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Voter Registration

Voter registration is often the first step in the election process. Voter registration policies such as automatic and online registration work to determine the eligible electorate in each state, and these more modern innovations can allow more eligible voters to be registered. Some states have also put in place restrictive policies, such as purging voter rolls based on inactivity, that operate to unduly restrict the electorate before elections even begin.  

The following resources include explanations of the automatic voter registration process and its benefits, as well as discussion of other voter registration-related policies including registration deadlines, pre-registration and voter list maintenance. 

Related Resources

Democracy 101: Understanding Proof of Citizenship Requirements for Voter Registration
This brief details how policy proposals requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration have emerged, and explains why these threaten to disenfranchise millions of otherwise eligible voters.
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This report in partnership with the Civics Center examines specific barriers that young voters face, what states can do to support young voters and how each state’s election policies impact this important demographic.
Unfair Voter Roll Purging is Legal in Several States and Impacts One-Third of Americans
Voter purging is a persistent problem that enables voter suppression and threatens access to the ballot each election cycle. Over one-third of eligible voters live in states that initiate voter removal based on inactivity in recent elections.
State of Democracy: 2022 in Review
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This report details five policy approaches that states should adopt to truly secure elections, while also ensuring that every eligible voter is able to easily cast their vote.
Policy Spotlight: Automatic Voter Registration Is Good for Democracy, But How It is Done Matters
Litigating the Right to Vote: Seven Important Court Cases to Watch in 2022
Policy Spotlight: Automatic Voter Registration Best Practices in the States

MAP’s newest policy spotlight, Automatic Voter Registration Best Practices in the States, details state approaches to automatic voter registration (AVR) and examines how differences in implementation of AVR can significantly impact election security and voter turnout. The report is part of MAP’s Democracy Maps project, which tracks more than 40

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