As Americans, we agree that we should have a voting system that ensures all eligible voters – whether they are Democratic, Republican, or independent – should have their voices heard and their votes counted. Center for Secure and Modern Elections supports reforms like Automatic Voter Registration that strengthen America’s democracy.
What is Automatic Voter Registration?
Automatic Voter Registration is a process that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are adopting to replace outdated paper-based registration with secure, modern, electronic systems. These new systems automatically register eligible voters and update voter registration information when people apply for or renew their driver’s license or change their address.
Automatic voter registration is a small common sense update to our registration process that uses modern technology to protect the security of our elections, make government more efficient, and ensure every eligible voter has an opportunity to have their voice heard on Election Day.
Strengthening the Security of Our Voting Systems
Modernizing registration will help election officials maintain accurate lists to ensure that only eligible citizens are able to cast votes — and modernizing voter registration will help protect the integrity of elections by strengthening the security of our voting rolls.
Modernizing the Outdated Paper-Based System
Our registration and voting system generally works well, but in the age of computers, modernizing our outdated, paper-based voter registration system is just common sense. Modernization will protect the fundamental right of eligible citizens by eliminating the need to constantly update paper election registration forms.
Eliminating Red Tape, Saving Taxpayer Dollars
Nationwide, tens of millions of paper voter registrations are processed every year, and each one costs almost 30 times more than an electronic registration. By replacing our outdated paper-based system with a modern, electronic one, Automatic Voter Registration will eliminate wasteful red tape and save taxpayers millions of dollars that could be spent on other vital services.
By coming together to update our election systems, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are preserving America’s democracy for the next generation and making sure that the American people can have their voice heard on Election Day.