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Registering to Vote is Unnecessarily Complicated; Here’s One Simple Solution

July 16, 2024

See how automatic voter registration addresses current system flaws and improves accuracy. We created this video in partnership with Freethink for Rethinking Possible, a collection of real stories developed by Skoll Foundation and brought to life by Freethink.

Automatic voter registration (AVR) can enhance voting accuracy, reduce fraud, and give more people access to democracy. Here’s how it works.

If the unregistered eligible voter population in California was its own state, it would be the 25th largest state in the country. Compare this to Oregon, where 93.5% of eligible voters are registered, thanks to an automatic voter registration program called Secure AVR.

The process is simple – when attending appointments at places like the DMV, eligible citizens are automatically registered. If uninterested, users can choose to opt out, but otherwise, registration takes no effort. This way, one of the hardest parts of voting is automatically completed, leading to a more secure system, and even more participating citizens.

Three voter rights activists – Sam Oliker-Friedland, Amanda Gonzalez, and Molly Woon – share their support for Secure AVR and the benefits it has already brought to U.S. voting systems. This process simplifies voter registration, making it easier for eligible citizens to participate in democracy, all while engaging millions of new voters and updating highly outdated processes.

For more stories from Skoll and Freethink, visit the hub.

Click to learn more about the Institute for Responsive Government.

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