BRENNAN CENTER FOR JUSTICE

June 21, the same day that Governor Paul LePage signed the bill to repeal EDR, a coalition led by the
League of Women Voters of Maine filed papers to launch a People’s Veto campaign. They have gathered
enough signatures to get the question on the November 2011 ballot. 226 It will appear as question
number one on the ballot. 227
Part 3: Other Restrictions on Voter Registration
While attempts to limit voter registration drives and same day registration were the most widespread
efforts to restrict voter registration this year, there have been additional, state-specific efforts that will
make it more difficult for voters to ensure that they are registered and able to vote at their current
addresses on Election Day. We provide two examples of these new limitations below.
Florida. Though Florida does not have Election Day registration, it does have a longstanding policy
permitting voters who changed their address before an election to update their new address at the polls
on Election Day, where the voters’ existing registrations were cross-checked in a state database before
the voters were given a ballot. The Florida omnibus bill eliminated that right. This has the potential to
disenfranchise a significant number of voters in Florida, especially those who move and are unaware of
the change in law or who move within the state after the registration deadline.
Wisconsin. Wisconsin also worked to limit voter registration possibilities. Though commonly known
for its voter ID provisions, there are other voter registration restrictions in the new Wisconsin election
law, including extending the length of residency period before an eligible person may register to vote
from ten to twenty-eight days.
Legislation Affecting Voter Registration
(Election Day Registration and Third Party Voter Registration)
Introduced (California, Illinois, Montana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and North Carolina.)
Passed (Florida, Maine, Ohio, and Texas.)
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