Rhode Island Advances FairVote Plan on Voter Registration

Bill Would Allow 16 and 17-year-olds to Pre-register to Vote

Rhode Island took an important step toward increasing youth voter registration with a bill to lower the voter registration age. FairVote's John Anderson and Rob Richie joined state legislators and a leading Secretary of State candidate on April 18th in Providence. If successful, Rhode Island would join Hawaii as the only states that allow all 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote. This lower registration age presents an opportunity for schools to expand voter registration activities. It also makes it easier for young people to register when they first get a driver license.

Antonio Gonzalez, President of the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, is among those supporting this effort.

[ Read the Bill (.pdf 6k) ]
[ Read coverage from the Providence Journal ]
[ Read Antonio Gonzalez' letter of support ]
[ Read John Anderson and Ray Martinez' New York Times op-ed ]
[ Learn more about the 100% Registration Project ]
[ Read Rob Richie's Speech at American University HAVA Conference ]

National Attention for 100% Registration

Universal high school voter registration and education was introduced to a wide audience on April 6th in a New York Times op-ed by FairVote Board Chairman John Anderson and U.S. Election AssistanceCommissioner Ray Martinez.

Voters Will Elect Chief Election Officials In 23 States Next Year

These races provide an opportunity for public debate on electoral reform

As we begin the 2006 election cycle, secretary of state races deserve the same high profile voters generally reserve for congressional and gubernatorial contests. In their common role as chief election official, secretaries of state administer the system we use to elect these other offices. When voters consider the candidates for this office, they need to consider these candidates’ abilities to administer elections in a fair manner that balances problems of voter accessibility and voter fraud. Beyond this, voters should also consider the role that a candidate would play in encouraging participation in elections through voter registration and education efforts.

For example, Danny Tarkanian recently announced his candidacy for secretary of state in Nevada by saying that it is not his responsibility to get people to the polls and that higher voter turnout does not mean election officials have done a better job. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Mark Ritchie is running for secretary of state in Minnesota on a platform of eliminating the barriers to full participation in our democratic process. The public needs to pay attention to these positions and use their votes for this office as an expression of their vision of our democracy.

[More information on 2006 secretary of state races]
[Read an article on Danny Tarkanians campaign announcement]
[Read FairVote's full commentary on this announcement]