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    October 13, 2024 ABA Task Force for American Democracy

    A Dozen Ways to Increase Voting in the United States

    E.J. Dionne Jr. and Miles Rapoport, Carnegie Corporation, Sept. 12, 2022
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    Summary

    The authors of this blog post, who co-authored the recent book 100% Democracy: The Case for Universal Voting, argue that mandatory voting (or “universal civic duty voting”) is a logical extension of both the 1965 Voting Rights Act and American constitutional values. They propose reforms to expand voting participation, short of mandatory voting. They call these “gateway reforms” on the path to universal voting. The proposed reforms are grouped into three categories: expanding opportunities to register, increasing options for voting, and strengthening effective election administration.

    Key Recommendations

    The authors group their recommendations into three categories as follows:

    Expanding Opportunities to Register

    1. Same-day voter registration
    2.  Automatic voter registration
    3.  Restoring the right to vote for citizens with felony convictions
    4. Online registration
    5. Preregistration of 16- and 17- year olds
    6. Vote by mail expansion

    Increasing the Options for Voting

    1. Early voting
    2. Vote by mail
    3. Flexible election day options
    4. Convenient placement of accessible precincts and vote centers

    Strengthening effective election administration

    1. Maintenance of voting lists
    2. Adequate funding of election administration