Publications
Democracy
Voter Registration Modernization: Collected Reports and Papers
An overview of the work done over the past few years by the Brennan Center exposing problems of Voter Registration and offering solutions—solutions that could bring the United States in line with other democracies around the world, and which would increase the number of voters registered and make the registration process simpler and easier.
Authored by: Wendy Weiser, ed.
– 10/05/09
Registering Military and Overseas Citizens to Vote
This policy paper focuses on the voter registration problems facing military and overseas voters - and on solutions to these problems. In particular, it explains how modernization of the voter registration process would significantly decrease the registration problems military and overseas voters face.
Authored by: Adam Skaggs
– 07/16/09
Judge Sotomayor’s Record in Constitutional Cases
This report uses measures for testing judicial activism and deference developed by academics in recent years to analyze Judge Sotomayor’s decisionmaking and compared her record to that of her colleagues on the Second Circuit.
Authored by: Monica Youn
Foreword by Professor Burt Neuborne
– 07/09/09
Voter Registration Modernization
This document is a summary of the policy proposal for universal voter registration.
Authored by: Wendy R. Weiser, Michael Waldman and Renée Paradis
– 06/23/09
Permanent Voter Registration
This report examines systems of statewide permanent registration under which, once a voter registers to vote in a state, she can move to a new address within the state or change her name and vote a ballot that counts in a subsequent election — without having to re-register each time she moves or takes affirmative steps to change her registration information. We conclude with recommendations for developing effective systems of permanent registration.
Authored by: Adam Skaggs & Jonathan Blitzer
– 06/19/09
When Voters Move
In the United States, a voter registration is linked to residential addresses, meaning that every time a voter moves, they need to update their registration. With 90 million eligible voters moving every five years - 45% of the total population - this system is not only outdated, but ineffective and costly.
Authored by: Myrna Pérez
– 06/13/09
Expanding Democracy: Voter Registration Around the World
This report is summarizes an examination of voter registration systems in sixteen countries. The United States is one of few democratic nations that place the entire burden of registering to vote on individual citizens. There is a better way to make voter registration more comprehensive and accurate, with clear benefits to voters, overall taxpayer savings, and less burden on election administrators.
Authored by: Jennifer Rosenberg with Margaret Chen
– 06/10/09
Restoring the Right to Vote
Despite a history of expanding the franchise, there remains one significant blanket barrier to the franchise. 5.3 million American citizens are not allowed to vote because of a felony conviction. As many as 4 million of these people live in our communities, but are still denied the right to vote because of a prior conviction.
Authored by: Erika Wood
– 05/11/09
Electoral Competition and Low Contribution Limits
This report examines campaign contribution limits and the impact limits can have on electoral competition.
Authored by: Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, Kahlil Williams and Dr. Thomas Stratmann
– 05/04/09
2008 & 2009 Ohio Elections Summit and Conference
After voting ended on Nov. 4, 2008, Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner announced a bipartisan convening to study the recent election with a goal of determining what went right as well as what could be improved. This is the final report from the summit and conference.
Authored by: Lawrence Norden with Jessie Allen
– 04/08/09