By Karen Shanton and Wendy Underhill
Online voter registration was one of the top trends in election legislation last year. Twenty states considered online registration bills in 2012; five passed them into law.
This trend has carried over into 2013. Governor Bob McDonnell signed Virginia's online registration bill (HB 2341) on March 18 and a similar bill (HB 225) is on the governor's desk in New Mexico. On March 20, the West Virginia Senate sent an online registration bill (SB 477) to the state House for consideration. Legislation is also pending in another 11 states.
If you're interested in tracking this trend, NCSL can help. We have a range of online registration resources on hand, including:
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Electronic (or Online) Voter Registration page: An overview of states' current online registration practices and pending online registration legislation.
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Video interviews: Interviews about online registration with David Becker (from the Pew Center on the States), Shane Hamlin (Washington's assistant director of elections) and Tammy Patrick (the federal compliance officer from Maricopa County, Ariz.).
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Online Voter Registration: Coming to a State Near You?: A 2011 article that provides an accessible introduction to the history, workings and pros and cons of online voter registration.
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2011-2013 Elections Legislation Database: A searchable database of past and pending legislation on a range of elections-related topics. Use "Registration-Electronic" to narrow the search.
- Online Voter Registration Security (coming soon): An interview with University of Michigan computer scientist J. Alex Halderman about securing online registration systems.
Outside NCSL, the Pew Center on the States' 2012 report, Inaccurate, Costly and Inefficient: Evidence that America's Voter Registration System Needs an Upgrade, is another valuable resource.
For more information about online registration, give us a call at 303-364-7700 or drop us a line.
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