Voter Registration Drives
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. Voter registration drives conducted by nonpartisan, nonprofit organizations have dramatically increased voter registration rates among groups that have traditionally faced the greatest barriers to voting, including low-income, minority, and young voters. Unfortunately, instead of supporting such efforts, in the past few years a number of states have passed, and others are considering, laws and regulations shutting down or seriously restricting voter registration drives.
The Brennan Center engages in litigation, legislative drafting, and advocacy to remove unnecessary barriers to voter registration drives and to ensure that any regulation of those drives serves voters and protects First Amendment rights. In 2006, the Brennan Center successfully challenged restrictive laws in Florida and Ohio. We also helped to defeat efforts to restrict drives in other states.
League of Women Voters of Florida v. Browning
The Brennan Center is working with nonpartisan voter registration groups in Florida to mount a constitutional challenge against Florida’s onerous new restrictions on community-based voter registration drives.
State Of Florida v. United States of America
On May 19th, 2011, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed Florida’s House Bill 1355, a mammoth 158-page omnibus bill, which includes language that restricts the opportunity and ability of citizens and grassroots organizations to conduct voter registration drives by imposing burdensome and wholly unnecessary regulations and red tape, reduces the number of days in the state’s early voting period, and potentially reduce the total of early voting hours, and, makes it impossible for registered voters who have recently moved between Florida counties to provide notice of their change of address on election day and still cast a regular ballot.
State of Ohio ex rel. Myles v. Brunner
Brennan Center filed an amicus brief in a case challenging Ohio’s rejection of absentee ballot request forms created by the McCain campaign.
Looking Around the World for Inspiration: Voter Registration
Chile modernized its voter registration system this week. But a first-rate democracy like the U.S. still lags behind.
After Voter ID—The Next Battle in the War on Voting
The one-year countdown to Election Day 2012 has officially begun. With the rash of restrictive state voting laws that have passed in recent months, election administrators must prepare voters for 2012.
Michigan: Following Florida’s Lead on Voter Registration Barriers?
State lawmakers are pushing a bill that puts unnecessary restrictions on helping others register to vote.
Illustrations by Risko
Brennan Center Submits Testimony Challenging Florida’s Restrictive Election Law
The Brennan Center for Justice submitted written testimony in advance of today’s U.S. Senate hearing examining Florida’s new election law, H.B. 1355, stating that the law’s onerous restrictions on community-based voter registration drives are unconstitutional and offering solutions for modernizing the state’s voter registration system.
League of Women Voters, Rock the Vote, & Florida PIRG Ask Court to Block Voter Reg. Restrictions
The Brennan Center is representing three nonpartisan groups mounting a constitutional challenge to Florida's onerous new restrictions on community-based voter registration drives.
Civil Rights Groups Join Florida Voting Lawsuit, Will Defend Voting Rights Act
Yesterday, a three-judge panel of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the National Council of La Raza and the League of Women Voters of Florida can intervene as defendants in a legal action over Florida’s new voting law, H.B. 1355, best known for its new, extreme restrictions on volunteer voter registration drives.
New State Voting Laws II: Protecting the Right to Vote in the Sunshine State
The Brennan Center for Justice submitted written testimony for a U.S. Senate hearing examining Florida’s new election law, H.B. 1355, stating that the law’s onerous restrictions on community-based voter registration drives are unconstitutional and offering solutions for modernizing the state’s voter registration system.
Statement for Congressional Forum: “Excluded from Democracy”
The Brennan Center's Lawrence Norden speaks on new state voting law changes and the potential negative effects for voters at a Capitol Hill forum called by members of congress.
Letter to the Department of Justice Urging Denial of Preclearance for Florida Election Law Changes
The League of Women Voters of Florida, Democracia USA, the Brennan Center for Justice, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law write the Deptartment of Justice to oppose preclearance of three sets of provisions of a new Florida law, H.B. 1355 (2011), which dramatically impact the State’s voter registration and voting processes. All four organizations are non-partisan, non-profit entities that work to expand and protect voting rights in Florida and across the United States.
Modernize Florida’s Voting System
In 2012, you can use your iPhone to deposit a check or track your fantasy team, but registering to vote is still stuck in the 19th century. Once again, Florida is in the middle of the war on voting, passing an election law last year that will make it even harder for tens of thousands of citizens to vote.
Voting Rights in 2011: A Legislative Round-Up
As the 2012 election approaches, a massive crackdown on voting rights is unfolding – the most significant such assault in decades. Millions of Americans risk disenfranchisement, blocked from casting ballots or having them count.
Voting Challenges 2010 - Media Webinar
On October 27, 2010, the Brennan Center presented a webinar on challenges to the 2010 vote for the media. The presentation is updated from an October 13, 2010, briefing at the National Press Club.