In Seven Super Tuesday Primary States There’s Still Time to Register to Vote, Thanks to Election Day Registration

Brian Beihl

The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Feb. 28, 2024

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

The 17-state Super Tuesday Presidential Primary is March 5th.   In 10 of those states, if you haven’t already registered to vote, you’re out of luck.   But thanks to same-day registration rules in seven of those states, you can still register and vote on Election day.

Election day, or same-day, registration is part of the 2002 Help America Vote Act, and several studies have found that states see a 3% to 7% boost in turnout where it’s been implemented.

Among the Super Tuesday states, Minnesota, Vermont, Maine, Virginia, Utah, Colorado and California will allow you to register on election day, and most of those states allow registration same day during early voting.

To register, you must provide ID, and proof of domicile and citizenship to vote in Minnesota, Vermont and Maine on a regular ballot.  In Virginia, Utah, Colorado, and California, you may have to vote with a “provisional ballot,” or sign an affidavit, if you’re missing a document.  That vote may not count unless your registration can be verified.

New residents, younger voters, students, new Americans, and less affluent voters are often users of same day registration. Those demographics largely explain a rush by some state legislatures to make it harder to register same day, by allowing only provisional ballots, adding strict domicile rules, or ending same day registrations altogether.

We have details on election day registration and the rules for your state at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
USA Today – Which states vote on Super Tuesday? What to know ahead of the presidential primaries
Rock the Vote – What States Allow Same Day Voter Registration and When?
National Conference of State Legislators – Same-Day Voter Registration
Demos – Millions to the Polls: Same Day Registration
MIT Election Data + Science Lab – Same Day Registration

Groups Taking Action:
Project Vote, League of Women Voters, When We All Vote, NAACP, LULAC

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #SuperTuesday #RegistertoVote #YouthVote