Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced her first bill of the 117th Congress: the Same Day Registration Act, legislation that would require all states to allow same-day voter registration for all federal elections.
Currently, 21 states plus the District of Columbia permit same-day voter registration, which allows any qualified resident of the state to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day. Brownley’s legislation would require every state to enact same-day voter registration for all federal elections, similar to the process allowed in her home state of California.
“Participation in our democracy should be encouraged and the right to vote should not be hampered by outdated voter registration regulations. Yet in many states, Americans face these barriers while trying to access the ballot box,” said Congresswoman Brownley. “In California, we saw a record 80.7 percent voter turnout in the 2020 election. This was in large part due to same-day voter registration efforts in our state.
“Our democracy is strongest when it is reflective of the people it serves. Same-day voter registration is one of the most effective tools for increasing voter participation, which means better representation for everyday Americans.”
The text of the bill can be found here.
###
Issues: 117th Congress, Civil Rights