To: The Maryland State House and The Maryland State Senate
Maryland Assembly: Enact a Strong and Inclusive Automatic Voter Registration Law
Nearly 500,000 eligible voters are missing from the voter rolls in Maryland. We urge the Maryland General Assembly to enact the strongest Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) legislation possible. The AVR policy they adopt should be inclusive the of eligible voters most often missing from the voter roles in Maryland: young people, lower-income people and people of color.
Why is this important?
This week, the Maryland General Assembly is moving forward on legislation that would allow state agencies to use information that they already collect—age, address, and other relevant data—to determine whether individuals are eligible to vote and then add them to the voter rolls unless they decline to be registered. The potential impact on the electorate is huge: over 500,000 new voters could be added to the voter rolls, making it easier for them to participate in the electoral process.
Only a few weeks are left to ensure that Maryland lawmakers put forth the strongest Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) program possible. There are a few different models being debated, and we are urging legislators to have the courage to adopt the model that is most expansive and inclusive, especially for those groups of eligible voters most often unaccounted for young people, lower-income people, and people of color.
Maryland’s voting system is currently outdated, leaving over half a million residents voiceless during each election cycle. This session, Maryland can make it clear that the right to vote, much like the right to free speech, should have no impediment. With a comprehensive AVR system, Marylanders would enjoy a modernized process that saves money, is secure and accurate, and protects the fundamental right of every eligible citizen to participate in our democracy.
Only a few weeks are left to ensure that Maryland lawmakers put forth the strongest Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) program possible. There are a few different models being debated, and we are urging legislators to have the courage to adopt the model that is most expansive and inclusive, especially for those groups of eligible voters most often unaccounted for young people, lower-income people, and people of color.
Maryland’s voting system is currently outdated, leaving over half a million residents voiceless during each election cycle. This session, Maryland can make it clear that the right to vote, much like the right to free speech, should have no impediment. With a comprehensive AVR system, Marylanders would enjoy a modernized process that saves money, is secure and accurate, and protects the fundamental right of every eligible citizen to participate in our democracy.