Rep. Lofgren Introduces Online Voter Registration Bill

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), chair of the House Administration Subcommittee on Elections, introduced the Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2009. The bill, HR 1719, would allow any eligible citizen to register to vote over the Internet for all federal elections occurring after January 1, 2014.

Bill Would Allow Voters to Register and Update Registrations Online

March 26, 2009

Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), chair of the House Administration Subcommittee on Elections, introduced the Voter Registration Modernization Act of 2009. The bill, HR 1719, would allow any eligible citizen to register to vote over the Internet for all federal elections occurring after January 1, 2014. States would be required to have online registration available on the official public website of the appropriate election officials. The bill would also:

  • Allow registered voters to update their registrations over the Internet at any time including at the polling place on Election Day

  • Create a permanent registration roll by prohibiting purging for non-voting.  A voter may only be removed from the rolls for moving outside the state, death or loss of eligibility under state law for commission of a felony

  • Require all states to enroll a voter who has fully completed the online or federal mail voter registration form

  • Require all states to notify electronically all voters of the location of their precinct and the voting hours

"For too long eligible voters have been denied the right to participate due to simple registration errors," noted Rep. Zoe Lofgren. "The primary reason voters lose their eligibility is because they move.  Allowing a voter to change his or her address online will remedy this problem. This legislation will help free up election administration resources while at the same time protecting against fraud. This is a common sense approach, if people can bank online and shop online, why not register to vote online."

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