The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for January 5, 2023
2023 Anti-Voter Predictions – Expect Further Restrictions on Election Day Registration
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Brennan Center for Justice – Election Day Registration: A Study of Voter Fraud Allegations and Findings on Voter Roll Security
Yale Law Review – Election Day Registration and the Limits of Litigation
NH Business Review – Claims of widespread voter fraud in New Hampshire lack any specific examples
WMUR – Sununu signs bill creating new provisional ballot system in New Hampshire
The Hill – Opinion – Same-day registration is essential to voting rights debate
Montana Free Press – Judge: New voter laws “unconstitutional” and permanently enjoined
Groups Taking Action:
ACLU, NH Campaign for Voting Rights, Native American Rights Fund
Today’s Script: (Variations occur with audio due to editing for time)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that 22 states have some form of election day voter registration, also known as same-day registration. Studies show that same-day registration increases turnout 3% to 7%, and states like New Hampshire have used same-day registration for years without significant problems, so what’s not to like?
For two decades, misuse of same-day registration in New Hampshire has been subject to fines or imprisonment, but for the 2020 election there was only one unlawful voting charge for the whole state.
But in 2022, New Hampshire tightened its rules, using the President’s unfounded fraud allegations as the pretext. Registrants USED TO BE ABLE to sign an affidavit, swearing to their residence or identity if they were missing a document, then vote as normal and have it count. Last year, that vote was demoted to a provisional ballot, for which the voter must return with the appropriate documents in order to count.
These changes were not aimed at fraud, because, well, there isn’t any. Instead, these changes are targeted to new state residents, particularly the many college students residing in New Hampshire, who arrive in September and often register same-day. Similar changes were made in Montana targeting Native Americans, with two laws later were thrown out in court.
Our 2023 prediction? We will see additional attacks on election-day registration around the country as a voter suppression tool, using voter fraud claims as a pretext.
We have articles and groups taking action at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.