Voter Registration Drives

At a time when political operatives are trying to make it harder for some Americans to participate in the democratic process, community-based voter registration drives continue to increase the number of eligible Americans registered to 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.

In recent years, however, state legislatures have attempted to make it harder for voter registration drives to operate.

The Brennan Center engages in advocacy and litigation to prevent unnecessary barriers to voter registration drives and to ensure that any regulation of those drives serves voters and protects First Amendment rights. The Brennan Center has successfully challenged restrictive laws in Florida and Ohio. We also helped to defeat efforts to restrict drives in other states.

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 50 State Voter Registration Drive Guide 

Community voter registration drives have increased the numbers of registered voters for decades. But in recent years, state legislatures have increasingly made it harder for voter registration drives to operate. This Brennan Center guide 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. View the full report here