JUNE 2011

VOTING SYSTEM SCORECARD

Are states serving the rising electorate?

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ABOUT ROCK THE VOTE

Rock the Votes mission is to engage and build political power for young people in our country. Using music, popular culture, new technologies and grassroots organizing for more than 20 years, Rock the Vote has registered more young people to vote than any other organization or campaign, including more than 2.5 million registration downloads in 2008. In 2010, Rock the Vote logged more than 300,000 voter registration downloads as part of the largest midterm election outreach program in our organizations history. As the tidal wave of Millennial Generation voters continues to establish its power at the polls, Rock the Vote continues to register and educate voters. In 2011, Rock the Vote is leading the charge toward making our electoral process more accessible to young people through our high school civics program, Democracy Class, by rallying young people to stop unfair registration laws and push more modern approaches, and educating prospective 2012 candidates on how to incorporate young people in their campaigns.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Voter System Scorecard is based on data from the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law, Demos, Education Commission of the States, FairVote, Long Distance Voter, National Conference of State Legislatures, and U.S. Department of Defense. The policies and metrics evaluated herein were further informed by research and analysis conducted by CIRCLE, Fair Elections Legal Network, Overseas Vote Foundation, and The Pew Center on the States. We are particularly grateful to Steven Carb and Tova Wang at Demos, Doug Chapin at the The Pew Center on the States, Megan Donovan at the Fair Elections Legal Network, Jonah Goldman and Deb Greenspan at the Glover Park Group, Eric Marshall at the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, and Wendy Weiser at the Brennan Center for Justice for providing thoughtful feedback and suggestions. The final product is better because of them. Additional research and analysis was conducted by Rock the Vote staff and interns. All errors rest solely with Rock the Vote.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SCORECARD KEY....................................................................................
Automatic Registration ............................................................................................ Permanent and Portable Registration..................................................................... Same Day Registration............................................................................................. Online Voter Registration ......................................................................................... Restrictions on Third-Party Registration Drives........................................................ 2 3 3 4 5 6 7

VOTER REGISTRATION .......................................................................

8 Convenience Voting................................................................................................. 8 Voter Identification Requirements ........................................................................... 9 Residency Requirements.......................................................................................... 10 Absentee Voting....................................................................................................... 11 Military and Overseas Voting .................................................................................. 12

CASTING A BALLOT ..............................................................................

PREPARING YOUNG VOTERS ...................................................... 13 KEY FINDINGS............................................................................................ 15 VOTING SYSTEM SCORECARD ..................................................16 ENDNOTES ..................................................................................................... 17

Civics Education and Evaluation............................................................................. 13 Pre-registration......................................................................................................... 14

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VOTING SYSTEM SCORECARD:

Are states serving the rising electorate?
The Millennial Generation comprises 45 million eligible voters between the ages of 18 and 29. Each day, more than 12,500 young Americans turn 18 years old and become eligible to vote.1 This is the largest and most diverse generation in our country. It is also the most urban, mobile, interconnected and technologically savvy generation in history. Yet while these young Americans are designing and implementing innovative ways to shape their communities volunteering at record rates, using social media and technology to solve problems they are too often blocked from the most fundamental element of civic participation: the right to vote. According to the U.S. Census, only 58.5 percent of 18 to 24 year olds and 66.4 percent of 25 to 34 year olds were registered to vote in 2008, the lowest rates of registration among all age groups.2 Unfortunately, too many young Americans are left out of the process because of outdated voter registration practices, barriers encountered when trying to cast a ballot, and our countrys failure to adequately prepare them for active citizenship. It doesnt have to be this way. A 21st century voting system that makes it easier for this rising electorate to register to vote and removes barriers to the ballot box is not just possible today, it is necessary. Rock the Vote has evaluated state laws and practices that increase access and foster participation and developed a 21-point scale to assess how well states are serving young voters in three broad categories: Voter registration, including automatic registration, permanent and portable registration, Same Day Registration, online voter registration, and restrictions on third-party registration drives. Casting a ballot, including whether votes can be cast on days other than the traditional Election Day, voter identification requirements, residency laws, the absentee ballot processes, and laws affecting military and overseas voters. Young voter preparation, including state requirements about civics education and evaluation, and the ability of young people to pre-register to vote before they turn 18 years old. The following details the background and methodology for evaluating the states in these three categories, all of which make the political process more accessible to young voters.

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SCORECARD KEY
Voter Registration
Automatic registration Permanent and portable registration Same Day Registration Online voter registration Third-Party Registration Drives REGISTRATION SUBTOTAL

Best Score
3 1 3 3 1 11

Casting a Ballot
Convenience voting Voter ID Residency requirements Absentee laws Military and overseas voters VOTING SUBTOTAL

Best Score
2 2 1 1 1 7

Young Voter Preparation

Civics education Pre-registration PREPARATION SUBTOTAL

Best Score
2 1 3

OVERALL BEST SCORE

21

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VOTER REGISTRATION
Highest Possible Score: 11
Voter registration remains the single greatest barrier to participation for young people. More than one-third of the hundreds of thousands of problems reported during the historic 2008 election were related to voter registration.3 In California and New York, voter registration issues were about 50 percent of all reported problems. Younger voters acutely feel the issues surrounding voter registration because first-time registrants encounter an unfamiliar, antiquated system and then are forced to interact with this process more often due to their frequent moves.
Delaware, North Carolina, District of Columbia and Washington scored highest in the voter registration category. Their scores reflect the fact that they offer voter-friendly policies such as Same Day Registration (District of Columbia, North Carolina), online registration (Delaware, Washington), and automatic registration at the DMV and other state agencies (Delaware).

For most Americans, voter registration is still a paper-based process that requires voters to obtain a form either from an election official or a third-party registration group or by downloading and printing an electronic version and then return that form by mail or by hand with the correct information and a wet ink signature. Election officials then must decipher and process their entries, and information must be transferred into voter databases without error. North Dakota is currently the only state that does not require voter registration. Young Americans are frustrated with a voter registration system that is inefficient, inconvenient and wasteful. Here are five ways states can improve and modernize the voter registration system so that it works for all Americans.

Automatic Registration (3 points possible)

The holy grail of automatic registration would be immediately registering every newly eligible voter when they turn 18, become citizens, or are discharged from prison by using data from official government sources (e.g., the DMV, education records, tax records, Selective Service, Immigration Services). This does not yet exist in any state. Some states have systems in place to take information from the motor vehicle authorities and automatically register people to vote when they first get or renew their drivers license. For example, Delaware has instituted automated registration at DMVs where eligible voters review their information and put their signature on file using a device similar to what shoppers use

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at the grocery store when paying with a credit card. A few states also are soon adding other public service agencies to their automatic registration processes. Shifting the burden of registration from voters to the government will simplify the process for everyone, help eliminate the last-minute deluge of registration applications that cause countless administration problems, and reduce the need for third-party registration.

Scoring: 1 point: partially or fully automated at motor vehicle agencies 2 points: fully automated at motor vehicle and other state service agencies 3 points: automatic registration upon voters becoming eligible Source notes: Scores are derived from research conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law (Brennan Center) and available at http://www.brennancenter. org/content/pages/vrm_automatic.

North Dakota: No Voter Registration

North Dakota is the only state that does not have voter registration, having abolished it in 1951. According to the Secretary of State, here is how it works: Precincts in North Dakota maintain a list of voters who have voted in previous elections. When a voter approaches a polling location they are asked to provide an acceptable form of identification. Then the election board will attempt to locate the voters name on the voting list. If the voters name is on the list, the voters name and address are verified and the voter is then allowed to vote. If the voter is not on the list, but an election worker knows the voter to be a qualified elector of the precinct the poll worker may vouch for the voter. The voter then has the right to vote. If the voter is not on the list and no poll worker is able to vouch for them, the voter may be challenged. As part of the challenge, the voter is asked to sign an affidavit swearing to the fact that he or she is a qualified elector of the precinct and therefore qualified to vote in the precinct. If the voter agrees to sign the affidavit, the voter must be allowed to vote. If the voter refuses to sign the affidavit, the voter may be denied the right to vote. More information is available at www.nd.gov/sos/forms/pdf/votereg.pdf.

Permanent and Portable Registration (1 point possible)

In 2008 alone, 12 percent of the voting age population moved, including 25 percent of the voting age population under 30.4 A person will move 11.7 times in her lifetime, and by 2012, a majority of all young people in America will have moved since the 2008 election, moving away to college, transferring to new schools, moving to a military base or overseas for foreign service, or relocating for a new job.5

Imagine only registering to vote once in your life. When registered voters move, permanent and portable registration would allow people to vote at their new address either automatically or when they show up at the polls. This can be achieved through automatically updating the address of currently registered voters when they fill out a change of address form with the U.S. Postal Service, for example, or enabling voters who have moved within a state to correct their address at the polls.

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Several states, including Colorado and Minnesota, have mechanisms that allow voters to make corrections to their registration information at the polls or update registration records when a voter fills out a change of address form with the U.S. Postal Service. Others, like North Carolina and Wisconsin, make voter registration permanent and portable through Same Day Registration (described below). Scoring: 1 point: automatic address updates or providing voters the ability to update their registration at the polls Source notes: Scores are derived from research conducted by the Brennan Center and available at http://www.brennancenter.org/content/pages/vrm_permanence.

Same Day Registration (3 points possible)

According to a survey done by the U.S. Census, among eligible citizens who were not registered to vote in 2008, 15 percent responded that it was because they missed a voter registration deadline.6 Among 18- to 29-year-olds who did not register to vote, 21 percent said it was because they did not meet the registration deadline in their state and an additional 6 percent said they did not know how or where to register.7 It is estimated that if these voters had not missed their deadlines, overall election turnout would have been 4.1 percentage points higher.8 At the time of greatest interest in elections the final weeks leading up to Election Day citizens who are not previously or properly registered are locked out of the process in the vast majority of states due to registration deadlines. In 2010, when 300,000 potential registrants used Rock the Votes online system to fill out an application, nearly 45,000 people filled out a form after their states voter registration deadline, including 10,000 on Election Day itself. Among these late applicants, more than 16,000 were in California, 3,000 in New York, and nearly 2,000 in Texas, none of which provide the ability to register after the mail-in deadline. Moreover, the inefficiencies in the registration process wreak havoc elsewhere in the system. Oftentimes, because registration pushes come in the weeks before elections, local officials are overwhelmed by the sheer amount of paper they must process. This means that voters may not make it onto the rolls, addresses may not be changed and cards verifying a proper registration and polling location may not reach voters in time. It also means election officials have less time for other critical, timely activities such as sending out or processing absentee ballots, doing voter education and training poll workers.

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Same Day Registration (SDR) laws avoid the problems associated with registration deadlines. SDR provides the opportunity to register and cast a ballot during an early voting period or on Election Day itself (also known as Election Day Registration). States with SDR have the highest voter turnout rates in the country. In fact, they historically have turnout that is 10 to 12 percentage points higher than those without it. North Carolina, which implemented its system in 2007, saw 250,000 voters use SDR in 2008 and increased its turnout rank from 42nd in the nation in 2004 to 15th in 2008. Recently, legislation was introduced in the North Carolina Senate to eliminate the practice. Scoring: 3 points: SDR for all elections Source notes: Scores are derived from research conducted by Demos and available at http://demos.org/publication.cfm?currentpublicationID=AE8AB63E-3FF4-6C825DC59D5071F89C52.

Online Voter Registration (3 points possible)

The prevailing paper-based voter registration system is foreign to the digital generation. Young Americans are accustomed to filling out permissions slips, submitting homework, signing up for classes, banking securely, filing taxes, booking flights, mapping directions and more online, yet voter registration is an antiquated, inefficient and confusing process that leaves many otherwise engaged and concerned young citizens out in the cold. Even with the ability to fill out an application online, in states without fully integrated online voter registration, registrants still must print out their form, sign it, and get it to the registrar ahead of a deadline. The reliance on paper at the beginning of the process leads to problems downstream as well: forms are delayed as post offices and election official offices are overwhelmed close to deadlines, forms get lost or stolen, and printing and sending millions of forms is a waste of resources money, energy and paper. Online voter registration, which has been implemented by ten states, allows citizens to submit their voter registration applications directly to their Secretary of States office using the Internet and reduces errors throughout the process. Recent Pew Research Center data shows that 95 percent of 18 to 34 year olds go online.11 This suggests that providing the opportunity and directing young people to register to vote online will reach a wide range of Millennials. Further, studies show that people who register online who, not surprisingly, are disproportionately younger vote at higher rates than those who register through other methods. In Washington, for example, 85.3 percent of online registrants voted in 2008, compared to 82.4 percent turnout statewide. In Arizona, 94 percent of online registrants voted, compared to 85 percent of traditional registrants; among voters under 35, 93 percent of online registrants voted compared to 73 percent of offline registrants.12

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Online voter registration also saves money. For example, the Pew Center on the States found that during the 2008 election Oregon spent more than $8.8 million, a cost of $4.11 per active voter or $7.67 per voter registration transaction.13 Oregons Secretary of State recently reported that after implementing its online voter registration system a year ago about 87,000 citizens had used the system to register or update their addresses at a cost of less than $1 per transaction.14 According to the Brennan Center for Justice, paperless registration reduces election costs significantly. Maricopa County, Arizona saved more than $450,000 in 2008. Delaware saved more than $200,000 in 2009. And Washington, where 23 percent of new registrants now use its online system, saved $126,000 in 2008 in the Secretary of States office alone.15 Scoring: 3 points: online voter registration system Source notes: Scoring is based on independent research conducted by Rock the Vote, the Pew Center on the States, and data and analysis from Demos available at http://demos.org/ publication.cfm?currentpublicationID=1B5F8891-3FF4-6C82-55DB6E71177424EE.

Restrictions on Third-Party Registration Drives (1 point possible)

Registration drives conducted by nonpartisan, non-profit organizations and volunteers are an important aspect of reaching communities that are underrepresented in the electorate, including students, low-income people, and communities of color. The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) required states to make a mail-in registration form available to citizens, with a particular emphasis on making them available for organized voter registration programs.16 Despite a Federal imperative to utilize third-party voter registration drives, several states still employ deputy registrar programs that put restrictions on who can register voters in the state, often requiring special state-sponsored training. A few states do not allow third-party voter registration drives at all or accept the NVRA registration form. Scoring: 1 point: no deputy registrar program or other onerous restrictions on third-party voter registration drives Source notes: Scoring is based on independent research conducted by Rock the Vote and data and analysis from Demos available at http://demos.org/publication.cfm?currentpublicationID =1B5F8891-3FF4-6C82-55DB6E71177424EE.

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CASTING A BALLOT
Highest Possible Score: 7
Once registered, young voters face a number of barriers when trying to cast their ballots. This can result from unnecessary and unreasonable voter identification laws, byzantine absentee voting procedures and residency requirements that put their voting eligibility into question. Moreover, members of the military and their families, as well as other U.S. citizens serving and living abroad, face high hurdles, potential confusion caused by frequent moves and inhospitable environments, and tight timelines during the voting process. Unfortunately, the barriers are being made worse during current legislative sessions in a number of states. Over 30 states have sought to enact highly restrictive photo ID laws, which often place unnecessary burdens on certain classes of voters, including younger voters and students. Politicians have also sought to impose unconstitutional residency requirements, limit early voting, and eliminate Same Day Registration. The Speaker of the House in New Hampshire recently said young people in his state are foolish and they just vote their feelings. Another New Hampshire lawmaker made the case that students should not be allowed to vote where they go to school unless their parents had established residency in that town prior to the student attending college because young people possess a dearth of experience and a plethora of the easy self-confidence that only ignorance and inexperience can produce.17 In Montana, when arguing against a vote-by-mail bill, state Representative Ken Petersen claimed students are not very motivated and [s]ometimes when you are in school, your brain doesnt work real well.18 Below, we have identified policies that can encourage or thwart participation at the polls.

Convenience Voting (2 points possible)

In many states, Election Day really isnt just a single day anymore. With in-person early voting and vote-by-mail, states have made it easier for people to cast ballots at times and locations that are more convenient to them. By giving voters more opportunities to cast their ballot

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especially those who are away from their home precincts, working hourly wage jobs, or have trouble getting to the polls on Election Day states are finding ways to increase participation. For these purposes, convenience voting does not include absentee voting by mail, which is covered below. And while some states refer to early voting at a polling place or county office as in-person, no-excuse absentee voting, we consider this early voting, not absentee voting. Further, the form of vote-by-mail contemplated here is a full system of vote-by-mail, like in Oregon and Washington. Scoring: 2 points: allowing in-person voting prior to Election Day or vote-by-mail Source notes: Scores are derived from research conducted by Long Distance Voter regarding the availability of early voting during the 2010 elections and available at http://www. longdistancevoter.org/early_voting_rules. Additional research was conducted by Rock the Vote.

Voter Identification Requirements (2 points possible)

When voters show up at a polling place, their identity and registration status are verified by poll workers. In states that allow people to register to vote by mail, first-time voters who show up at the polls must provide some form of government-issued photo ID or non-photo documentation with their name and current address. For all other voters, identification requirements vary in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In 22 states and the District of Columbia, no formal documentation is required at the polls, although in these states voters are often required to recite their addresses or sign a poll book affirming their identities, under penalty of perjury. These states have been assigned the highest possible score. Twenty-eight states require voters to show identification prior to voting. Currently, only Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin require voters to show a government-issued photo ID like a drivers license, passport, or military ID at the polls. These seven states all received the lowest scores because they have the most restrictive requirements in the country. The 21 other states require some form of documentation at the polls, but with lesser restrictions or have a photo ID requirement but allow voters who do not possess valid photo

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identification to sign an affidavit attesting to their identity. Twelve states allow voters to present a wide range of documents to prove their identity and current address, such as utility bills, voter registration cards, student IDs, paychecks, tax bills, car registrations, and other government documents. Florida, for example, requires a photo ID, but it doesnt have to be government-issued, which means a buyers club card, student ID, or neighborhood association ID would be fine. The remaining 10 states allow a voter who doesnt have the required ID to sign an affidavit or statement, under the penalty of perjury, that they are who they say they are. These states receive one out of the two possible points. Several states are on the verge of imposing more restrictive photo identification requirements. Scoring: Zero points: most restrictive range of photo ID 1 point: broader range of acceptable forms of identification or photo ID requirement with ability for voter to sign an affidavit if not in possession of photo ID 2 points: identity must be verified, but no formal documentation required Source notes: Scoring is derived from data made available by the National Conference on State Legislatures and available at http://www.ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=16602. Additional research and analysis was conducted by Rock the Vote.

Residency Requirements (1 point possible)

In 1979, the Supreme Court ruled that students have the right to register and vote where they are in school.19 Despite that protection, states often enact laws that make it more challenging for student residents to participate in elections. Residency requirements determine how long a citizen must live in a place before he or she can become an eligible voter and they vary from state-to-state. These laws are particularly important to students and highly mobile young voters. The Brennan Center has reviewed state residency laws from the perspective of student voters and assigned each state one of three levels based on answers to the following questions: what policies, if any, does the state have concerning students claiming in-state residency for voting purposes; what is your residency policy with regards to students who plan to leave their school community after graduation but do not have specific plans; what is your residency policy with regards to students who do not have definite plans after graduation?

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Scoring: Zero points: restrictive residency laws that make it difficult for students without intent to remain in-state after school to establish residency 0.5 points: no explicit legal protections for students who want to register and vote where they go to school, but provides ability for students to establish residency 1 point: explicit legal protections for students who want to register and vote where they go to school Source notes: Scores are derived from research and analysis conducted by the Brennan Center and available at http://www.brennancenter.org/studentvoting.

Absentee Voting (1 point possible)

Adventurous young people who live all over the country or world can still cast ballots in the place they consider home by voting absentee. The process varies from state to state, but generally, registered voters must send an absentee ballot request to their local elections official, which is often a paper-based system that replicates the challenges we see in the voter registration process, and then will receive a ballot that they cast by mail. The Brennan Center has reviewed absentee voting laws in each state looking, for example, at the requirement that voters provide a valid excuse for not voting on Election Day and witnessing or notarization requirements and has assigned one of three levels based on the ease of the process. Scoring: Zero points: very restrictive laws, including prohibitions against first-time voters voting absentee 0.5 points: additional requirements such as providing an excuse with absentee ballot request and getting ballot notarized or witnessed 1 point: voter-friendly laws, including no notarization or witnessing requirements Source notes: Scores are derived from research and analysis conducted by the Brennan Center and available at http://www.brennancenter.org/studentvoting.

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Military and Overseas Voting (1 point possible)

The Uniform and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) guarantees the right to vote in federal elections for uniformed service members, their spouses and dependents, and other American citizens living abroad. Unfortunately, a number of obstacles stand in the way of making that sacred right a practical reality, including issues around registration, the time overseas voters have to return their ballot, and the transmission processes that are available to them. In 2008, nearly 28 percent of military and overseas ballots were returned as undeliverable, lost or rejected, according to the Congressional Research Service.19 In 2009, Congress passed the MOVE Act to address some of the barriers in the overseas voting system. In response, states have amended their elections laws in order to comply with the new federal requirements. However, the Overseas Vote Foundation found that in a survey of UOCAVA voters in the 2010 election, 18 percent reported that they did not receive a requested ballot and another 16.5 percent reported that they had received the ballot late.21 The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) at the U.S. Department of Defense identified the key initiatives that facilitate the participation of overseas and military voters and has determined which states are in compliance. The key policies include: transmission of ballots 45 days prior to the election, email and online transmission of voting materials, expanded use of the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot, adoption of the Uniform Law Commission recommendations, emergency authority for the states chief elections official, removal of notarization and witnessing requirements, late registration procedures, and enfranchisement of citizens who have never resided in the United States. Because the two most important considerations for military and overseas voters are time and electronic transmission of materials, these policies are weighted the 45-day transmission period and electronic transmission are valued the highest; other provisions, the removal of witness requirements, late registration, and non-resident enfranchisement, are given less weight and an overall score has been assigned. Scoring: 0 to 1 point based on FVAP assessment of state policies Source notes: Scores are derived from FVAP data, which is on file with FVAP. More information about the legislative initiatives is available here: http://www.fvap.gov/reference/laws/stateinitiatives.html.

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PREPARING YOUNG VOTERS

Highest Possible Score: 3
Over the past 30 years, civics education has been systematically cut from public schools, and according to the National Assessment of Educational Progresss May 2011 report on civics education, fewer than two-thirds of our nations 12th graders scored at or above basic levels of achievement. According to the same report, about 30 percent of 12th graders did not learn about elections and voting in 2010.21 Opportunities to learn about politics and government are increasingly rare, and programs to register newly eligible high school students are not widespread. Those lucky enough to have parents, mentors, teachers or community groups to educate and guide them through the process are more likely to register to vote and become habitual voters. Those who dont may find themselves increasingly frustrated and disengaged from this countrys democratic system.

Three states scored perfect in the preparation category for offering pre-registration to 16- or 17-year olds and teaching and testing civics in high schools:

California Delaware Maryland

The following metrics assess how well state policies prepare young people to become voters in the areas of civics education and allowing those who are under the age of 18 to pre-register to vote.

Civics Education and Evaluation (2 points possible)

While civics education is a state-mandated component of most high school curricula, the number of civics, government, social studies or citizenship credits required of students varies widely among the states. Given the commonly held belief that if it isnt tested, it isnt taught, Rock the Vote examined data provided by the Education Commission of the States to determine how many states evaluated civics learning with some kind of end-of-course or year-end test. Only 23 states assess student performance in the area of civics, government, social studies or citizenship.

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Scoring: 2 points: teaching civics and evaluating student performance Source notes: Scoring is derived from research conducted by the Education Commission of the States and available at http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/CitEd/3-Assessment.pdf. Additional research was conducted by Rock the Vote.

Pre-registration (1 point possible)

Pre-registration allows eligible citizens as young as 16 years old to register to vote and automatically activates that registration when the legal voting age is reached. (Pre-registration is different from laws that allow 17-year-olds to register to vote and, in some cases, participate in primaries if they will be 18 by the general election.) Voters who pre-registered have been shown to turn out at higher rates than peers who registered to vote for the first time upon or after turning 18. Moreover, in jurisdictions that have embraced pre-registration, elections officials often engage in significant outreach and education efforts in high schools.22 Despite its effectiveness, pre-registration is not very common among the states. Only eight states have enacted laws. Scoring (up to one point): 1 point: pre-registration for 16- or 17-year-olds Source notes: Scoring derived from research conducted by FairVote and available at http://www. fairvote.org/youth-preregistration-fact-sheet. Additional research was conducted by Rock the Vote.

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KEY FINDINGS
The average national overall score is only 41% (8.6 out of 21 possible points) with Washington ranking highest at 68% and South Carolina and Virginia at the bottom with 18%. Only 15 states scored above 50%.

* North Dakota does not have voter registration. Applying only the non-voter registration metrics including all of the voting metrics and the civics score the state receives 60% of the possible points (5.4 out of 9). If North Dakota is given all 11 points available for voter registration and 1 point for pre-registration, its total score would be 17.4 out of 21 or 83%, the highest in the country.

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Voting SyStem Scorecard

Reg istra tion Perm anen t an d Po rtab Onli le R e ne R gist egis ratio trati n on Sam e Da y Re gist ratio n Thir d-Pa rty R egis trati on D rive s

Scor e

ID R equi rem ents Con veni ence Voti ng Resi denc y Re quir eme nts Abs ente e Vo ting Ove rsea s an d Mi litar y Vo ting

Scor e

AL S COR E ** % SC ORE
100%
25% 26% 47% 33% 56% 43% 20% 57% 66% 35% 39% 31% 47% 33% 37% 66% 57% 37% 54% 57% 56% 28% 31% 47% 35% 26% 61% 42% 50% 41% 32% 40% 36% 61% N/A 43% 23% 61% 30% 30% 18% 49% 23% 36% 45% 36% 18% 68% 43% 53% 51%

Auto mat ic

Vote r

High

Best Possible Score

Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming

3
0 0 1 1 1 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0

1
0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1

3
0 0 3 0 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0

3
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 3

1
1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0

11
1 1 5 2 2 4 1 6 6 1 2 1 5 0 4 5 5 2 4 5 2 1 2 5 1 1 5 0 4 4 2 0 1 6 N/A 2 1 5 2 2 2 3 1 1 4 1 1 6 1 5 4

2
1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 2 2 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 1 2 2 0 2

2
0 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 2 0 2 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 2 0 2 2 2 2

1
0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0 0 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 0.5 0.5 1 0 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1

1
0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0.5 0.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 0.5 1

1
0.3 0.5 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.6 0.7 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.4 1.0 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.5 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.3 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.5 1.0 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.8

7
2.3 4.5 4.9 4.9 6.8 5.1 3.2 3.0 6.8 5.3 4.2 4.6 4.8 6.9 3.8 6.9 4.9 3.7 5.4 7.0 6.8 4.8 2.6 4.8 4.4 2.5 5.9 6.9 6.4 4.7 4.7 6.4 4.6 5.8 5.4 5.1 3.8 6.8 4.3 3.3 1.8 5.3 3.8 4.5 5.5 6.6 2.8 6.2 6.1 4.1 6.8

2
2 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 0 2 0 2 0 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 2 2 2 0

Pre-

1
0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 2
0

21
5.3 5.5 9.9 6.9 11.8 9.1 4.2 12.0 13.8 7.3 8.2 6.6 9.8 6.9 7.8 13.9 11.9 7.7 11.4 12.0 11.8 5.8 6.6 9.8 7.4 5.5 12.9 8.9 10.4 8.7 6.7 8.4 7.6 12.8 N/A 9.1 4.8 12.8 6.3 6.3 3.8 10.3 4.8 7.5 9.5 7.6 3.8 14.2 9.1 11.1 10.8

0
0

3
0

0
3

1
1

2
1

0
0

0
2

2
2

2
0

3
0

2
0

2
2

2
2

0
0

0
2

2
1

N/A
2

0
1

0
1

0
2

0
2

0
0

0
2

2
2

45 T-43 17 T-35 T-10 T-21 48 T-7 3 34 27 T-38 T-18 T-35 28 2 9 29 12 T-7 T-10 42 T-38 T-18 33 T-43 4 24 15 25 37 26 T-30 T-5 * T-21 T-46 T-5 T-40 T-40 T-49 16 T-46 32 20 T-30 T-49 1 T-21 13 14

*North Dakota does not have voter registration. Applying only the non-voter registration metrics such as all of the voting metrics and the civics score the state receives 60% of the possible points (5.4 out of 9). If North Dakota is given 11 points available for voter registration and 1 point for pre-registration, its total score would be 17.4 out of 21 or 83%, the highest in the country. **As of May 31, 2011.24

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ENDNOTES
1 In 2010, there were approximately 4.6 million 17-year-olds, according to U.S. Census Bureau data, analyzed by CIRCLE and available at http://www.civicyouth.org/the-new-group-of-potential-youthvoters/. Divided by 365 days, it is estimated that more than 12,500 will turn 18 every day in 2011. 2 U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008 (May 2010). Available at www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p20-562.pdf. 3 The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, Election Protection 2008: Helping Voters Today, Modernizing the System for Tomorrow (May 10, 2009). Available at http://www.866ourvote. org/tools/documents/files/0077.pdf. See also U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008 (May 2010). (Among 18- to 29-year-olds who did not register to vote, 21 percent said it was because they did not meet the registration deadline in their state and an additional 6 percent said they did not know how or where to register.) 4 U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2008 Annual Social and Economic Supplement (accessed May 2011). Available at http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/migrate.html. 5 See ibid. Tables available at http://www.census.gov/hhes/migration/data/cps/cps2010.html. 6 U.S. Census Bureau, Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2008 (May 2010). Available at www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p20-562.pdf. 7 CIRCLE, Fact Sheet: Voter Registration Among Young People in 2008 (November 2010). Available at http://www.civicyouth.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/FS_10_Registration.pdf. 8 E.g., Michael McDonald, 2008 Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement (May 2010). Available at http://elections.gmu.edu/CPS_2008.html. 9 Steven Carb and Regina M. Eaton, Voters Win with Same Day Registration (Demos, February 3, 2010). Available at http://www.demos.org/publication.cfm?currentpublicationID=AE8AB63E-3FF4-6C825DC59D5071F89C52. 10 North Carolina Civic Health Index (National Conference on Citizenship, 2010). Available at http:// www.ncoc.net/ncchi2010. 11 Pew Internet and American Life Project, Generations 2010 (Pew Research Center, December 2010). Available at http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Generations-2010.aspx. 12 Matt Barreto, Bonnie Glaser and Karin MacDonald, Online Voter Registration (OLVR) Systems in Arizona and Washington: Evaluating Public Usage, Public Confidence and Implementation Processes (Pew Center on the States, April 1, 2010). Available at www.pewcenteronthestates.org/uploadedFiles/ wwwpewcenteronthestatesorg/Initiatives/MVW/online_voter_reg.pdf?n=2908.

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13 The Pew Center on the States, The Real Cost of Voter Registration (revised March 2010). Available at: http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=56478. 14 Kristian Foden-Vencil, Online Voter Registration Celebrates First Anniversary (Oregon Public Broadcasting, February 28, 2011). Available at http://news.opb.org/article/69165-online-voterregistration-celebrates-first-anniversary/. 15 Christopher Ponoroff and Wendy Weiser (editor), Voter Registration in a Digital Age (Brennan Center for Justice, July 13, 2010). Available at http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/voter_ registration_in_a_digital_age/. 16 42 U.S.C. 1973gg-4(b). 17 See, e.g., Peter Wallsten, In states, parties clash over voting laws that would affect college students, others (Washington Post, March 8, 2011). Available at http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/06/AR2011030602662.html. 18 Jayme Fraser, Uneducated and unmotivated: Legislators attack integrity of student voters (Montana Kamin, February 1, 2011). Available at http://www.montanakaimin.com/news/uneducatedand-unmotivated-legislators-attack-integrity-of-student-voters-1.1951622. 19 Symm v. U.S., 439 U.S. 1105 (1979). 20 Information for the Upcoming Senate Rules and Adminstration Committee Hearing on the Uniformed and Overseas Absentee Voting Act (Congressional Research Service, May 11, 2009). 21 Moving Forward: 2010 OVF Post Election UOCAVA Survey Report and Analysis (Overseas Vote Foundation, February 2011). Available at: https://www.overseasvotefoundation.org/files/OVF_2010_ Post_Election_Survey_Report.pdf. 22 Civics 2010 National Assessment of Education Progress at Grades 4, 8, and 12 (National Center for Education Statistics, May 2011). Available at http://nationsreportcard.gov/civics_2010/. 23 See Michael McDonald, Voter Preregistration Programs (2009). Available at http://elections.gmu. edu/Preregistration_Report.pdf. 24 States will continue to enact laws that affect the overall scores, but changes that occurred after May 31, 2011 are not reflected here. Additionally, a brief note about what the 2011 version of the scorecard does not evaluate: state compliance with the National Voter Registration Act; college and university compliance with Higher Education Act requirements; access for people with disabilities; non-English language access; counting of provisional ballots; equipment and technology used to cast and count ballots; and usability of official state elections websites and whether they provide useful information about voter registration, absentee voting, or candidate and polling place information, for example. While some of these metrics potentially can have an impact on access to the political process, we were unable to include them in this years survey and scorecard. We will examine these for possible inclusion in future scorecards.

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