On May 27th, the Rhode Island State Senate took two critical steps forward on FairVote RI's democracy reform agenda. The chamber approved both teen voter pre-registration and the National Popular Vote Compact.
Energetic support from Senator Rhoda Perry, who sponsored the pre-registration bill, and Senator Daniel Connors, who backed the National Popular Vote, meant both bills passed by wide margins. The advance registration bill, which passed the Senate last year 29-3, gained support on a 32-4 vote this week.
NPV, in its first floorvote in Rhode Island, passed 27-10. Former US Senator Lincoln Chafee and Vermont State Representative Christopher Pearson also wrote letters of support for NPV.
The House has already passed Rep. Edwin Pacheco's pre-registration bill by a 51-11 margin; now, each chamber must pass the other chambers version before the bill is sent to the governor.
The National Popular Vote compact has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Now is the time to let House members know that you support making Rhode Island's voice count in presidential elections.
On May 8th, the Rhode Island House of Representatives took a major step towards systemic youth engagement in democracy. 
FairVote proposals expanding voting rights for young people are on the move. Two cornerstone policies of the 100% Registration Project, setting a uniform voter registration age and allowing 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the general election to vote in primaries, have been met with great enthusiasm by state legislators hoping to increase youth participation. Setting a uniform voter registration age of 16 will increase opportunities for young people to register to vote when applying for their driver's license and help schools conduct more successful voter registration drives. This year, California, Rhode Island and Maryland have introduced legislation that would standardize the registration age.