Citizens Briefing Book: Vote for Modernizing our Voter Registration System

As many of you probably know, Change.gov launched a new feature in the last week called the Citizen's Briefing Book. Much like Change.org's Ideas Competition (which ends today - go vote), everyday citizens can submit their policy ideas for the Obama Administration. All ideas can then be voted up or down by members of the community. The top rated ideas will be bundled into a physical book that will be presented to the President for consideration once he takes office.

It's another excellent experiment in participatory governance from the folks at the transition, and an excellent (and perhaps final) chance for youth organizations to draw some attention to our issues before the new administration takes office.

Rock the Vote is all over it. Today they submitted an entry calling for the modernization of our voter registration system, notably through the adoption of a National Automatic and Permanent Voter Registration:

A system of automatic voter registration should contain five components:

Affirmative registration - States automatically or affirmatively add people to registration rolls. Similar to the selective service, upon reaching the age of registration, the state will automatically add any eligible citizen to the voter rolls and notify him or her. (He or she can opt out if so chosen)

Permanence - Once a voter is on the rolls, s/he will remain permanently on the rolls even if s/he moves. (Currently, a voter must re-register every time s/he moves, even if it's just across town.)

Failsafe – The system should include an Election Day registration component so that eligible voters mistakenly left off the rolls can register and vote on that same day.

Funding – Sufficient money must be appropriated and allocated to states taking steps to implement this system.

Pre-Registration - Include a system whereby eligible 16-17-year-olds may be "pre-registered" to vote. This would bring young people into the voter registration system before they leave public school to begin work or college and are more difficult to track down. Upon turning 18, they would receive a notice they had been added to the voter registration rolls.

Automatic, permanent voter registration will make our electoral system more inclusive, efficient, and accurate. Now is the time to modernize our voter registration system to ensure that all eligible citizens have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote.

This is so right-on on so many levels.

First, let's remember that voter registration is primarily a barrier to political participation, created to keep some constituencies (african americans, women, the poor) from voting. People often refer to voting as our civic duty, so it is both ironic and tragic that our government erects and automatic barrier to fulfilling that duty. Automatic Universal Registration permanently destroys that barrier to participation.

Second, we've twice mentioned on this blog that fact that non profits may be about to go through their own recession as foundations and major donors react to the economic crisis and the decline in value of their own access. Voter registration is hugely expensive, and it is a big chunk of what a whole lot of youth organizations do. Universal registration could theoretically free-up a lot of financial resources in the nonprofit space and allow organizations to focus their work on more substantive programs like involving their membership in policy and service projects.

Third, we know that among youth in particular voter registration is the primary reason that voter turnout remains lower than that of the rest of the electorate. When young people are registered, they participate in numbers on par with those of older voters. Automatic Universal Registration can help ensure that the high rates of young voter turnout we saw this year continue in years to come, regardless of how exciting the race is or whether President Obama is on the ballot.

Go vote now and make sure that when President Obama receives the Citizen's Briefing Book, one of the top items is Automatic Universal Voter Registration.