Bill Overview
Title: To amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require States to submit a report to the Election Assistance Commission that includes information with respect to the voter list maintenance activities of the State, and for other purposes.
Description: This bill revises requirements related to public disclosure of official lists of eligible voters. Currently, each state must maintain for public disclosure, for a minimum two-year period, all records pertaining to the accuracy and currency of official lists of eligible voters. This bill requires these records to also include lists of the names and addresses of all registrants who were inactive (i.e., the registrant failed to respond to a notice about a change in residence) and the length of time each registrant was inactive. The bill also requires each state to biennially submit a report to the Election Assistance Commission that includes information about inactive registrants in the state.
Sponsors: Rep. Palmer, Gary J. [R-AL-6]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals registered to vote in the United States
Estimated Size: 230000000
- The bill affects individuals who are registered to vote in the United States as it deals with voter registration lists.
- It impacts election administrators and officials who are responsible for voter list maintenance and reporting.
- The legislation may influence the ability to verify voter registration accuracy, potentially affecting both active and inactive voters.
- Citizens who move frequently or fail to respond to voter registration notices may be particularly impacted as their status could be tracked under this legislation.
Reasoning
- This policy directly affects registered voters, especially those who might be classified as inactive. As such, the population of interest includes a wide spectrum of voters from different demographics.
- Election officials and administrators fall under the policy's purview as they need to report on the data specified in the bill, impacting their workflows.
- Not all registered voters will perceive significant changes to their wellbeing, but those who are frequently changing addresses or are less responsive to official communications might experience some policy impact.
- The budget constraints guide that the effects on personal well-being might be more evident in administrative efficiency and voter registration accuracy over time.
Simulated Interviews
Software Engineer (New York, NY)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it's important to keep voter information up-to-date, but I'm concerned about privacy issues.
- I move frequently due to my job, so being listed as inactive worries me about my voting rights.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Teacher (Dallas, TX)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- My voter information has always been accurate, so I don't think this will change much for me.
- I feel confident in our local election officials to manage these lists properly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Election Official (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy will increase our workload significantly, but it’s fundamentally important for fair elections.
- I’m worried about the pressure to meet deadlines for reporting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 5 |
Marketing Specialist (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned I might miss important notices due to my travel schedule.
- It's vital to trust our election systems, and accurate voter records are part of that.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Retired (Orlando, FL)
Age: 77 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Keeping everything accurate is good, but I hope they consider those who can't easily update their information.
- I rarely move, so I don't expect much will change on my end.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Factory Worker (Detroit, MI)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It feels like this could prevent past issues I've had with voting due to my address changes.
- Having clear communication from election offices is crucial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Graduate Student (Austin, TX)
Age: 24 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a new voter, all these processes are quite new to me and can sometimes feel overwhelming.
- I hope this makes it easier for people to vote and maintain their voter status.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Real Estate Agent (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As someone who moves often for work, I can see both the benefits and the hassles this might bring.
- It might require being more proactive about my voter registration status.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Lawyer (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill supports transparency, which is crucial for fair elections.
- I'm used to seeing initiatives like this and hope it enhances trust in voter systems.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Community Activist (Albuquerque, NM)
Age: 57 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Voter list accuracy is crucial for representing people's rights, so this is a good step.
- We need to ensure the data management respects privacy and doesn't disenfranchise anyone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1500000000 (Low: $1200000000, High: $1800000000)
Year 2: $1200000000 (Low: $960000000, High: $1440000000)
Year 3: $1200000000 (Low: $960000000, High: $1440000000)
Year 5: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 10: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Year 100: $1000000000 (Low: $800000000, High: $1200000000)
Key Considerations
- The need for states to upgrade voter registration systems to accommodate new requirements.
- Potential burden on state election offices to process and submit additional data.
- Coordination and support from the Election Assistance Commission to manage new data influx.
- Possibility of increased transparency and voter list accuracy increasing public trust in the electoral system.