Vermont citizens, starting in 2017, will be able to register and vote on Election Day, under a new bill, SB 29, signed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) today. Vermont is the 14th state, plus the District of Columbia, to pass legislation to allow voters to register on Election Day, which can boost turnout and make it easier for eligible voters to cast a ballot that will get counted.
Jodeen Olguín-Tayler, Director of Campaigns and Advocacy at Demos hopes other states are inspired by Vermont's example.
From The Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, some "Benefits of Election Day Registration"
Boosts Turnout - In the 2012 election, for example, four of the five states with the highest voter turnout offered voters the opportunity to register and vote on the same day, according to Demos, and average turnout was 10 percentage points higher in such states.
Reduces Need for Provisional Ballots - If a voter shows up at the polls and is not on the rolls, the only option is casting a provisional ballot, which too often goes uncounted. Election Day registration reduces the need for provisional ballots because voters can register on the spot and cast a ballot that counts. For example, Iowa saw a 67 percent drop in provisional ballots after implementing this reform.
Facilitates Updates to the Voter Rolls. In many states without Election Day registration, voters must proactively register to vote days, weeks, or longer, before the election.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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