Thank you to everyone who was able to attend yesterday’s webinar “Engaging New Voters in 2016.” More than 166 people joined the webinar! That’s one of the highest turnouts we’ve ever had. We really do appreciate your interest and all of your great questions. Webinar Materials: Please feel free to download the webinar PowerPoint and read more
This evening, Nonprofit VOTE released a new report that examines the impact nonprofits have when they engage the communities they serve in voting and elections. Engaging New Voters: The Impact of Nonprofit Voter Outreach on Client and Community Turnout is based on an analysis of 129 nonprofits that did voter engagement work across nine states read more
On Saturday Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 1461 (along with 13 other voting and election bills), making California the second state to adopt automatic voter registration. Oregon did so earlier this year. In Oregon, an estimated 300,000 voters could be added to the rolls with automatic registration. In California, the Secretary of State’s office reports read more
The Knight Foundation recently released research about the barriers and motivators for local voting, specifically focusing on “drop-off millennial voters,”–people ages 20 to 34 who voted in the last national election but not in recent local elections. Local elections are missing millions of millennial voters who participate in national elections but not ones in their read more
In 2014, Nonprofit VOTE conducted a multi-state study to analyze the voter engagement strategies of nonprofit service providers. More than 100 nonprofits participated, reaching more than 45,000 clients, consumers, and constituents about registering or pledging to vote. Early analysis has revealed that in North Carolina, nonprofits participating in the study had a significant impact on read more
A new and growing dialogue about increasing voter participation is in the air, and for good reason. Voter turnout in the last midterm election, at 37% of eligible voters, was the lowest the nation has seen since World War II. We simply cannot afford to continue this trend. Fortunately, a growing number of states are read more
Since America Goes to the Polls 2014 was released, numerous news articles and editorials have covered a range of the report’s findings. On a national level, a great deal of attention has been given to the fact that 2014 turnout (36.6%) was the lowest its been since World War II (USA Today). But because turnout read more
Last week’s webinar, America Goes to the Polls 2014: Voter Turnout in the 2014 Midterm Election, is now available. Many thanks to University of Florida Professor Michael McDonald (and director of the US Elections Project) and George Pillsbury of Nonprofit VOTE for presenting. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll read more
In his address in Selma earlier this month, President Obama asked, “What is our excuse today for not voting? How do we so casually discard the right for which so many fought? How do we so fully give away our power, our voice, in shaping America’s future?” Despite the passage of the Voting Rights Act, read more
Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to release America Goes to the Polls 2014, the latest edition in our series of biennial reports on voter turnout. America Goes to the Polls 2014 uses official election data to rank voter turnout in the 50 states and looks at major factors underlying voter participation in this historically low turnout read more
Earlier this year, we reported on a bill in Oregon that would actively register eligible citizens, creating one of the most complete voting lists in the country. Last week, Oregon’s legislature passed that voter registration bill (HB 2177), paving the way to adding hundreds of thousands of citizens to the voting rolls by shifting the read more
Earlier this year, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted announced that in 2014 seven local issues were decided by just one vote or tied. In a press release, his office emphasized that “one person could have made the difference in deciding whether local taxes would go up, bond issues passed or an area restaurant or read more
The 2014 midterm election is over, but we have new data and insights to share! Join Nonprofit VOTE for our upcoming webinar: Voter Turnout in the 2014 Election Thursday, March 19th at 2:00pm Eastern This month, Nonprofit VOTE will release America Goes to the Polls 2014, the fifth installment of our biannual series of reports read more
This month we are releasing the latest installment in our America Goes to the Polls series. These reports track national turnout and voting trends among eligible voters in presidential and midterm elections. It is the only place to find state-by-state turnout comparisons based on official turnout data. Additionally, our America Goes to the Polls supplements read more
Voting is a habit. But so is sitting out an election. Make 2015 the year that you pledge to be a voter. Let this year be the start of many years of voting to come. Although many states don’t have high profile races this year, that doesn’t mean there aren’t elections that matter. Local issues read more
In 2014, more than half of voters reported that they were not contacted by a party or a campaign. Nonprofits have an important role to play in increasing turnout because we have relationships with many of the individuals that will not otherwise be contacted about voting. Moreover, past research show that nonprofits are effective at read more
Thad Kousser, a professor of political science at UC San Diego, recently wrote in the The Los Angeles Times about low voter turnout in California. In the June 2014 primary, only a quarter of registered voters cast a ballot, the lowest turnout rate ever in a California primary. In addition to the general turnout problem, read more
On Wednesday, Nonprofit VOTE hosted a webinar debrief on 2014 voter turnout. For a more in-depth look at Latino turnout we wanted to share data from the experts at Latino Decisions and their 2014 Election Eve Poll, which summarizes data from interviews with 4,200 Latino voters in 10 states contacted between October 29 and November read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Who Turned Out in the 2014 Midterm Election: A Post-Election Debrief, is now available. Many thanks to Abby Kiesa of CIRCLE and George Pillsbury of Nonprofit VOTE for presenting. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the read more
This year, 6,931,105 people shared on Facebook that they were voting. Facebook created a real-time map showing where users were clicking the “I’m A Voter” button and The Washington Post turned it into an animated GIF. The button was quite popular–at one point users were clicking it at a rate of 358,000 per hour. Official read more
Last month the Citizen-Times covered Asheville area nonprofits and their get-out-the-vote efforts. The article highlighted: Children First / Communities In Schools printed 40,000 copies of its 2014 Buncombe County Voter Guide. The guide covered candidates’ views on child poverty, education, health, social services to low-income families, affordable housing and living wage requirements. “It’s really issue-focused read more
The following was written by Sean Thomas-Breitfeld, Co-Director of the Building Movement Project, and originally appeared on their blog. Reprinted here with permission. In the wake of Tuesday’s elections, I was left wondering how many nonprofits had registered and turned out voters. This year’s midterms will probably be remembered for the apparent contradiction of progressive read more
Do you have questions about the 2014 midterm, such as… Which state displaced Texas for lowest voter turnout? Which states had the highest turnout? (It wasn’t Minnesota for a change.) Compared to the presidential electorate, how much older was the midterm electorate? Compared to 2010, which demographics increased their share of the vote? (You’ll be read more
Read on to learn about nonvoters and how nonprofits can successfully turn them into voters! [View the story “Nonprofits and Nonvoters” on Storify]
This year, Election Day will start well before November 4th. For many years, early voting has been on the rise. In 2010, an estimated 27-29% of voters cast ballots early, much higher than previous midterms. In the 2012 presidential election, 35% of ballots cast were cast early. States currently offer three ways for voters to read more
In the constantly changing election landscape, many states are trying to find ways to improve the voter experience and increase turnout while saving money. In Arizona–which pioneered online registration back in 2002–an online voter registration costs just 3 cents, compared to 83 cents for a paper registration. In Washington state the cost of an online read more
Yesterday, the Los Angeles Ethics Commission voted to recommend that the City Council look at using cash prizes to lure a greater number of people to the polls. In an unanimous vote the panel said it wanted City Council President Herb Wesson’s Rules, Elections and Intergovernmental Relations Committee to seriously consider the use of financial read more
Serve DC and the National Conference on Citizenship released the first-ever District of Columbia Civic Health Index, which reveals how District residents engage in key civic activities, such as voting, volunteering and interacting with neighbors. Compared to the 50 states, the District ranked among the highest when it came to voting in local elections (4th read more
Through their Current Population Survey (Voting and Registration), the Census Bureau surveyed Americans who were registered but did not vote in the 2012 presidential election. The top reasons for not voting were: Too busy, conflicting work or school schedules: 20 percent Not interested, felt like my vote wouldn’t make a difference: 16 percent Illness or read more
Of the 23.3 million voting-eligible Latino adult U.S. citizens, only an estimated 13.7 million are registered to vote. To better understand the nearly 10 million unregistered potential Latino voters, NALEO Educational Fund engaged the research firm Latino Decisions to conduct a national survey and series of focus groups to uncover the reasons that voting-eligible, unregistered, read more
Your nonprofit cannot support or oppose candidates but that doesn’t mean you can’t engage them. Learn more: Candidate Engagement: Forums, Appearances, and More Thursday June 26th at 2:00pm Eastern Candidate engagement is an effective way your nonprofit can advocate for your community and build relationships with future elected officials. Learn about candidate forums, candidate appearances, read more
For more than 50 years, the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas has had some of the lowest voter turnout in the country. Traditional political campaigns have not substantially changed these voter turnout rates: even in presidential election only two of ten eligible voters participate. A different approach to voter engagement is called for and read more
This week, CIRCLE launched a new interactive state-by-state map featuring youth voter turnout, voter registration, and youth demographic information. The map includes historical trends and state-level data on voter turnout and registration rates in midterm and presidential elections for citizens aged 18-29, and for those 30 and older. The map also allows users to create read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality and Turnout in the United States, is now available. Many thanks to Professor Nagler for joining us. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation and the audio portion read more
In addition to our April 17th webinar on getting started, we also have a special webinar next week on voter turnout: Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality and Turnout in the United States Thursday April 24th at 2:00pm Eastern Hear about the turnout and representation gap and its implications for your nonprofit and community. This read more
30 years ago common wisdom said there was little difference between the beliefs of voters and non-voters. However, a new book, Who Votes Now? Demographics, Issues, Inequality and Turnout in the United States, shows that today there’s a marked difference between the issue preferences of those who vote and those who don’t. The groups divide read more
Project Vote’s map of early and absentee voting, 2013. Last month, Project Vote released their latest policy paper, this one on Early Voting. Although voting has traditionally taken place on a single Election Day, in recent years many states have expanded opportunities to vote before Election Day–generally to accommodate voter schedules and in the hopes read more
As 2013 ends, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what we learned this year. This summer, Nonprofit VOTE released a two-part report, Can Nonprofits Increase Voting Among Their Clients, Constituents, and Staff? An Evaluation of the Track the Vote Program. While Part I of the report showcases the impact of nonprofit voter engagement on read more
This month’s municipal elections in Connecticut marked the first time voters in the state could register on Election Day. In Connecticut, Election Day Registration is not available at polling places. Instead, each town has a designated Election Day Registration location. Secretary of State Denise Merrill estimates that between 1,500 and 2,000 people took advantage of Election read more
According to CIRCLE’s calculations of exit polls, youth turnout was 26% in Virginia and 18% in New Jersey this year. Using the same methods, CIRCLE concluded that youth turnout in Virginia was 17% in 2009 and 18% in 1997, and in New Jersey 26% in 1997 and 19% in 2009. This suggests a significant increase read more
How do nonprofits carry out voter engagement work? Our report Can Nonprofits Increase Voting Among Their Clients, Constituents, and Staff? Case Studies describes how 16 organizations engaged their communities around the 2012 election. These organizations were among the 94 nonprofit service providers that tracked their voter contacts with 33,741 individuals last year. They ranged from read more
The National Council on Disability and the Research Alliance for Accessible Voting have both released new reports on the Experience of Voters with Disabilities in the 2012 Election Cycle and Disability, Voter Turnout, and Voting Difficulties in the 2012 Elections. They found that 15.6 million people with disabilities reported voting in the November 2012 elections. read more
Yesterday’s webinar, Nonprofits Increase Voting: Findings from 2012, is now available. Many thanks to Kei Kawashima-Ginsberg of CIRCLE and Isela Gutiérrez-Gunter from Democracy North Carolina for joining us for this discussion. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe to our channel, you’ll be notified whenever new content is posted. You can also download the read more
There’s still time to register for Thursday’s webinar: Nonprofits Increase Voting: Findings from 2012 Thursday October 24th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern What happens when nonprofits talk to their constituents about voting? To find out, Nonprofit VOTE and its partners enlisted 94 nonprofit service providers to track their voter contacts with 33,741 individuals in seven states during the read more
By Michael Weekes, President of the Providers’ Council. Reprinted from The Provider, the newspaper of the Providers’ Council, Summer 2013 issue. Nonprofit VOTE, the nation’s leading nonpartisan source focused on engaging nonprofits in registering voters and promoting voting through mission-focused activities, has released a seminal report on voting rates for those connected with nonprofits. read more
Nonprofits Increase Voting: Findings from 2012 Thursday October 24th, 2:00-3:00pm EasternWhat happens when nonprofits talk to their constituents about voting? To find out, Nonprofit VOTE and its partners enlisted 94 nonprofit service providers to track their voter contacts with 33,741 individuals in seven states during the 2012 election. Afterward, CIRCLE conducted an independent analysis of read more
We’re pleased to announce that our new voter turnout report, Voter Participation Gaps in the 2012 Presidential Election, is now available. It is the latest in our America Goes to the Polls series and is based on the recently released biennial Census survey on voting and registration. The report tracks, analyzes, and explains prominent turnout read more
Is it too soon to think about next year’s national midterm and the election of Congress, one-third of the Senate, two-thirds of state governors, and almost all state legislatures? No, definitely not. Unfortunately, most nonprofits won’t even begin considering their November 2014 plans until the end of next summer. In such a small window, there read more
A new study by Nonprofit VOTE found that turnout among voters contacted by nonprofits during the 2012 election was 74%, six points above the 68% turnout rate for all registered voters. The clients engaged by nonprofits were markedly more diverse, lower income, and younger than the general population of registered voters. Though these demographic groups read more
What kind of impact do nonprofits have on voter turnout when they talk to their clients and constituents about voting? Who do they reach? In 2012 we sought to answer these and other questions about the effectiveness and impact of nonprofits conducting voter engagement by having 94 nonprofits track their voter contacts. They engaged 33,741 read more
On Wednesday, the Census Bureau released The Diversifying Electorate–Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections). The report draws on data from the November 2012 Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement. Among other things, it confirms that for the first time ever, black voters turned out at a higher read more
Last week’s webinar, Voter Turnout in the 2012 Election, is now available. Based on information from America Goes to the Polls 2012, the webinar covered voting trends among populations served by nonprofits, state-by-state turnout rankings, and factors affecting turnout–such as Electon Day Registration and swing state status. Watch the presentation on YouTube. If you subscribe read more
Most people expected youth turnout to decline in 2012. Signs of diminished enthusiasm were hard to miss. For instance, the Pew Research Center reported that just 28% of young people were following the election closely, down from 40% at the same point four years ago. My organization, CIRCLE, asked a random sample of young Americans read more
There’s still time to register for Thursday’s webinar on the 2012 election: Voter Turnout in the 2012 Election Thursday April 18th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern With elections now certified in all 50 states, Nonprofit VOTE has released America Goes to the Polls 2012, the latest in a series of reports on national turnout and voting trends. In read more
In 2012, 58.7% of voting eligible citizens across the country turned out to vote in the presidential election. Turnout ranged from a high of 76.1% in Minnesota to a low of 44.5% in Hawaii. In total, 130.3 million voters cast ballots in 2012, about 2.3 million less than in 2008. • Minnesota was first in read more
Looking for interesting facts about the 2012 election and turnout? Join our next webinar: Voter Turnout in the 2012 Election Thursday April 18th, 2:00-3:00pm Eastern With elections now certified in all 50 states, Nonprofit VOTE has released America Goes to the Polls 2012, the latest in a series of reports on national turnout and voting read more
Last year, 87 service providers in nine states tracked approximately 41,000 voters they registered or had sign a voter pledge card. There were 15,393 voter registrations and 25,416 voter pledges. Now, we’re using that data to measure the impact of nonprofit voter engagement and highlight effective strategies for nonprofits. We’re excited about what we’re learning. read more
With elections now certified in all 50 states, Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to release the latest edition of America Goes to the Polls–a report on national turnout and voting trends. Despite Hurricane Sandy and a slew of proposed or enacted state-level changes in voting procedures, an estimated 58.7% of eligible voters cast ballots on November read more
The 2012 election is over, but there’s plenty to learn from the results. Early voting was popular, particularly in battleground states: 69% of votes in Nevada were cast early along with 53% in Florida, 72% in Colorado, and 42% in Iowa. Many voters are taking advantage of early voting opportunities and the flexibility it affords read more
In Wisconsin, one in eight ballots–almost a million votes in all–came from voters who registered on Election Day just before voting in three recent statewide elections–November 2008, November 2010, and the June 2012 gubernatorial recall. The popularity of the law in Wisconsin has remained relatively steady in general elections since 1984, ranging from a rate read more
With Election Day now behind us, it’s critical to acknowledge the role the nonprofit sector played in registering, educating, and engaging voters in 2012. Nonprofit VOTE’s Executive Director, George Pillsbury, authored an article that is featured in the current issue of The Nonprofit Quarterly. “Serving Democracy: Nonprofits Promote Voter Engagement in 2012” profiles the growing read more
On November 6th Massachusetts voters set a turnout record with 3,184,196 people casting ballots–breaking the previous record set in 2008 of 3,102,995. In total, 73.3% of registered voters made it to the polls. Congrats to MassVOTE and the countless nonprofits who worked to encourage turnout in their communities this year!
Communities frequently served by nonprofits made impressive gains in the electorate this year. However, there are still a number of electoral improvements that can be made. Shorter Lines, More Early In-Person Voting A curtailed in-person early voting period in Florida led to 7 hour lines, discouraged voters, and an overwhelmed system. On Election Day, voters read more
In 2012, your organization and the entire nonprofit sector helped encourage communities across the country to participate and vote. Clearly your efforts to register, educate, and engage voters paid off. This year, lower-income, younger, and more diverse communities frequently served by nonprofits accounted for a greater share of voter turnout than ever before. While some read more
Get the party started! Voting is contagious. Your organization can help boost turnout by creating a celebratory atmosphere on Election Day: people are more likely to vote if it seems popular or exciting or if their peers are doing it. This kind of vibrant environment is key to generating enthusiasm–it will not only encourage voters read more
Be prepared (and get excited!) about Election Day by joining Nonprofit VOTE for a special web event: Nonprofits Get Out the Vote! Countdown to Election DayThursday, October 11th at 2:00pm EasternThe final weeks leading up to an election are critical for voters, and during that time the potential to impact turnout is enormous. Learn more read more
A recent briefing by Todd Rogers–a Harvard professor and former founding executive director of the Analyst Institute–synthesized research and data on effective voter turnout strategies. Many of the findings can be applied to nonprofit voter engagement efforts, helping us strategically nudge voters to the polls on Election Day. While it’s important to raise the profile read more
With Connecticut joining the ranks of Election Day (or Same Day) Registration states, let’s review how expanded registration opportunities make it possible for more people to participate. In 2010 Same Day Registration allowed almost 640,000 Americans to register and vote in the November 2, 2010 election. Moreover, states that allow for Same Day Registration consistently read more
Next week voters in Indiana, North Carolina, and West Virginia will head to the polls to vote on federal and state offices in addition to a number of ballot questions. (Visit Ballotpedia for more on what’s on the ballot in every state this year.) But before Tuesday rolls around, Why Tuesday uses a new infographic read more
A recent study examines the effects of a 2005 Executive Order in Iowa that automatically restored voting rights to former felons who had completed their sentence. Before 2005, persons with felony convictions had to apply to the Governor to have their voting rights restored. Since the Executive Order was enacted, an estimated 100,000 Iowa ex-felons read more
As Black History Month comes to a close, we wanted to share some voting statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. 11.1 million black voters cast a ballot in the 2010 congressional election, making up 12% of the electorate–a slight increase from 11 percent of the total electorate in 2006.< archives="" cb11-164 newsroom="" releases="" voting="" www> < read more
Most of your New Year’s Resolutions are already set (and maybe even broken), but we have one more that can’t wait until next year. In 2012 we’ll elect the president, 33 U.S. senators, every member of the House of Representatives, and countless others in state and local races. 220 million Americans will be eligible to read more
We’re pleased to announce that our new voter turnout report, Voter Participation Gaps in the 2010 Midterm Election, is now available! It is the latest in our America Goes to the Polls series, and is based on the newly released biennial Census survey on voting and registration. The report tracks, analyzes, and explains income, age, read more
At Nonprofit VOTE, we support and advocate for election systems and practices that make voting easier, more convenient, and allow a greater number of people to participate. So we were glad to hear about a new paper by political scientists from Rice University and the University of Alabama called “Voting at Non-Precinct Polling Places: A read more
Yesterday was Election Day in Colorado, although voters in most states and municipalities will not be heading to the polls until next Tuesday, November 8. However, Colorado is not the first state to kick off election season a little early. Gubernatorial and State Legislative ElectionsLouisiana has already (re)elected Governor Bobby Jindal in a nonpartisan blanket read more
The Census Bureau has released data on “Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2010” that compares voting and registration patterns by demographic, social, and geographic characteristics. This release is the latest in a series of national reports that is one of the most frequently cited sources for registration and turnout data. Last year, read more
A recent study, “Getting Registered and Getting to the Polls” examines the impact of on-campus voter registration efforts on college student turnout. Although many schools frequently host on-campus registration drives, their success is generally evaluated solely on the number of forms collected. However, this study focuses on what happens after students register. The authors explore read more
A recent electionline article “Stuck on you” sought to explain the appeal of “I Voted” stickers. Apparently the history of the “I Voted” sticker is unclear, although some historians argue that they were introduced in the 1980s and ElectionStickers.com claims to be the purveyor of the original “I Voted” sticker. Nevertheless, the sticker has become read more
Question: What’s the difference between the importance of voting and the importance of being a voter?Answer: A 14% difference in turnout. A new study by Stanford social psychologist Christopher Bryan suggests that voter turnout can be improved simply by calling someone a voter, rather than asking them to vote. The study shows that subtle linguistic read more
Nonprofit VOTE is pleased to present the latest installment in our series of voter turnout reports: America Goes to the Polls 2010: A Report on Voter Turnout in the 2010 ElectionBeyond the official state-by-state turnout rankings, this report details key voting trends such as the wide gap in youth turnout, the rise in early voting, read more
State turnout rankings are here! The 2010 rankings are based on the total ballots cast by the voting eligible population from data compiled by the U.S. Elections Project. Without further ado: The Top Five 1. Minnesota – 55.9% 2. Maine – 55.5% 3. Washington – 54.3% 4. South Dakota – 53.9% 5. Oregon – 53.5% read more
The midterm election was over two months ago and the new 112th Congress–with the representatives we just elected–meets for the first time today. So why are we still talking about 2010 turnout? Good question. The U.S. Elections Project publishes detailed state-by-state turnout data, and they calculate voter turnout by dividing the number of votes cast read more
North Carolina’s voter turnout grew by 13.5% this year, which owes a large debt to the states new one-stop registration/voting program. The reform was responsible for 50%-75% of votes in participating counties. Read more in NVEN’s turnout brief.
New Orleans – Despite its massive 50% population decrease in the aftermath Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana’s Orleans Parish managed to increase its relative number of ballots cast by 54% (NVEN’s brief). Congratulations, New Orleans!
Although statewide numbers are still rolling in, an unofficial victory for urban Ohio: Columbus, historically a lower-than-average turnout area, saw a nearly 5% increase in registered voter turnout in this year, up from 53% in 2004 to 58% in 2008!
More than 6.5 million young people under the age of 30 participated in the 2008 primaries and caucuses. This marks a dramatic increase in youth voter turnout over the last comparable election cycle in 2000. In states where data is available for both the 2008 and 2000 primaries, the national youth turnout rate rose from read more
The Cuyahoga County Board of Elections expects a high voter turnout for the Nov. 4 presidential election and wants all voters to be prepared.So, the CCBOE invites the public to attend voter education presentations throughout the county. The staff will answer questions about absentee voting, hand out Election Day poll worker applications, and provide general read more
On July 14, the California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, in a press release, noted that for the first time ever, over half the voters who voted in the recent primary cast their votes by mail. Specifically, 58.7% of all voters who voted, voted by mail. California is the third state to have experienced this read more
America Goes to the Polls 2008, a brand-new comprehensive report from the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network, compiles state-by-state data on this year’s voter turnout phenomenon, examining participation in the 2008 presidential primaries and caucuses and charting its unprecedented increase since 2004 and 2000.
This comprehensive survey by Margaret Colgate Love describes for each United States jurisdiction the laws and practices relating to restoration of rights and obtaining relief from the collateral disabilities and penalties that accompany a criminal conviction. It is the first-of-its-kind, and it illustrates the extraordinary variety and complexity of state and federal laws that impose read more
California researchers say genes influence participation in a wide range of political activities, including elections. James H. Fowler and Christopher T. Dawes of the University of California, San Diego, and Laura A. Baker of the University of Southern California identify a link between two specific genes and political participation.The study shows that individuals with a read more
2008 has seen a virtual explosion in voter participation. Turnout in this year’s primary elections reached levels not seen in well over 30 years. America Goes to the Polls 2008, a brand-new comprehensive report from the Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network, compiles state-by-state data on this phenomenon, examining turnout in the 2008 presidential primaries and caucuses read more
“Awakening the New ‘Sleeping Giant’? Asian American Political Engagement,” prepared by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, the University of California Asian American and Pacific Islander Policy Multi-Campus Research Program, and Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, charts Asian American electoral trends in the context of population growth, demographics and immigration status and highlights the challenges read more
On June 6, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida) introduced S. 3100, a bill that would encourage advance voter registration for sixteen year olds, and automatic re-registration of voters who changed their residence. S. 3100 would create a grant program to provide the States with the funds needed to implement pre-registration for sixteen year olds, ensuring read more
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie will have a voter information booth at this week’s “Taste of Minnesota” festival, where he will kick off his “80 in ’08” campaign in an effort to break voter turnout records in this year’s general election. Minnesota has consistently had one of the highest turnout rates in the nation read more
“Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2006“, new from the U.S. Census Bureau and based on the November 2006 Current Population Survey’s Voting and Registration Supplement, reports that nearly three of every four registered voters went to the polls in 2006, and among registered voters, 71 percent reported voting, compared with 69 percent read more
On 06/30, the California Assembly passed National Popular Vote Plan bill (SB 37). The measure already passed the State Senate in 2007. The bill now will be sent for the second time to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signature (Governor Schwarzenegger previously vetoed the measure in 2006).
Over 6 million voters under age 30 have already voted in 2008, an amazing 109% increase from 2004 and 2000. Read Rock the Vote’s Report.
On June 19th, the Rhode Island House joined the Senate in passing the National Popular Vote Plan bill S 2112. The vote was 36-34. The bill now goes to Governor Donald Carcieri for signature. Read more.
Civic and social organizations are teaming with Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to try to add thousands of nonviolent offenders to the voting rolls in time for the November election. The felons also would get their rights back to sit on a jury and hold public office. Virginia currently is one of only 2 states read more
