According to wikipedia, states that have implemented EDR have greater voter turnout.
In the 2004 presidential election, voter turnout in states utilizing Election Day Registration was 12 percent higher than states that did not. Likewise, in the 2006 elections, states with EDR showed turnout rates 10-12 percent higher than in non-EDR states.Research shows that the people most likely to be affected are middle- and low-income voters, young people, and recent movers.
For more reading for anyone interested, there's a report on Demos' website, that explains the benefits to voters with this easy registration.
North Carolinians previously had to have registered 25 days prior to election day. We in Virginia have a 29 day registration deadline in order to vote in General and Primary elections !!!
Gee, with all the technology industry in our state I would have thought we might have moved to EDR by now.
According to Jerry Meek (Chair of the NC Democratic Party), the Democrats worked long and hard to get this passed.
NC Dems Stop GOP Voter Suppression EffortsNorth Carolina Democrats successfully halted GOP voter suppression efforts this week with the passage of same day voter registration.
The new law allows voters to register up to three days before Election Day, down from 25 days under the old law. The measure also provides several safeguards to ensure the integrity of voter registration and toughens criminal penalties for those who commit fraud.
Republican State Auditor Les Merritt attempted to stall passage of the bill by citing a flawed preliminary report that ultimately yielded no evidence of voter fraud.
Thanks to the hard work and energy of the Young Democrats of North Carolina and grassroots activists, the bill prevailed against such attacks.
"We should do everything we can to encourage people to vote, especially when stringent safeguards are in place to prevent voter fraud," said NCDP Chair Jerry Meek. "Despite Mr. Les Merritt's attempt to derail this legislation with misinformation, our legislators wisely concluded that same day registration was the right thing to do."
Zack Hawkins, president of the Young Democrats of North Carolina, also hailed the bill's passage.
"This will revolutionize the way young people vote in North Carolina," Hawkins said. "It will allow us to continue to engage and inspire young voters to participate in the democratic process, especially during the critical, last days leading up to an election."
Any thoughts on whether we might someday be able to enjoy that privilege?