{"id":174,"date":"2017-08-08T16:37:18","date_gmt":"2017-08-08T16:37:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/openstax-americangovernment\/chapter\/voter-registration\/"},"modified":"2019-06-12T15:13:12","modified_gmt":"2019-06-12T15:13:12","slug":"voter-registration","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/chapter\/voter-registration\/","title":{"raw":"Voter Registration","rendered":"Voter Registration"},"content":{"raw":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\nBy the end of this section, you will be able to:\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Identify ways the U.S. government has promoted voter rights and registration<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Summarize similarities and differences in states\u2019 voter registration methods<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Analyze ways states increase voter registration and decrease fraud<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474312899\">Before most voters are allowed to cast a ballot, they must register to vote in their state. This process may be as simple as checking a box on a driver\u2019s license application or as difficult as filling out a long form with complicated questions. Registration allows governments to determine which citizens are allowed to vote and, in some cases, from which list of candidates they may select a party nominee. Ironically, while government wants to increase voter turnout, the registration process may prevent various groups of citizens and non-citizens from participating in the electoral process.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474418080\" class=\"bc-section section\">\r\n<h2>VOTER REGISTRATION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474316358\">Elections are state-by-state contests. They include general elections for president and statewide offices (e.g., governor and U.S. senator), and they are often organized and paid for by the states. Because political cultures vary from state to state, the process of <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">voter registration<\/span><\/strong> similarly varies. For example, suppose an 85-year-old retiree with an expired driver\u2019s license wants to register to vote. He or she might be able to register quickly in California or Florida, but a current government ID might be required prior to registration in Texas or Indiana.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474247916\">The varied registration and voting laws across the United States have long caused controversy. In the aftermath of the Civil War, southern states enacted<strong> <span class=\"no-emphasis\">literacy test<\/span>s, <span class=\"no-emphasis\">grandfather clause<\/span>s,<\/strong> and other requirements intended to disenfranchise black voters in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Literacy tests were long and detailed exams on local and national politics, history, and more. They were often administered arbitrarily with more blacks required to take them than whites.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nStephen Medvic. 2014. <em>Campaigns and Elections: Players and Processes<\/em>, 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<strong>Poll taxes<\/strong> required voters to pay a fee to vote. Grandfather clauses exempted individuals from taking literacy tests or paying <span class=\"no-emphasis\">poll tax<\/span>es if they or their fathers or grandfathers had been permitted to vote prior to a certain point in time. While the Supreme Court determined that grandfather clauses were unconstitutional in 1915, states continued to use poll taxes and literacy tests to deter potential voters from registering.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<em>Guinn v. United States<\/em>, 238 U.S. 347 (1915).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nStates also ignored instances of violence and intimidation against African Americans wanting to register or vote.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nMedvic, <em>Campaigns and Elections<\/em>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"eip-991\">The ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment in 1964 ended poll taxes, but the passage of the <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Voting Rights Act<\/span> <\/strong>(VRA) in 1965 had a more profound effect (Figure). The act protected the rights of minority voters by prohibiting state laws that denied voting rights based on race. The VRA gave the attorney general of the United States authority to order federal examiners to areas with a history of discrimination. These examiners had the power to oversee and monitor voter registration and elections. States found to violate provisions of the VRA were required to get any changes in their election laws approved by the U.S. attorney general or by going through the court system. However, in <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\"><em>Shelby County v. Holder<\/em><\/span><\/strong> (2013), the Supreme Court, in a 5\u20134 decision, threw out the standards and process of the VRA, effectively gutting the landmark legislation.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<em>Shelby County v. Holder<\/em>, 570 U.S. ___ (2013).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThis decision effectively pushed decision-making and discretion for election policy in VRA states to the state and local level. Several such states subsequently made changes to their voter ID laws and North Carolina changed its plans for how many polling places were available in certain areas. The extent to which such changes will violate equal protection is unknown in advance, but such changes often do not have a neutral effect.\r\n<div id=\"OSC_AmGov_07_01_VotingAct\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"825\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2292\/2017\/08\/08163702\/OSC_AmGov_07_01_VotingAct.jpg\" alt=\"Image A is an official document. The text is unreadable. Image B is of a group of people, including Lyndon B. John, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks.\" width=\"825\" height=\"395\" \/> <strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. The Voting Rights Act (a) was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson (b, left) on August 6, 1965, in the presence of major figures of the civil rights movement, including Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. (b, center).[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474273689\">The effects of the VRA were visible almost immediately. In Mississippi, only 6.7 percent of blacks were registered to vote in 1965; however, by the fall of 1967, nearly 60 percent were registered. Alabama experienced similar effects, with African American registration increasing from 19.3 percent to 51.6 percent. Voter turnout across these two states similarly increased. Mississippi went from 33.9 percent turnout to 53.2 percent, while Alabama increased from 35.9 percent to 52.7 percent between the 1964 and 1968 presidential elections.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nBernard Grofman, Lisa Handley, and Richard G. Niemi. 1992. <em>Minority Representation and the Quest for Voting Equality<\/em>. New York: Cambridge University Press, 25.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472078053\">Following the implementation of the VRA, many states have sought other methods of increasing voter registration. Several states make registering to vote relatively easy for citizens who have government documentation. Oregon has few requirements for registering and registers many of its voters automatically. North Dakota has no registration at all. In 2002, Arizona was the first state to offer online voter registration, which allowed citizens with a driver\u2019s license to register to vote without any paper application or signature. The system matches the information on the application to information stored at the Department of Motor Vehicles, to ensure each citizen is registering to vote in the right precinct. Citizens without a driver\u2019s license still need to file a paper application. More than eighteen states have moved to online registration or passed laws to begin doing so. The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates, however, that adopting an online voter registration system can initially cost a state between $250,000 and $750,000.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201cThe Canvass,\u201d April 2014, Issue 48, http:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/research\/elections-and-campaigns\/states-and-election-reform-the-canvass-april-2014.aspx.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472246286\">Other states have decided against online registration due to concerns about voter fraud and security. Legislators also argue that online registration makes it difficult to ensure that only citizens are registering and that they are registering in the correct precincts. As technology continues to update other areas of state recordkeeping, online registration may become easier and safer. In some areas, citizens have pressured the states and pushed the process along. A bill to move registration online in Florida stalled for over a year in the legislature, based on security concerns. With strong citizen support, however, it was passed and signed in 2015, despite the governor\u2019s lingering concerns. In other states, such as Texas, both the government and citizens are concerned about identity fraud, so traditional paper registration is still preferred.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474305870\" class=\"bc-section section\">\r\n<h2>HOW DOES SOMEONE REGISTER TO VOTE?<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472276582\">The <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">National Commission on Voting Rights<\/span> <\/strong>completed a study in September 2015 that found state registration laws can either raise or reduce voter turnout rates, especially among citizens who are young or whose income falls below the poverty line. States with simple voter registration had more registered citizens.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nTova Wang and Maria Peralta. 22 September 2015. \u201cNew Report Released by National Commission on Voting Rights: More Work Needed to Improve Registration and Voting in the U.S.\u201d http:\/\/votingrightstoday.org\/ncvr\/resources\/electionadmin.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472108014\">In all states except North Dakota, a citizen wishing to vote must complete an application. Whether the form is online or on paper, the prospective voter will list his or her name, residency address, and in many cases party identification (with Independent as an option) and affirm that he or she is competent to vote. States may also have a <strong>residency requirement<\/strong>, which establishes how long a citizen must live in a state before becoming eligible to register: it is often thirty days. Beyond these requirements, there may be an oath administered or more questions asked, such as felony convictions. If the application is completely online and the citizen has government documents (e.g., driver\u2019s license or state identification card), the system will compare the application to other state records and accept an online signature or affidavit if everything matches up correctly. Citizens who do not have these state documents are often required to complete paper applications. States without online registration often allow a citizen to fill out an application on a website, but the citizen will receive a paper copy in the mail to sign and mail back to the state.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472172806\">Another aspect of registering to vote is the timeline. States may require registration to take place as much as thirty days before voting, or they may allow same-day registration. Maine first implemented same-day registration in 1973. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia now allow voters to register the day of the election if they have proof of residency, such as a driver\u2019s license or utility bill. Many of the more populous states (e.g., Michigan and Texas), require registration forms to be mailed thirty days before an election. Moving means citizens must re-register or update addresses (Figure). College students, for example, may have to re-register or update addresses each year as they move. States that use same-day registration had a 4 percent higher voter turnout in the 2012 presidential election than states that did not.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nIbid.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nYet another consideration is how far in advance of an election one must apply to change one\u2019s political party affiliation. In states with closed primaries, it is important for voters to be allowed to register into whichever party they prefer. This issue came up during the 2016 presidential primaries in New York, where there is a lengthy timeline for changing your party affiliation.\r\n<div id=\"OSC_AmGov_07_01_VoterAdd\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"975\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2292\/2017\/08\/08163707\/OSC_AmGov_07_01_VoterAdd.jpg\" alt=\"An image of a form titled \u201cNotice of Change of Address\u201d. The form has four different sections, titled \u201cPersonal Information\u201d, \u201cVoter Change of Address\u201d, \u201cNew or Correct Residence Address\u201d, and \u201cNew or Correct Mailing Address\u201d. The section titled \u201cVoter Change of Address\u201d is highlighted with a callout box.\" width=\"975\" height=\"604\" \/> <strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Moving requires a voter to re-register or update his or her address in the system. Depending on the state, this notification can sometimes be completed through the Department of Motor Vehicles, as in California.[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472261119\">Some attempts have been made to streamline voter registration. The <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">National Voter Registration Act<\/span><\/strong> (1993), often referred to as Motor Voter, was enacted to expedite the registration process and make it as simple as possible for voters. The act required states to allow citizens to register to vote when they sign up for driver\u2019s licenses and Social Security benefits. On each government form, the citizen need only mark an additional box to also register to vote. Unfortunately, while increasing registrations by 7 percent between 1992 and 2012, Motor Voter did not dramatically increase voter turnout.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nRoyce Crocker, \u201cThe National Voter Registration Act of 1993: History, Implementation, and Effects,\u201d <em>Congressional Research Service<\/em>, CRS Report R40609, September 18, 2013, https:\/\/www.fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/misc\/R40609.pdf.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIn fact, for two years following the passage of the act, voter turnout decreased slightly.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201cNational General Election VEP Turnout Rates, 1789\u2013Present,\u201d http:\/\/www.electproject.org\/national-1789-present (November 4, 2015).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nIt appears that the main users of the expedited system were those already intending to vote. One study, however, found that preregistration may have a different effect on youth than on the overall voter pool; in Florida, it increased turnout of young voters by 13 percent.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nJohn B. Holbein, D. Sunshine Hillygus. 2015. \u201cMaking Young Voters: The Impact of Preregistration on Youth Turnout.\u201d <em>American Journal of Political Science<\/em> (March). doi:10.1111\/ajps.12177.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472317323\">In 2015, Oregon made news when it took the concept of Motor Voter further. When citizens turn eighteen, the state now automatically registers most of them using driver\u2019s license and state identification information. When a citizen moves, the voter rolls are updated when the license is updated. While this policy has been controversial, with some arguing that private information may become public or that Oregon is moving toward mandatory voting, automatic registration is consistent with the state\u2019s efforts to increase registration and turnout.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nRussell Berman, \u201cShould Voter Registration Be Automatic?\u201d <em>Atlantic<\/em>, 20 March 2015; Maria L. La Ganga, \u201cUnder New Oregon Law, All Eligible Voters are Registered Unless They Opt Out,\u201d <em>Los Angeles Times<\/em>, 17 March 2015.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474260669\">Oregon\u2019s example offers a possible solution to a recurring problem for states\u2014maintaining accurate voter registration rolls. During the 2000 election, in which George W. <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Bush<\/span><\/strong> won Florida\u2019s electoral votes by a slim majority, attention turned to the state\u2019s election procedures and voter registration rolls. Journalists found that many states, including Florida, had large numbers of phantom voters on their rolls, voters had moved or died but remained on the states\u2019 voter registration rolls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201c\u2019Unusable\u2019 Voter Rolls,\u201d <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>, 7 November 2000.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe<strong> <span class=\"no-emphasis\">Help America Vote Act<\/span><\/strong> of 2002 (HAVA) was passed in order to reform voting across the states and reduce these problems. As part of the Act, states were required to update voting equipment, make voting more accessible to the disabled, and maintain computerized voter rolls that could be updated regularly.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201cOne Hundred Seventh Congress of the United States of America at the Second Session,\u201d 23 January 2002. http:\/\/www.eac.gov\/assets\/1\/workflow_staging\/Page\/41.PDF.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472133259\">Over a decade later, there has been some progress. In Louisiana, voters are placed on ineligible lists if a voting registrar is notified that they have moved or become ineligible to vote. If the voter remains on this list for two general elections, his or her registration is cancelled. In Oklahoma, the registrar receives a list of deceased residents from the Department of Health.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201cVoter List Accuracy,\u201d11 February 2014. http:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/research\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-list-accuracy.aspx\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nTwenty-nine states now participate in the <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program<\/span><\/strong>, which allows states to check for duplicate registrations.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nBrad Bryant and Kay Curtis, eds. December 2013. \u201cInterstate Crosscheck Program Grows,\u201d http:\/\/www.kssos.org\/forms\/communication\/canvassing_kansas\/dec13.pdf.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAt the same time, Florida\u2019s use of the federal <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements<\/span><\/strong> (SAVE) database has proven to be controversial, because county elections supervisors are allowed to remove voters deemed ineligible to vote.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nTroy Kinsey, \u201cProposed Bills Put Greater Scrutiny on Florida\u2019s Voter Purges,\u201d <em>Bay News<\/em>, 9 November 2015.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474272789\">Despite these efforts, a study commissioned by the <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Pew Charitable Trust<\/span> <\/strong>found twenty-four million voter registrations nationwide were no longer valid.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nPam Fessler, \u201cStudy: 1.8 Million Dead People Still Registered to Vote,\u201d <em>National Public Radio,<\/em> 14 February 2013; \u201cReport: Inaccurate, Costly, an Inefficient,\u201d <em>The Pew Charitable Trusts<\/em>, February 14, 2012.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nPew is now working with eight states to update their voter registration rolls and encouraging more states to share their rolls in an effort to find duplicates.\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">Fessler, \u201cStudy: 1.8 Million Dead People Still Registered to Vote.\u201d<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe National Association of Secretaries of State maintains a <a href=\"https:\/\/openstaxcollege.org\/l\/29canivote\">website<\/a> that directs users to their state\u2019s information regarding voter registration, identification policies, and polling locations.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472091175\" class=\"bc-section section\">\r\n<h2>WHO IS ALLOWED TO REGISTER?<\/h2>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472293986\">In order to be eligible to vote in the United States, a person must be a citizen, resident, and eighteen years old. But states often place additional requirements on the right to vote. The most common requirement is that voters must be mentally competent and not currently serving time in jail. Some states enforce more stringent or unusual requirements on citizens who have committed crimes. Florida and Kentucky permanently bar felons and ex-felons from voting unless they obtain a pardon from the governor, while Mississippi and Nevada allow former felons to apply to have their voting rights restored.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201cFelon Voting Rights,\u201d 15 July 2014. http:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/research\/elections-and-campaigns\/felon-voting-rights.aspx.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nOn the other end of the spectrum, Vermont does not limit voting based on incarceration unless the crime was election fraud.\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nWilson Ring, \u201cVermont, Maine Only States to Let Inmates Vote,\u201d <em>Associated Press,<\/em> 22 October 2008.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\nMaine citizens serving in Maine prisons also may vote in elections.\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472215921\">Beyond those jailed, some citizens have additional expectations placed on them when they register to vote. Wisconsin requires that voters \u201cnot wager on an election,\u201d and Vermont citizens must recite the \u201cVoter\u2019s Oath\u201d before they register, swearing to cast votes with a conscience and \u201cwithout fear or favor of any person.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\n\u201cVoter\u2019s Qualifications and Oath,\u201d https:\/\/votesmart.org\/elections\/ballot-measure\/1583\/voters-qualifications-and-oath#.VjQOJH6rS00 (November 12, 2015).\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472070371\" class=\"note get-connected\">\r\n<div class=\"title\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<h3 class=\"title\">Where to Register?<\/h3>\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472281926\">Across the United States, over twenty million college and university students begin classes each fall, many away from home. The simple act of moving away to college presents a <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">voter registration<\/span><\/strong> problem. Elections are local. Each citizen lives in a district with state legislators, city council or other local elected representatives, a U.S. House of Representatives member, and more. State and national laws require voters to reside in their districts, but students are an unusual case. They often hold temporary residency while at school and return home for the summer. Therefore, they have to decide whether to register to vote near campus or vote back in their home district. What are the pros and cons of each option?<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474344808\">Maintaining voter registration back home is legal in most states, assuming a student holds only temporary residency at school. This may be the best plan, because students are likely more familiar with local politicians and issues. But it requires the student to either go home to vote or apply for an absentee ballot. With classes, clubs, work, and more, it may be difficult to remember this task. One study found that students living more than two hours from home were less likely to vote than students living within thirty minutes of campus, which is not surprising.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"note reference\">\r\n\r\n<hr \/>\r\n\r\nRichard Niemi and Michael Hanmer. 2010. \u201cVoter Turnout Among College Students: New Data and a Rethinking of Traditional Theories,\u201d <em>Social Science Quarterly<\/em> 91, No. 2: 301\u2013323.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474393967\">Registering to vote near campus makes it easier to vote, but it requires an extra step that students may forget (Figure). And in many states, registration to vote in a November election takes place in October, just when students are acclimating to the semester. They must also become familiar with local candidates and issues, which takes time and effort they may not have. But they will not have to travel to vote, and their vote is more likely to affect their college and local town.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div id=\"OSC_AmGov_07_01_CampusVote\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"975\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2292\/2017\/08\/08163715\/OSC_AmGov_07_01_CampusVote.jpg\" alt=\"Image A is of two people sitting behind a table. A cloth sign hanging in front of the table reads \u201cLet your vote roar\u201d. Image B is of two people filling out forms.\" width=\"975\" height=\"360\" \/> <strong>Figure 3.<\/strong> On National Voter Registration Day in 2012, Roshaunda McLean (a, left), campus director of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, and David Vaughn (a, right), a Missouri Student Association senator, register voters on campus. Cassie Dorman (b, left) and Samantha Peterson (b, right), both eighteen years old, were just two of the University of Missouri students registering to vote for the first time. (credit a, b: modification of work by \u201cKOMUnews\u201d\/Flickr)[\/caption]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472287370\"><em>Have you registered to vote in your college area, or will you vote back home? What factors influenced your decision about where to vote?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<span style=\"color: #077fab;font-size: 1.15em;font-weight: 600\">Summary<\/span>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474514387\" class=\"summary\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474380030\">Voter registration varies from state to state, depending on local culture and concerns. In an attempt to stop the disenfranchisement of black voters, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act (1965), which prohibited states from denying voting rights based on race, and the Supreme Court determined grandfather clauses and other restrictions were unconstitutional. Some states only require that a citizen be over eighteen and reside in the state. Others include additional requirements. Some states require registration to occur thirty days prior to an election, and some allow voters to register the same day as the election.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474293037\">Following the passage of the Help America Vote Act (2002), states are required to maintain accurate voter registration rolls and are working harder to register citizens and update records. Registering has become easier over the years; the National Voter Registration Act (1993) requires states to add voter registration to government applications, while an increasing number of states are implementing novel approaches such as online voter registration and automatic registration.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171471916423\" class=\"review-questions\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472161832\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474421509\" class=\"problem\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472161832\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474421509\" class=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472051296\">Which of the following makes it easy for a citizen to register to vote?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-id1171472075408\">\r\n \t<li>grandfather clause<\/li>\r\n \t<li>lengthy residency requirement<\/li>\r\n \t<li>National Voter Registration Act<\/li>\r\n \t<li>competency requirement<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"870203\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"870203\"]C[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472100486\" class=\"solution\"><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472100477\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474427988\" class=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474427940\">Which of the following is a reason to make voter registration more difficult?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-id1171474433697\">\r\n \t<li>increase voter turnout<\/li>\r\n \t<li>decrease election fraud<\/li>\r\n \t<li>decrease the cost of elections<\/li>\r\n \t<li>make the registration process faster<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472208064\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472083377\" class=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472071502\">What unusual step did Oregon take to increase voter registration?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ol id=\"fs-id1171474206912\">\r\n \t<li>The state automatically registers all citizens over eighteen to vote.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The state ended voter registration.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The state sends every resident a voter registration ballot.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The state allows online voter registration.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"440589\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"440589\"]A[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171470301419\" class=\"solution\"><\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474406672\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474330317\" class=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472081507\">What effect did the National Voter Registration Act have on voter registration?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171471913243\" class=\"exercise\">\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472074065\" class=\"problem\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474427105\">What challenges do college students face with regard to voter registration?<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474400268\" class=\"solution\">\r\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474279515\">[reveal-answer q=\"494957\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"494957\"]The main challenge is figuring out where students wish to register, at home or at college. Out-of-state students have an even greater challenge because they have moved across state lines.[\/hidden-answer]<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\r\n<h2>Glossary<\/h2>\r\n<dl id=\"fs-id1171474143773\" class=\"definition\">\r\n \t<dt><strong>residency requirement<\/strong><\/dt>\r\n \t<dd id=\"fs-id1171472202263\">the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<p>By the end of this section, you will be able to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Identify ways the U.S. government has promoted voter rights and registration<\/li>\n<li>Summarize similarities and differences in states\u2019 voter registration methods<\/li>\n<li>Analyze ways states increase voter registration and decrease fraud<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474312899\">Before most voters are allowed to cast a ballot, they must register to vote in their state. This process may be as simple as checking a box on a driver\u2019s license application or as difficult as filling out a long form with complicated questions. Registration allows governments to determine which citizens are allowed to vote and, in some cases, from which list of candidates they may select a party nominee. Ironically, while government wants to increase voter turnout, the registration process may prevent various groups of citizens and non-citizens from participating in the electoral process.<\/p>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474418080\" class=\"bc-section section\">\n<h2>VOTER REGISTRATION ACROSS THE UNITED STATES<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474316358\">Elections are state-by-state contests. They include general elections for president and statewide offices (e.g., governor and U.S. senator), and they are often organized and paid for by the states. Because political cultures vary from state to state, the process of <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">voter registration<\/span><\/strong> similarly varies. For example, suppose an 85-year-old retiree with an expired driver\u2019s license wants to register to vote. He or she might be able to register quickly in California or Florida, but a current government ID might be required prior to registration in Texas or Indiana.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474247916\">The varied registration and voting laws across the United States have long caused controversy. In the aftermath of the Civil War, southern states enacted<strong> <span class=\"no-emphasis\">literacy test<\/span>s, <span class=\"no-emphasis\">grandfather clause<\/span>s,<\/strong> and other requirements intended to disenfranchise black voters in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Literacy tests were long and detailed exams on local and national politics, history, and more. They were often administered arbitrarily with more blacks required to take them than whites.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Stephen Medvic. 2014. <em>Campaigns and Elections: Players and Processes<\/em>, 2nd ed. New York: Routledge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Poll taxes<\/strong> required voters to pay a fee to vote. Grandfather clauses exempted individuals from taking literacy tests or paying <span class=\"no-emphasis\">poll tax<\/span>es if they or their fathers or grandfathers had been permitted to vote prior to a certain point in time. While the Supreme Court determined that grandfather clauses were unconstitutional in 1915, states continued to use poll taxes and literacy tests to deter potential voters from registering.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Guinn v. United States<\/em>, 238 U.S. 347 (1915).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>States also ignored instances of violence and intimidation against African Americans wanting to register or vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Medvic, <em>Campaigns and Elections<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"eip-991\">The ratification of the Twenty-Fourth Amendment in 1964 ended poll taxes, but the passage of the <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Voting Rights Act<\/span> <\/strong>(VRA) in 1965 had a more profound effect (Figure). The act protected the rights of minority voters by prohibiting state laws that denied voting rights based on race. The VRA gave the attorney general of the United States authority to order federal examiners to areas with a history of discrimination. These examiners had the power to oversee and monitor voter registration and elections. States found to violate provisions of the VRA were required to get any changes in their election laws approved by the U.S. attorney general or by going through the court system. However, in <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\"><em>Shelby County v. Holder<\/em><\/span><\/strong> (2013), the Supreme Court, in a 5\u20134 decision, threw out the standards and process of the VRA, effectively gutting the landmark legislation.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p><em>Shelby County v. Holder<\/em>, 570 U.S. ___ (2013).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>This decision effectively pushed decision-making and discretion for election policy in VRA states to the state and local level. Several such states subsequently made changes to their voter ID laws and North Carolina changed its plans for how many polling places were available in certain areas. The extent to which such changes will violate equal protection is unknown in advance, but such changes often do not have a neutral effect.<\/p>\n<div id=\"OSC_AmGov_07_01_VotingAct\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<div style=\"width: 835px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2292\/2017\/08\/08163702\/OSC_AmGov_07_01_VotingAct.jpg\" alt=\"Image A is an official document. The text is unreadable. Image B is of a group of people, including Lyndon B. John, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks.\" width=\"825\" height=\"395\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1<\/strong>. The Voting Rights Act (a) was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson (b, left) on August 6, 1965, in the presence of major figures of the civil rights movement, including Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. (b, center).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474273689\">The effects of the VRA were visible almost immediately. In Mississippi, only 6.7 percent of blacks were registered to vote in 1965; however, by the fall of 1967, nearly 60 percent were registered. Alabama experienced similar effects, with African American registration increasing from 19.3 percent to 51.6 percent. Voter turnout across these two states similarly increased. Mississippi went from 33.9 percent turnout to 53.2 percent, while Alabama increased from 35.9 percent to 52.7 percent between the 1964 and 1968 presidential elections.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Bernard Grofman, Lisa Handley, and Richard G. Niemi. 1992. <em>Minority Representation and the Quest for Voting Equality<\/em>. New York: Cambridge University Press, 25.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472078053\">Following the implementation of the VRA, many states have sought other methods of increasing voter registration. Several states make registering to vote relatively easy for citizens who have government documentation. Oregon has few requirements for registering and registers many of its voters automatically. North Dakota has no registration at all. In 2002, Arizona was the first state to offer online voter registration, which allowed citizens with a driver\u2019s license to register to vote without any paper application or signature. The system matches the information on the application to information stored at the Department of Motor Vehicles, to ensure each citizen is registering to vote in the right precinct. Citizens without a driver\u2019s license still need to file a paper application. More than eighteen states have moved to online registration or passed laws to begin doing so. The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates, however, that adopting an online voter registration system can initially cost a state between $250,000 and $750,000.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201cThe Canvass,\u201d April 2014, Issue 48, http:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/research\/elections-and-campaigns\/states-and-election-reform-the-canvass-april-2014.aspx.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472246286\">Other states have decided against online registration due to concerns about voter fraud and security. Legislators also argue that online registration makes it difficult to ensure that only citizens are registering and that they are registering in the correct precincts. As technology continues to update other areas of state recordkeeping, online registration may become easier and safer. In some areas, citizens have pressured the states and pushed the process along. A bill to move registration online in Florida stalled for over a year in the legislature, based on security concerns. With strong citizen support, however, it was passed and signed in 2015, despite the governor\u2019s lingering concerns. In other states, such as Texas, both the government and citizens are concerned about identity fraud, so traditional paper registration is still preferred.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474305870\" class=\"bc-section section\">\n<h2>HOW DOES SOMEONE REGISTER TO VOTE?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472276582\">The <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">National Commission on Voting Rights<\/span> <\/strong>completed a study in September 2015 that found state registration laws can either raise or reduce voter turnout rates, especially among citizens who are young or whose income falls below the poverty line. States with simple voter registration had more registered citizens.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Tova Wang and Maria Peralta. 22 September 2015. \u201cNew Report Released by National Commission on Voting Rights: More Work Needed to Improve Registration and Voting in the U.S.\u201d http:\/\/votingrightstoday.org\/ncvr\/resources\/electionadmin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472108014\">In all states except North Dakota, a citizen wishing to vote must complete an application. Whether the form is online or on paper, the prospective voter will list his or her name, residency address, and in many cases party identification (with Independent as an option) and affirm that he or she is competent to vote. States may also have a <strong>residency requirement<\/strong>, which establishes how long a citizen must live in a state before becoming eligible to register: it is often thirty days. Beyond these requirements, there may be an oath administered or more questions asked, such as felony convictions. If the application is completely online and the citizen has government documents (e.g., driver\u2019s license or state identification card), the system will compare the application to other state records and accept an online signature or affidavit if everything matches up correctly. Citizens who do not have these state documents are often required to complete paper applications. States without online registration often allow a citizen to fill out an application on a website, but the citizen will receive a paper copy in the mail to sign and mail back to the state.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472172806\">Another aspect of registering to vote is the timeline. States may require registration to take place as much as thirty days before voting, or they may allow same-day registration. Maine first implemented same-day registration in 1973. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia now allow voters to register the day of the election if they have proof of residency, such as a driver\u2019s license or utility bill. Many of the more populous states (e.g., Michigan and Texas), require registration forms to be mailed thirty days before an election. Moving means citizens must re-register or update addresses (Figure). College students, for example, may have to re-register or update addresses each year as they move. States that use same-day registration had a 4 percent higher voter turnout in the 2012 presidential election than states that did not.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Ibid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Yet another consideration is how far in advance of an election one must apply to change one\u2019s political party affiliation. In states with closed primaries, it is important for voters to be allowed to register into whichever party they prefer. This issue came up during the 2016 presidential primaries in New York, where there is a lengthy timeline for changing your party affiliation.<\/p>\n<div id=\"OSC_AmGov_07_01_VoterAdd\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<div style=\"width: 985px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2292\/2017\/08\/08163707\/OSC_AmGov_07_01_VoterAdd.jpg\" alt=\"An image of a form titled \u201cNotice of Change of Address\u201d. The form has four different sections, titled \u201cPersonal Information\u201d, \u201cVoter Change of Address\u201d, \u201cNew or Correct Residence Address\u201d, and \u201cNew or Correct Mailing Address\u201d. The section titled \u201cVoter Change of Address\u201d is highlighted with a callout box.\" width=\"975\" height=\"604\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 2<\/strong>. Moving requires a voter to re-register or update his or her address in the system. Depending on the state, this notification can sometimes be completed through the Department of Motor Vehicles, as in California.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472261119\">Some attempts have been made to streamline voter registration. The <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">National Voter Registration Act<\/span><\/strong> (1993), often referred to as Motor Voter, was enacted to expedite the registration process and make it as simple as possible for voters. The act required states to allow citizens to register to vote when they sign up for driver\u2019s licenses and Social Security benefits. On each government form, the citizen need only mark an additional box to also register to vote. Unfortunately, while increasing registrations by 7 percent between 1992 and 2012, Motor Voter did not dramatically increase voter turnout.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Royce Crocker, \u201cThe National Voter Registration Act of 1993: History, Implementation, and Effects,\u201d <em>Congressional Research Service<\/em>, CRS Report R40609, September 18, 2013, https:\/\/www.fas.org\/sgp\/crs\/misc\/R40609.pdf.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>In fact, for two years following the passage of the act, voter turnout decreased slightly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201cNational General Election VEP Turnout Rates, 1789\u2013Present,\u201d http:\/\/www.electproject.org\/national-1789-present (November 4, 2015).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It appears that the main users of the expedited system were those already intending to vote. One study, however, found that preregistration may have a different effect on youth than on the overall voter pool; in Florida, it increased turnout of young voters by 13 percent.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>John B. Holbein, D. Sunshine Hillygus. 2015. \u201cMaking Young Voters: The Impact of Preregistration on Youth Turnout.\u201d <em>American Journal of Political Science<\/em> (March). doi:10.1111\/ajps.12177.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472317323\">In 2015, Oregon made news when it took the concept of Motor Voter further. When citizens turn eighteen, the state now automatically registers most of them using driver\u2019s license and state identification information. When a citizen moves, the voter rolls are updated when the license is updated. While this policy has been controversial, with some arguing that private information may become public or that Oregon is moving toward mandatory voting, automatic registration is consistent with the state\u2019s efforts to increase registration and turnout.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Russell Berman, \u201cShould Voter Registration Be Automatic?\u201d <em>Atlantic<\/em>, 20 March 2015; Maria L. La Ganga, \u201cUnder New Oregon Law, All Eligible Voters are Registered Unless They Opt Out,\u201d <em>Los Angeles Times<\/em>, 17 March 2015.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474260669\">Oregon\u2019s example offers a possible solution to a recurring problem for states\u2014maintaining accurate voter registration rolls. During the 2000 election, in which George W. <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Bush<\/span><\/strong> won Florida\u2019s electoral votes by a slim majority, attention turned to the state\u2019s election procedures and voter registration rolls. Journalists found that many states, including Florida, had large numbers of phantom voters on their rolls, voters had moved or died but remained on the states\u2019 voter registration rolls.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201c\u2019Unusable\u2019 Voter Rolls,\u201d <em>Wall Street Journal<\/em>, 7 November 2000.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The<strong> <span class=\"no-emphasis\">Help America Vote Act<\/span><\/strong> of 2002 (HAVA) was passed in order to reform voting across the states and reduce these problems. As part of the Act, states were required to update voting equipment, make voting more accessible to the disabled, and maintain computerized voter rolls that could be updated regularly.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201cOne Hundred Seventh Congress of the United States of America at the Second Session,\u201d 23 January 2002. http:\/\/www.eac.gov\/assets\/1\/workflow_staging\/Page\/41.PDF.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472133259\">Over a decade later, there has been some progress. In Louisiana, voters are placed on ineligible lists if a voting registrar is notified that they have moved or become ineligible to vote. If the voter remains on this list for two general elections, his or her registration is cancelled. In Oklahoma, the registrar receives a list of deceased residents from the Department of Health.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201cVoter List Accuracy,\u201d11 February 2014. http:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/research\/elections-and-campaigns\/voter-list-accuracy.aspx<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Twenty-nine states now participate in the <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program<\/span><\/strong>, which allows states to check for duplicate registrations.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Brad Bryant and Kay Curtis, eds. December 2013. \u201cInterstate Crosscheck Program Grows,\u201d http:\/\/www.kssos.org\/forms\/communication\/canvassing_kansas\/dec13.pdf.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>At the same time, Florida\u2019s use of the federal <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements<\/span><\/strong> (SAVE) database has proven to be controversial, because county elections supervisors are allowed to remove voters deemed ineligible to vote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Troy Kinsey, \u201cProposed Bills Put Greater Scrutiny on Florida\u2019s Voter Purges,\u201d <em>Bay News<\/em>, 9 November 2015.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474272789\">Despite these efforts, a study commissioned by the <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">Pew Charitable Trust<\/span> <\/strong>found twenty-four million voter registrations nationwide were no longer valid.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Pam Fessler, \u201cStudy: 1.8 Million Dead People Still Registered to Vote,\u201d <em>National Public Radio,<\/em> 14 February 2013; \u201cReport: Inaccurate, Costly, an Inefficient,\u201d <em>The Pew Charitable Trusts<\/em>, February 14, 2012.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pew is now working with eight states to update their voter registration rolls and encouraging more states to share their rolls in an effort to find duplicates.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<div class=\"note reference\">Fessler, \u201cStudy: 1.8 Million Dead People Still Registered to Vote.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The National Association of Secretaries of State maintains a <a href=\"https:\/\/openstaxcollege.org\/l\/29canivote\">website<\/a> that directs users to their state\u2019s information regarding voter registration, identification policies, and polling locations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472091175\" class=\"bc-section section\">\n<h2>WHO IS ALLOWED TO REGISTER?<\/h2>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472293986\">In order to be eligible to vote in the United States, a person must be a citizen, resident, and eighteen years old. But states often place additional requirements on the right to vote. The most common requirement is that voters must be mentally competent and not currently serving time in jail. Some states enforce more stringent or unusual requirements on citizens who have committed crimes. Florida and Kentucky permanently bar felons and ex-felons from voting unless they obtain a pardon from the governor, while Mississippi and Nevada allow former felons to apply to have their voting rights restored.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201cFelon Voting Rights,\u201d 15 July 2014. http:\/\/www.ncsl.org\/research\/elections-and-campaigns\/felon-voting-rights.aspx.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>On the other end of the spectrum, Vermont does not limit voting based on incarceration unless the crime was election fraud.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Wilson Ring, \u201cVermont, Maine Only States to Let Inmates Vote,\u201d <em>Associated Press,<\/em> 22 October 2008.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Maine citizens serving in Maine prisons also may vote in elections.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472215921\">Beyond those jailed, some citizens have additional expectations placed on them when they register to vote. Wisconsin requires that voters \u201cnot wager on an election,\u201d and Vermont citizens must recite the \u201cVoter\u2019s Oath\u201d before they register, swearing to cast votes with a conscience and \u201cwithout fear or favor of any person.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>\u201cVoter\u2019s Qualifications and Oath,\u201d https:\/\/votesmart.org\/elections\/ballot-measure\/1583\/voters-qualifications-and-oath#.VjQOJH6rS00 (November 12, 2015).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472070371\" class=\"note get-connected\">\n<div class=\"title\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<h3 class=\"title\">Where to Register?<\/h3>\n<hr \/>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472281926\">Across the United States, over twenty million college and university students begin classes each fall, many away from home. The simple act of moving away to college presents a <strong><span class=\"no-emphasis\">voter registration<\/span><\/strong> problem. Elections are local. Each citizen lives in a district with state legislators, city council or other local elected representatives, a U.S. House of Representatives member, and more. State and national laws require voters to reside in their districts, but students are an unusual case. They often hold temporary residency while at school and return home for the summer. Therefore, they have to decide whether to register to vote near campus or vote back in their home district. What are the pros and cons of each option?<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474344808\">Maintaining voter registration back home is legal in most states, assuming a student holds only temporary residency at school. This may be the best plan, because students are likely more familiar with local politicians and issues. But it requires the student to either go home to vote or apply for an absentee ballot. With classes, clubs, work, and more, it may be difficult to remember this task. One study found that students living more than two hours from home were less likely to vote than students living within thirty minutes of campus, which is not surprising.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note reference\">\n<hr \/>\n<p>Richard Niemi and Michael Hanmer. 2010. \u201cVoter Turnout Among College Students: New Data and a Rethinking of Traditional Theories,\u201d <em>Social Science Quarterly<\/em> 91, No. 2: 301\u2013323.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474393967\">Registering to vote near campus makes it easier to vote, but it requires an extra step that students may forget (Figure). And in many states, registration to vote in a November election takes place in October, just when students are acclimating to the semester. They must also become familiar with local candidates and issues, which takes time and effort they may not have. But they will not have to travel to vote, and their vote is more likely to affect their college and local town.<\/p>\n<div id=\"OSC_AmGov_07_01_CampusVote\" class=\"bc-figure figure\">\n<div style=\"width: 985px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2292\/2017\/08\/08163715\/OSC_AmGov_07_01_CampusVote.jpg\" alt=\"Image A is of two people sitting behind a table. A cloth sign hanging in front of the table reads \u201cLet your vote roar\u201d. Image B is of two people filling out forms.\" width=\"975\" height=\"360\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 3.<\/strong> On National Voter Registration Day in 2012, Roshaunda McLean (a, left), campus director of the Associated Students of the University of Missouri, and David Vaughn (a, right), a Missouri Student Association senator, register voters on campus. Cassie Dorman (b, left) and Samantha Peterson (b, right), both eighteen years old, were just two of the University of Missouri students registering to vote for the first time. (credit a, b: modification of work by \u201cKOMUnews\u201d\/Flickr)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472287370\"><em>Have you registered to vote in your college area, or will you vote back home? What factors influenced your decision about where to vote?<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"color: #077fab;font-size: 1.15em;font-weight: 600\">Summary<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474514387\" class=\"summary\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474380030\">Voter registration varies from state to state, depending on local culture and concerns. In an attempt to stop the disenfranchisement of black voters, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act (1965), which prohibited states from denying voting rights based on race, and the Supreme Court determined grandfather clauses and other restrictions were unconstitutional. Some states only require that a citizen be over eighteen and reside in the state. Others include additional requirements. Some states require registration to occur thirty days prior to an election, and some allow voters to register the same day as the election.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474293037\">Following the passage of the Help America Vote Act (2002), states are required to maintain accurate voter registration rolls and are working harder to register citizens and update records. Registering has become easier over the years; the National Voter Registration Act (1993) requires states to add voter registration to government applications, while an increasing number of states are implementing novel approaches such as online voter registration and automatic registration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171471916423\" class=\"review-questions\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472161832\" class=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474421509\" class=\"problem\">\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472161832\" class=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474421509\" class=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472051296\">Which of the following makes it easy for a citizen to register to vote?<\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-id1171472075408\">\n<li>grandfather clause<\/li>\n<li>lengthy residency requirement<\/li>\n<li>National Voter Registration Act<\/li>\n<li>competency requirement<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q870203\">Show Answer<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q870203\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">C<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472100486\" class=\"solution\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472100477\" class=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474427988\" class=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474427940\">Which of the following is a reason to make voter registration more difficult?<\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-id1171474433697\">\n<li>increase voter turnout<\/li>\n<li>decrease election fraud<\/li>\n<li>decrease the cost of elections<\/li>\n<li>make the registration process faster<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472208064\" class=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472083377\" class=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472071502\">What unusual step did Oregon take to increase voter registration?<\/p>\n<ol id=\"fs-id1171474206912\">\n<li>The state automatically registers all citizens over eighteen to vote.<\/li>\n<li>The state ended voter registration.<\/li>\n<li>The state sends every resident a voter registration ballot.<\/li>\n<li>The state allows online voter registration.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q440589\">Show Answer<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q440589\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">A<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171470301419\" class=\"solution\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474406672\" class=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474330317\" class=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171472081507\">What effect did the National Voter Registration Act have on voter registration?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171471913243\" class=\"exercise\">\n<div id=\"fs-id1171472074065\" class=\"problem\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474427105\">What challenges do college students face with regard to voter registration?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"fs-id1171474400268\" class=\"solution\">\n<p id=\"fs-id1171474279515\">\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q494957\">Show Answer<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q494957\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">The main challenge is figuring out where students wish to register, at home or at college. Out-of-state students have an even greater challenge because they have moved across state lines.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"textbox shaded\">\n<h2>Glossary<\/h2>\n<dl id=\"fs-id1171474143773\" class=\"definition\">\n<dt><strong>residency requirement<\/strong><\/dt>\n<dd id=\"fs-id1171472202263\">the stipulation that citizen must live in a state for a determined period of time before a citizen can register to vote as a resident of that state<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-174\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>OpenStax American Government. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: OpenStax CNX. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/5bcc0e59-7345-421d-8507-a1e4608685e8@18.14\">http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/5bcc0e59-7345-421d-8507-a1e4608685e8@18.14<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/5bcc0e59-7345-421d-8507-a1e4608685e8@18.14<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":17533,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"OpenStax American Government\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"OpenStax CNX\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/5bcc0e59-7345-421d-8507-a1e4608685e8@18.14\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Download for free at http:\/\/cnx.org\/contents\/5bcc0e59-7345-421d-8507-a1e4608685e8@18.14\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":"cc-by"},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[57],"license":[50],"class_list":["post-174","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","contributor-cnxamgov","license-cc-by"],"part":168,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/174","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17533"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/174\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1057,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/174\/revisions\/1057"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/168"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/174\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=174"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=174"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=174"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-osamgovernment\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=174"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}