Addressing the Viability of Same-Day Voting Registration

As helpful as an Instagram infographic may be for election information, the lack of awareness of key registration dates severely hinders voter turnout, indicating the need for vital legislation to expand accessibility to the polls. Research has shown that registration “closing dates” act as one of the largest barriers to voter turnout. These dates create two major obstacles for voters: citizens must be aware of voting information before campaigns reach their peak, and they need to physically go to vote on a separate date. To overcome registration obstacles, same-day voting registration (SDR), or the “ability to register to vote in-person and immediately vote a provisional ballot after the deadline to register and vote a non-provisional ballot has passed” (Virginia Department of Elections), has been established as a solution. Same-day registration offers a meaningful opportunity to improve voting practices in the United States through increasing convenience and access to elections, raising the question of why SDR has not been implemented across all states when it has notably expanded voter participation and could improve turnout among low-propensity voters, creating a more representative government.

Same-day registration is currently enacted in 23 states and Washington, D.C., with some states only permitting SDR during general elections or presidential elections or during early-voting periods. Same-day voting registration began in the 1970s following the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a federal law established to eliminate racial discrimination when voting (literacy tests, “pre-clearances”, etc.). Following the wave of removing hurdles to voting access, states began following suit and enacting SDR, with the first states being Maine in 1973 and Minnesota in 1974. The process of SDR entails similar requirements to voting: a citizen must appear at their assigned precinct, bring proof of identity, and state the proper address, and will then be issued a provisional ballot. While the process is simple, the greater impact on electoral participation has been significant.

The most valuable reason to install SDR is the proven impact it has on voter turnout. Studies have found that SDR increases voter turnout on average by four to six percentage points, with other studies uncovering a much larger fourteen percentage points. Most noticeably, SDR heightens voter turnout among younger voters by an increased three to seven percentage points. Voter registration deadlines disproportionately affect college students and younger citizens due to frequent moving and address changes, allowing SDR to act as a means to overcome this dilemma. For example, SDR has played a crucial role in Virginia elections for Virginia students who want to vote. During the 2024 election, over 100,000 Virginians voted using SDR, with large majorities being students in college towns who were unable to vote at home for various reasons but were able to cast a provisional ballot on election day.

While it has been demonstrated that SDR has increased voter turnout, a concern of many legislators is the partisan nature of which citizens are taking advantage of election day registration. The political obstacles to enacting same-day registration stem from SDR’s increasing turnout among younger voters and Black and Hispanic populations, likely increasing Democratic vote shares. Since “party officials’ feelings about [SDR] tend to correspond with views about participation and the perceived effect [SDR] has on the success of their party” (Hanmer, 2009), it is incredibly unlikely to get Republican support to expand same-day registration.

Another fear of SDR stems from uncertainty surrounding provisional ballots. Provisional ballots are issued when a voter’s identity is uncertain and are counted separately from regular ballots and are issued in more situations than just SDR. For example, if a pollbook indicates a voter has already voted, a voter’s name is not in the pollbook, or there are other identity- or location-related issues, the voter will be issued a provisional ballot, which will be counted separately and reviewed by a local electoral board to determine if the vote can be counted. Since the provisional ballot has to be reviewed and can potentially be thrown out, there is a fear among voters using SDR that their vote will not be counted.

Critics of SDR also cite concerns of election fraud or interference due to bypassing traditional voter registration safeguards that require identity verification. This idea stems from a fear of voters slipping between the cracks of proper identification when their provisional ballot is being issued, but in reality, voters are still required to show proper identification and verify residency, the same requirements as traditional voting. The process of issuing provisional ballots, despite potentially raising alarm in voters, is designed to combat voting fraud and uphold election integrity. While there are concerns regarding SDR, increasing public awareness about the process can help ease anxieties among voters and skeptics. It is evident that there are necessary provisions in place to uphold election legitimacy while expanding voting access across the United States.

Certain demographics, specifically older, white populations, have consistently turned out and dictated election outcomes. For example, a limited 65.3% of eligible voters turned out in the 2024 presidential election, WAs helpful as an Instagram infographic may be for election information, the lack of awareness of key registration dates severely hinders voter turnout, indicating the need for vital legislation to expand accessibility to the polls. Research has shown that registration “closing dates” act as one of the largest barriers to voter turnout. These dates create two major obstacles for voters: citizens must be aware of voting information before campaigns reach their peak, and they need to physically go to vote on a separate date. To overcome registration obstacles, same-day voting registration (SDR), or the “ability to register to vote in-person and immediately vote a provisional ballot after the deadline to register and vote a non-provisional ballot has passed” (Virginia Department of Elections), has been established as a solution. Same-day registration offers a meaningful opportunity to improve voting practices in the United States through increasing convenience and access to elections, raising the question of why SDR has not been implemented across all states when it has notably expanded voter participation and could improve turnout among low-propensity voters, creating a more representative government.

Same-day registration is currently enacted in 23 states and Washington, D.C., with some states only permitting SDR during general elections or presidential elections or during early-voting periods. Same-day voting registration began in the 1970s following the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a federal law established to eliminate racial discrimination when voting (literacy tests, “pre-clerances”, etc.).  Following the wave of removing hurdles to voting access, states began following suit and enacting SDR, with the first states being Maine in 1973 and Minnesota in 1974. The process of SDR entails similar requirements to voting: a citizen must appear at their assigned precinct, bring proof of identity and state the proper address, and will then be issued a provisional ballot. While the process is simple, the greater impact on electoral participation has been significant.

The most valuable reason to install SDR is the proven impact it has on voter turnout. Studies have found that SDR increases voter turnout on average by four to six percentage points, with other studies uncovering a much larger fourteen percentage points. Most noticeably, SDR heightens voter turnout among younger voters by an increased three to seven percentage points. Voting registration deadlines disproportionately affect college students and younger citizens due to frequent moving and address changes, allowing SDR to act as a means to overcome this dilemma. For example, SDR has played a crucial role in Virginia elections for Virginia students who want to vote. During the 2024 election, over 100,000 Virginians voted using SDR, with large majorities being students in college towns who were unable to vote at home for various reasons but were able to cast a provisional ballot on election day.

While it has been demonstrated that SDR has increased voter turnout, a concern of many legislators is the partisan nature of which citizens are taking advantage of election day registration. The political obstacles to enacting same-day registration stem from SDR increasing turnout among younger voters and Black and Hispanic populations, likely increasing Democratic vote shares. Since “party officials’ feelings about [SDR] tend to correspond with views about participation and the perceived effect [SDR] has on the success of their party” (Hanmer, 2009), it is incredibly unlikely to get Republican support to expand same-day registration.

Another fear of SDR stems from uncertainty surrounding provisional ballots. Provisional ballots are issued when a voter’s identity is uncertain and are counted separately from regular ballots and are issued in more situations than just SDR. For example, if a pollbook indicates a voter has already voted, a voter’s name is not in the pollbook, or there are other identity- or location-related issues, the voter will be issued a provisional ballot, which will be counted separately and reviewed by a local electoral board to determine if the vote can be counted. Since the provisional ballot has to be reviewed and can potentially be thrown out, there is a fear among voters using SDR that their vote will not be counted.

Critics of SDR also cite concerns of election fraud or interference due to bypassing traditional voter registration safeguards that require identity verification. This idea stems from a fear of voters slipping between the cracks of proper identification when their provisional ballot is being issued, but in reality, voters are still required to show proper identification and verify residency, the same requirements as traditional voting. The process of issuing provisional ballots, despite potentially raising alarm in voters, is designed to combat voting fraud and uphold election integrity. While there are concerns regarding SDR, increasing public awareness about the process can help ease anxieties among voters and skeptics. It is evident that there are necessary provisions in place to uphold election legitimacy while expanding voting access across the United States.

Certain demographics, specifically older, white populations, have consistently turned out and dictated election outcomes. For example, a limited 65.3% of eligible voters turned out in the 2024 presidential election, white Americans had the highest turnout rate at 78.2%, while Hispanic Americans had the lowest at 56.2%, which can be further broken down by age. The highest turnout was among the 66 and older age demographic, with 83.2% of individuals in this group voting, compared to the much lower 57.4% in the 18-25 age group. If only a certain age and race demographic is consistently turning out to vote in elections, there is a disproportionate sway of certain groups over the outcome of elections in the United States, indicating election reform must take place to cater to a larger majority of citizens. Same-day voting registration acts as a means to improve turnout and overcome barriers that lower turnout groups may face. In the meantime, it is vital to spread information regarding election day and registration timelines, along with demystifying provisional ballots to eliminate the fear of illegitimate elections. A government truly represented by the people is the most valuable aspect of a functioning democracy, making it imperative to amplify citizens' abilities and opportunities to vote by expanding same-day voter registration. White Americans had the highest turnout rate at 78.2%, while Hispanic Americans had the lowest at 56.2%, which can be further broken down by age. The highest turnout was among the 66 and older age demographic, with 83.2% of individuals in this group voting, compared to the much lower 57.4% in the 18-25 age group. If only a certain age and race demographic is consistently turning out to vote in elections, there is a disproportionate sway of certain groups over the outcome of elections in the United States, indicating election reform must take place to cater to a larger majority of citizens. Same-day voting registration acts as a means to improve turnout and overcome barriers that lower turnout groups may face. In the meantime, it is vital to spread information regarding election day and registration timelines, along with demystifying provisional ballots to eliminate the fear of illegitimate elections. A government truly represented by the people is the most valuable aspect of a functioning democracy, making it imperative to amplify citizens' abilities and opportunities to vote by expanding same-day voting registration.

Society & CultureKierany LewisComment