The Brennan Center, a good-government non-profit, recently released a fact sheet on its website – one that details an ideal, modernized method for casting ballots in elections throughout the United States.
Here’s the organization’s intro to the info:
The voter registration system in much of our country is frayed. One in four eligible citizens is not on the rolls, and one in eight registration records is invalid or has serious errors. The source of the problem is outdated technology and thinking. We use computers for virtually everything from depositing checks to chatting with our friends overseas, but too many states still rely on ink and paper for voter registration. Americans deserve a 21st century approach: one where every eligible voter is on the rolls, only eligible voters are on the rolls, and the government automatically updates voters’ records where possible to ensure accuracy. That would require modernizing our voter registration system.
The Brennan Center noted that voting modernization is composed of four components:
- automatic registration
- portability
- online access
- a safety net
If changes are made in those areas, the non profit indicated that, among other things:
- voter registration would increase
- the level of convenience to voters would increase
- errors on voter registration lists would decrease
The fact sheet then goes on to discuss where these voter-modernization initiatives are happening.
For example:
- about 30 states have fully or substantially electronic voter registration at Division of Motor Vehicles officers.
- 13 states currently offer, or have enacted laws which provide for, Election Day registration, allowing eligible citizens to register or update their records on Election Day.
- At least 28 states currently or will soon offer online voter registration. At least 34 states allow citizens to look up their voter registration information online.
To read the entire fact sheet, just click here – it is a great resource.
Pennsylvanians for Fair Elections 