Vt. lawmakers mull idea of same-day voter registration

March 14, 2008

MONTPELIER – With an eye toward boosting voter turnout in Vermont, some lawmakers are considering allowing residents to register to vote right up through Election Day.

At least nine other states, including neighbors New Hampshire and Maine, allow residents to register to vote on the same day as an election and advocates say that has led to increased voter turnout.

In Vermont, residents must register to vote six days prior to an election, usually the Wednesday prior to a Tuesday election. And while Vermont has a higher turnout than the national average, it still ranks 17th among the states, according to the secretary of state's office.

Allowing for same-day registration could boost statewide voter turnout by nearly 5 percent, according to Paul Burns, the executive director of the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, who distributed copies of a study on the issue released this winter by Demos, a New York City-based nonprofit group.

He added that turnout among young voters, typically the lowest among all the age demographics, could be increased by 10 percent, and turnout for low-income voters could be boosted by 6 percent.

"Vermont is very proud of its high voter turnout," he said. "But we can do better."

Read full article