EXPANDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN 2014 Presented by
ABOUT NONPROFIT VOTE About Nonprofit VOTE Founded in 2005, Nonprofit VOTE partners with America's nonprofits to help the people they serve participate and vote. We are a leading source of nonpartisan training, materials and other resources for nonprofits doing voter engagement work. Find out more about our mission and partners on our site at
ABOUT THE BRENNAN CENTER About the Brennan Center Who we are: Democracy and Justice Think Tank, Advocacy Group, Public Interest Law Firm, Communications Hub What we do: Policy initiatives and reports Lobbying, coalition efforts, and testimony Legal representation and amicus briefs Media work
TODAY’S PRESENTER Who Jonathan Brater Counsel, Democracy Program Brennan Center for Justice
AGENDA Agenda Part 1: Positive Change and Continuing Challenges Part 2: Making Voting Easier Voter Registration Modernization Online Registration Election Day Correction Pre-Registration Early Voting Other Positive Reforms Part 3: New Tools and Messaging
PART 1: POSITIVE CHANGE AND CONTINUING CHALLENGES Part 1
LAWS EXPANDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE SINCE 2012
LAWS RESTRICTING THE RIGHT TO VOTE SINCE 2010
VOTERS AND THEIR ADVOCATES FIGHT BACK
NEW RESTRICTIONS FOR 2014
16 STATES HAVE EXPANDED VOTING ACCESS SINCE 2012
PART 2: MAKING VOTING EASIER Part 2
VOTER REGISTRATION MODERNIZATION
MODERNIZING VOTER REGISTRATION Electronic Registration Registration information transferred in seamless, electronic format Online Registration Voters can use secure, online portal Portable Registration Voters’ registration moves with the Election Day Correction Voters can update and correct errors on Election Day Registration Modernization
BENEFITS OF MODERNIZED REG. Participation Efficiency Security Registration Modernization
ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION
SAME DAY REGISTRATION
PRE-REGISTRATION
EARLY VOTING
OTHER POSITIVE REFORMS
PART 3: NEW TOOLS AND MESSAGES Part 3
ROCK THE VOTE VOTER REGISTRATION TOOL New Tools
NONPROFIT VOTE “VOTING IN YOUR STATE” New Tools
FELN VOTER REGISTRATION GUIDES New Tools
BRENNAN CENTER STUDENT VOTING GUIDE 50-state guide to help students register and vote Explains basic residency, registration, identification, and absentee voting requirements Available now at brennancenter.org New Tools
ELECTION PROTECTION New Tools
NEW GUIDELINES FOR GOTV Wide and shallow is good: One contact with a 100 people is better than two with 50 people Increase social pressure Talk about voting, not issues: Ask and help people to vote, but don’t try to persuade them on the issues Stretching the GOTV timeframe: Voting by mail and voting early in person Good conversations make a difference: Connecting with voters increases their likelihood to vote New Messages
NEW MESSAGES FOR ADVOCATES New Messages Brennan Center and Advancement Project toolkit Messages to help fight against restrictive measures, mobilize voters, and advance affirmative reforms Available soon
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES More Resources
VOTE (8683) Nonprofit VOTE 89 South Street Suite 203 Boston, MA Jonathan Brater (646) Julian Johannesen Brennan Center 161 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor New York, NY 10013