Brennan Center for Justice

On August 28, the Brennan Center and Advancement Project gathered hundreds of voting rights advocates, sharing new research to help to keep elections free, fair, and accessible. As courts and communities across the country continue to push back against restrictive voting laws, it is important to educate and invigorate voters about the importance of their vote, and garner support for progressive election reform after November.

Since the beginning of 2011 politicians looking to manipulate the system have proposed and enacted a wave of laws restricting the right to vote, including voter ID requirements and curbs on early voting and registration drives. These restrictions could make it harder for millions of Americans to vote. More than 21 million Americans don’t have the kind of government-issued photo ID cards that much of the new legislation would require. Among the most vulnerable constituencies: the elderly, students, and communities of color.

To request a copy of the Brennan Center and Advancement Project’s toolkit, or our story bank of disenfranchised voters, please contact Erik Opsal (erik.opsal@nyu.edu) or Kimberly Lubrano (kimberly.lubrano@nyu.edu).

See more recent Brennan Center research:

• Voting Law Changes in 2012 - Ahead of the 2012 elections, a wave of legislation tightening restrictions on voting swept across the country. Millions of Americans could be affected by the new rules already put in place — a number larger than the margin of victory in two of the last three presidential elections.

• The Challenge of Obtaining Voter Identification - States are required to provide free photo ID to eligible voters who do not have one. Unfortunately, these free IDs are not equally accessible to all voters. Nearly 500,000 Americans could struggle to get a photo ID to vote because they don't have vehicle access and live far from a state ID-issuing office open more than twice a week.

• 50-State Student Voting Guide - This interactive guide explains the basic residency, registration, identification, and absentee voting requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Many students who leave home to attend college are often misinformed about where they are eligible to vote. This guide seeks to remedy this confusion and make sure every student can cast a ballot that counts.

• Better Design, Better Elections - Design defects in ballots, voter instructions, and voting machines contributed to the loss of several hundred thousand votes in the most recent national elections. This comprehensive study outlines simple measures election officials can take before November to cure design defects and ensure every voter can cast a ballot that counts.

• State Restrictions on Voter Registration Drives - In recent years, state legislatures have attempted to make it harder for voter registration drives to operate. This report analyzes the most onerous aspects of state restrictions on voter registration drives and provides a state-by-state snapshot of the laws in each of the 50 states.