Updated on February 26, 2016
2016 is shaping up to be a promising legislative year for election reform. Just a few weeks into this year’s session, state legislators have introduced dozens of bills to advance electoral reform, illustrating the broad impact of FairVote’s thought leadership.
We separately covered the impressive progress ranked choice voting has made in a total of 13 states, but states are moving forward on a variety of other innovations as well. From improving voter registration to lowering the voting age to moving closer to a National Popular Vote. The sheer number is testament to the progress of these ideas and the evolving debate to improve our political system, especially at the state level.
Engaging young people in our political process is also a key issue, as eight states consider pre-registration of soon-to-be eligible voters and three states (including Iowa) weigh allowing seventeen year olds to participate in primaries if they will be eighteen by the general election. Legislators in both California and Washington DC have sparked a conversation around lowering the voting age to sixteen through a state constitutional amendment and district bill respectively.
The National Popular Vote interstate compact has legislation in four states, promoting dialogue on reform as the presidential campaign cycle heats up throughout 2016. Oregon and California both adopted automatic voter registration last year, and this year, at least eleven new states will consider registering eligible voters automatically.
As a thought leader on all these issues, FairVote is looking forward to these bills progressing and hopefully watching other states follow in their footsteps of improving our democracy.
Automatic Voter Registration
Arizona (HB2097/SB1007/SB1392): registers citizens to vote when applying or reapplying for a driver’s license unless they opt out
Hawaii (HB1593/HB1633/SB2214/SB2259): requires qualified applicants for a new or renewed driver's license or civil identification card to either provide information to automatically register the applicant to vote or to clearly decline to register to vote
Massachusetts (HB3937): automatically registers eligible voters and enhancing safeguards against fraud
Maryland (SB350): universal voter registration act
Missouri (HB1719/HB2192):Requires the Secretary of State to establish a system for automatic voter registration
New Jersey (AB1944): automatically registers or updates voter registration as part of driver's license application or renewal
New Mexico (SB2): automatic driver’s license voter registration
New York (AB5972/SB2538): enacts the "voter empowerment act of New York" to streamline the process for registering to vote
Vermont (HB458): automatic voter registration through motor vehicle driver’s license applications
Washington (HB2682/SB6379): provides automatic voter registration at qualified voter registration agencies
West Virginia (HB4401): provides that any person with a West Virginia driver’s license or an official identification card is automatically registered to vote
Voter Pre-Registration
Iowa (SF2142): lowers the age at which a person may register to vote and the age at which a registered voter is eligible to vote in a primary election
Missouri (HB2280): establishes a procedure for voter pre-registration for persons ages 15 to 18
New Jersey (SB832): permits voter registration of certain persons at age 17 for voting at next election occurring on or after 18th birthday (Passed)
New York (A07919/S01569): authorizes persons 16 years of age or older to register to vote
Oklahoma (SB999): allows 16 year olds to preregister to vote
Virginia (HB292): preregistration for persons age 16 or older
Washington (HB2707/SB6340): voter preregistration of persons seventeen years of age including designating voter registration locations and voter preregistration locations
West Virginia (HB4233): reduces the age from eighteen years to sixteen years of persons permitted to register to vote
17 Year Old Voting in Primaries
Iowa (HF2145/SF2142): allows a registered voter to vote in a primary if the elector will be eighteen by the date of the general election
Utah (HB70): allows an individual who is 17 to vote in a regular primary election if the individual will be 18 by the general election (passed first committee vote unanimously)
Lowered Voting Age
California (ACA7): authorizes a person who is at least 16 years of age and a resident of the state to vote in a school or community college district governing board election in which that person would be qualified to vote based on residence
Washington DC (B21-0468): reduces the eligible voting age to 16 years of age for all elections
National Popular Vote
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