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 federal policy 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 elements of NVRA relate to processes used for voter list maintenance or removing voters from the registration list. 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, statewide voter registration list and introduced revisions to the NVRA mail-based voter registration form, among other provisions.

State officials retain the ability to determine a variety of aspects of their voter registration systems. For example, state registration deadlines for federal elections cannot be more than 30 days before an election under NVRA, but states may set deadlines closer to Election Day or allow same-day voter registration. A number of states have automatic voter registration policies, where data from individuals transacting business with certain agencies are automatically shared with state election officials to facilitate new or updated voter registration records. States have different policies on whether convicted felons can vote while incarcerated or after their sentences are completed, as well as different policies on determining residency or domicile for voting purposes. States also vary in a range of administrative processes related to voter registration, including voter registration list maintenance, voter removal processes, and data-sharing.

Legislation addressing voter registration is routinely introduced in Congress, often proposing to amend existing provisions under NVRA or HAVA related to expanding voter registration opportunities or providing uniformity across state practices. Since the 2020 election, many states have considered or implemented changes to state voter registration policies. Voter registration system policies are also discussed in the context of election security, particularly following evidence that foreign actors attempted to access or accessed voter registration systems in some states prior to the 2016 election. During the 117th Congress to date, more than 50 bills have been introduced that address some element of federal voter registration. Some of these are standalone bills that solely address voter registration, and some of these are broader election administration or election security bills that contain specific provisions related to voter registration.."
Voter Registration 

The 2020 Elections: Selected Resources for Members and Constituents

"The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and reports of potential election interference might raise questions for Members and constituents about the 2020 elections. Potential disinformation campaigns and changes to election procedures in response to COVID-19 might make it more difficult for voters to determine how to register and vote. Voters might also be concerned about possible effects of COVID-19 or interference efforts on their safety or on the security of election workers or the electoral process itself.

This Insight shares selected resources Members and constituents might find helpful for navigating such questions. It links to information about (1) how to register and vote in 2020, and (2) how federal agencies are responding to potential election interference efforts and election effects of COVID-19. This product focuses on resources available from government officials and some of the organizations that support them, such as the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and National Conference of StateLegislatures (NCSL). Additional information may be available from media outlets or nonprofit groups.

Registering and Voting in 2020

States, territories, and localities have primary responsibility for administering elections in the United States, and their election officials are generally the most authoritative sources of information about when,where, and how to register and vote. NASS, which represents the officials who serve as the chief electionofficial in most states and territories, and the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC), which was established after the 2000 elections to help improve the administration of federal elections, each maintain a website that links to official state, territorial, and local election information. NASS’s site and the EAC’s site both provide access to contact information for election officials and state-specific tools for performing common voter activities, such as registering to vote, confirming voter registration status, locating a polling place, and checking requirements for voting early or by mail. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Federal Voting Assistance Program, which is charged with carrying out certain responsibilities under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, maintains a Voting AssistanceGuide that is directed primarily at overseas civilians and military personnel..."
2020 Election 

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

15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Voting Rights

"Passed by Congress February 26, 1869, and ratified February 3, 1870, the 15th amendment granted African American men the right to vote.
Read more at Our Documents....."
14th Amendment

An Assessment of MINORITY VOTING RIGHTS ACCESS in the United States

"Congress has directed the United States Commission on Civil Rights (“the Commission”) to annually examine “Federal civil rights enforcement efforts.” 1 In this report, the Commission examines minority voting rights access through the lens of the federal government’s enforcement of the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965 since the 2006 reauthorization of its special provisions.2 On February 2, 2018, the Commission held a field briefing in Raleigh, North Carolina. 3 The Commission heard testimony from 23 voting rights experts, including former United States Department of Justice (DOJ or Department) officials from both Republican and Democratic administrations, state election officials, and voting rights experts and advocates. 4 The Commission also heard from 33 members of the public, and received 31 post-briefing written statements in connection with this investigation. The Commission invited officials from relevant offices within the DOJ, but they declined the Commission’s invitation to testify at our field briefing. The Department provided data and documents, which are discussed in Chapter 5. The Department also reviewed a draft of this report and provided comments. The Commission draws this report from the above-referenced sources and independent research. Further, the Commission has considered and been informed by voting rights reports from its State Advisory Committees (SACs).5.."
Minority voting access

Voting in America: A Look at the 2016 Presidential Election

"Since 1964, the U.S. Census Bureau has fielded the Voting and Registration Supplement to the Current Population Survey every two years. Today, the Census Bureau released a series of tabulations and data products alongside a public use data file for the November 2016 presidential election.

In addition to the requirement that individuals be at least 18 years old, voters in national elections must also be U.S. citizens. Although the Census Bureau has collected voting and registration data since 1964, the Current Population Survey has gathered citizenship data since 1978. Figure 1 presents voting rates for the citizen voting-age population for each presidential election since 1980. In 2016, 61.4 percent of the citizen voting-age population reported voting, a number not statistically different from the 61.8 percent who reported voting in 2012.."

America votes

State Voter Identification Requirements: Analysis, Legal Issues, and Policy Considerations

"About 60% of U.S. voters live in the 33 states that require a voter at a polling place to produce an identification document (ID) before casting a ballot. Among those states, 20 permit voters without ID to cast a ballot through alternative means, such as signing an affidavit; 13 strictly enforce the ID requirement. The other 17 states and the District of Columbia have a range of nondocument requirements instead.

Over the last two decades, the number of states requiring voter IDs has tripled. The stringency of those requirements is controversial. States vary substantially in the range of IDs accepted, the information they must contain, and the ease with which a voter can procure an ID. Although all states requiring voter ID accept a local driver’s license, no two states have the same overall requirements. Among states with voter ID laws, 20 require photographic identification (photo ID), while 13 permit a nonphoto ID. In addition, 8 states require ID for voters casting absentee or mail-in ballots..."
Voter ID

50 Years After the Voting Rights Act, We Still Have Work to Do

"On August 6, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law — breaking down legal barriers at the state and local level that had prevented African Americans and others from exercising their constitutional right to vote.

Because of that law — one of our nation's most influential pieces of legislation — Americans who were previously disenfranchised and left out of the democratic process were finally able to cast a ballot. The law was designed to ensure that all American citizens, regardless of the color of their skin, had an equal opportunity to make their voices heard..."
Voting Rights Act

Who Votes? Congressional Elections and the American Electorate: 1978–2014

"Voting is among our most fundamental domestic responsibilities and important civic opportunities. Without free and open elections, American democracy would not exist. Maintaining and improving our system of elections requires not only documenting election results, but also understanding the composition of America’s electorate, both historically and presently.
Since 1964, the U.S. Census Bureau has fielded the Voting and Registration Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) every 2 years. Generally speaking, national American elections fall into two categories: elections where voters decide on the office of the President and congressional seats, and elections where congressional seats are the highest offices decided. To avoid confusion with presidential elections, the following report refers to nonpresidential year elections as “congressional elections.” Election results and voting patterns tend to vary between these two types of elections (specifically, voting and registration rates are lower in years with congressional elections only), and the majority of this report will focus on congressional election years only (2014, 2010, 2006, etc.)..."
Voting

City of Madison's Voter ID Information

Find information on Voter ID  requirements from the Madison City Clerk's Office.  
Voter ID Requirements

Voter Photo ID Required for Voting in November

Find current information on the voter id requirement from the Wisconsin Accountability Board.
WisconsinVoter ID

Criticizing Wisconsin’s Voter Id Statute, Attorney General Holder Pledges Aggressive Enforcement of Remaining Parts of Voting Rights Act

"On the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act, Attorney General Eric Holder pledged Wednesday that the Justice Department would remain aggressive in using Section 2 of the law—which was left intact by the Court’s decision—to guard against unjust voting restrictions.

Section 2, which prohibits barriers to voting that disadvantage minority groups, provided the basis for the department’s lawsuits last year against voting laws in North Carolina and Texas. It also formed the basis for a recent challenge to a voter ID statue in Wisconsin. In April, a federal district court sided with the plaintiffs in that case, declaring that the Wisconsin law violated both the equal protection clause of the Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act..."

Wisconsin; Voting Rights

Young-Adult Voting: An Analysis of Presidential Elections, 1964–2012

"Traditionally in American elections, young people have stood out for their consistently low levels of electoral participation, but a shift has appeared in some years, at least in part, in the direction of greater engagement. The main questions addressed in this analysis concern how important

young-adult voting has been in the past, particularly recent presidential elections, and how important it may

become in the future..."

Young Adult Voting

Congressional Redistricting and the Voting Rights Act: A Legal Overview

"The Constitution requires a count of the U.S. population every 10 years. Based on the census, the number of seats in the House of Representatives is reapportioned among the states. Thus, at least every 10 years, in response to changes in the number of Representatives apportioned to it or to shifts in its population, each state is required to draw new boundaries for its congressional districts. Although each state has its own process for redistricting, congressional districts must conform to a number of constitutional and federal statutory standards, including the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, as amended..."
https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R42482.pdf

Voting and Registration

Find a graphic representation of Voting and Registration by data by states covering years 1964 to 2010.

Historical Times Series in Graphic Form

Find historical voting times series for 1964 to 2010 by several categories: Race, Hispanic Origin, Sex, and Age Groups; Region, Educational Attainment, and Labor Force; Citizen Voting-age Population by State, and more.

Absentee Voting

Absentee voting instructions from the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

Polling Places - Wisconsin

In addition to providing polling places for Wisconsin citizens, the Wisconsin Government Accountably Board includes information on campaign finance, election results, new voter ID law, recall campaigns, voter registration, etc.

2011 Determinations of Political Jurisdictions Subject to Minority Language Assistance Provisions of Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act

"Pursuant to specifications in the Voting Rights Act as amended in July 2006, the U.S. Census Bureau released today a list of 248 jurisdictions across the nation that must provide language assistance during elections for groups who are unable to speak or understand English adequately enough to participate in the electoral process.

The list, which will be published in the Federal Register tomorrow, identifies which jurisdictions are covered by Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act and must provide language assistance for Hispanic, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Asian language groups. The Census Bureau has made these determinations following each decennial census since Section 203 was enacted in 1975. In 2006, Congress specified that the Census Bureau shall use statistics from the American Community Survey to make the determinations following the 2010 Census...

see also Voting Rights Determination File

Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008
"...In the 2008 presidential election, 64 percent of voting-age citizens voted, an estimate not statistically different from the percent that turned out in 2004, but higher than the presidential elections of 2000 and 1996 (Table 1).Overall, 131 million people voted in 2008, a turnout increase of about 5 million people since 2004. During this same 4-year period, the voting-age citizen
population in the United States increased by roughly 9 million people.

In 2008, 71 percent of voting-age citizens were registered to vote, a decrease compared to the 72 percent who were registered in 2004. The 2008 election had a higher registration rate than the
presidential election of 2000, but was not statistically diff erent from the 1996 rate. Overall, 146 million people were registered to vote in 2008, an increase of approximately 4 million people since
2004..."