the UK Government.
The legitimacy of our political institutions is only one facet of democracy. The introduction of compulsory voting is a contentious, yet effective method of increasing levels of political participation in elections. There are twenty-two states that have mandatory voting, including Argentina, Australia and Belgium. Those controlling polities have had their power provided by the majority of the overwhelming masses, not a majority of meagre turnout.
When there is a substantial differential between the level of public support and the level political power received, like there was in the UK General Election, a deficit is induced. This deficit refers to the shortfalls of public support compared with gains of political power. It is known as the democratic deficit Marquand, and was first introduced to critique the European Union EU. If political actors or groups, who do not represent a substantial proportion of the electorate, have control of UK political institutions, which have significant political sovereignty, their mandate to govern is weak.
If so, the existence of our democracy has become ostensible and needs a quick fix. Mandatory voting is a simple, yet effective tool in minimising the democratic deficit. There is little room to criticise the level of representation and mandate present in democracies where mandatory voting is not required.
Democratically elected officials and the institutions they operate in clearly stand to benefit from the active participation of all its citizens. Enforcing democratic institutions, such as voting, on citizens creates a trade-off between different facets of democracy. The key trade-off in question concerns legitimacy and the protection of rights and liberties of domiciles. Compulsory voting forces people to participate when they may not wish to, fostering resentment towards the government.
Even in a field containing several candidates, representing a plethora of distinct views, there are some who find themselves unable to choose — but are sadly forced too.
Without the freedom to abstain from voting, some vote solely to appease a democratic constraint and avoid the fine. Voting is then no longer an exercise of freedom, it become an obstacle to freedom. UK civil liberties do not stand to benefit from the introduction of mandatory voting. Mandatory voting increases legitimacy of polities but is balanced out by the curtailment of individual freedoms. Democracy achieves no net gain.
In sum, it is an empirical fact that mandatory voting is a measure that can be utilised to improve voter turnout. Whether it should be utilised is contingent on the trade off between the legitimacy of polities and the freedom of citizens.
The core of democracy, in states that have mandatory voting, is contentious. In states that do not utilise mandatory voting, citizens have the ability to truly exercise their political voice. More about using personalized language. Create a sense of belonging Give voters a feeling of belonging. More about creating a sense of belonging. Thank your voters Say thank you for participating in the last election and emphasize that this election is an opportunity to help shape decision making within your organization.
More about thanking your voters. Create an election website With an election-specific microsite you'll give the election more attention than you could ever do with your general website.
More about election micro-websites. Create election polls Conducting a small survey among in the middle of the election period will remind those who have not voted to do so. More about polls. Use campaign ambassadors A message of encouragement to participate in the election from influential people is very effective. More about campaign ambassadors. Optimize your electoral roll By optimizing your voter registration list you can reach out to more voters.
More about optimizing your electoral roll.
0コメント