Voter Lists and Databases
Although many barriers to voting—like property requirements, literacy tests, and poll taxes—are no longer constitutional, for many eligible citizens, voter registration continues to be a significant obstacle. More than a quarter of voting-age Americans are not registered and thus cannot vote. The Brennan Center works to promote fair voter registration and voter list policies to ensure that all eligible citizens have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote and are not unduly barred by administrative and other barriers.
Common Cause of Colorado, et al. v. Buescher
A coalition of voting rights groups sued the Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman (who, upon leaving office, was replaced by Brian Buescher) claiming he illegally removed over 27,000 voters from the rolls. They filed a temporary restraining order to get those names reinstated and to ensure additional names cannot be removed before Election Day.
Van Hollen v. Government Accountability Board
Wisconsin AG, J.B. Van Hollen, claims the state’s Government Accountability Board(GAB) is incompliant with HAVA by not retroactively running database matches and purging voters from registration rolls.
A lawsuit filled by the Brennan Center and other voting rights advocates challenging Florida’s requirement that the driver’s license or Social Security number on a registration form be verified before a voter can be registered to vote.
A New Texas Two-Step: One Forward, Two Back
Consensus among Texan legislators on election issues is becoming vanishingly rare. The defeat of H.B. 1457—a bill designed to correct administrative flaws in the voting system—is the latest example.
Yesterday, Ohio Sec. of State Jennifer Brunner released to Gov. Ted Strickland and the Ohio General Assembly a “blueprint for enhancing Ohio’s elections”....
The Ohio Secretary of State’s elections summit is a process I hope other Secretaries of State will follow....
Illustrations by Risko
Detailed Reports Offer Guidelines for Permanent Voter Registration
Today, two new studies on voter registration for Americans who move show both the feasibility and need to modernize the voter registration system. Tens of millions of Americans move every year, and permanent registration throughout all states would dramatically increase voter participation by millions.
Can the U.S. Register Every Voter?
Brennan Center’s sixteen-country study provides blueprint for U.S. modernization plan.
Election Officials Voice Support For Brennan Center Report
Release from the Ohio Association of Election Officials, cross-posted on the Brennan Center web site.
Adam Skaggs before the Illinois House of Representaton
Testimony on legislative trends in election administration delivered before the House Elections Committee.
Letter to Florida County Supervisors of Election re: Unverified Voters
The Brennan Center and Advancement Project wrote a letter to Florida County Supervisors of Elections regarding voters whose information could not be matched.
Letter to Attorney General Mukasey
Letter from voting rights groups urging the Department of Justice to issue a public statement or letter assuring that the rights of all voters to participate in the election will be free of intimidation or harrassment will be protected.
Voter Suppression Incidents 2008
A list of voter suppression incidents from the 2008 election.
CNN Voter Purges | Wendy Weiser
Wendy Weiser appears on segement in which CNN’s Abbie Boudreau looks into allegations of voter purges.
GRIT tv | Wendy Weiser, Voter Rolls
Wendy Weiser discusses the procedural battles being fought over the voter rolls. David Earnhardt and Ron Kuby also join Laura Flanders on the show.