Voter Registration: Recent Developments and Issues for Congress

"Voter registration policies are typically determined by state and local governments, subject to certain federal requirements. Historically, much of the federalpolicy discussion surrounding voter registration has focused on providing access to registration opportunities.Some federal statutes that primarily address preserving voting access for certain constituencies also include provisions that address voter registration, such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA), the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 (VAEHA), and the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986 (UOCAVA).

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) expanded registration opportunities by creating a federal mail-based registration form and requiring states to provide voter registration opportunities alongside services provided by departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) and at other agencies. NVRA remains a fundamental component of federal voter registration policy and contains a number of other provisions affecting voter registration administration. Other key provisions of NVRA are related to processes used for voter list maintenance or removing voters from the registration list, among other provisions. The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), a broader election administration statute, also addresses voter registration. HAVA required states to create a computerized, centralized voter registration list and introduced revisions to the NVRA mail-based voter registration form, among other provisions..."
Voter registration