Other Voting Reforms
The Brennan Center’s Democracy Agenda outlines a series of concrete proposals that the next President and Congress should embrace to improve democracy in America.
Read our 2018 Democracy report here.
Prohibit Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation
Congress has considered several bills to prohibit acts of fraud or intimidation against voters. Such legislation would provide law enforcement with the tools to prevent practices like the circulation of fliers with false voting information in minority neighborhoods. Other bills have sought to combat “caging,” a process that involves efforts to remove registered voters from the rolls solely on the basis of undelivered mail, and unfair “voter challenges,” which let private citizens disenfranchise legitimate voters. Congress should give law enforcement what it needs to ensure that all eligible voters can cast their ballots without illegal hindrance.
Full Voting Rights in Washington, D.C.
Civil rights advocates have long called for full congressional representation for residents of Washington, D.C., whose delegates cannot vote in Congress. Such legislation would grant voting representatives for the District, which has more than 600,000 residents.
Strengthen Data for Democracy
By mandating improved data collection practices for elections, and ensuring this information reaches administrators in the states, Congress can ensure that problems become known and, in turn, encourage states to resolve them.