MODEL BILLS
Six bills to promote youth voting
Fair Elections Center and Campus Vote Project released the report “Democracy’s Future: Proposals to Expand Access to Registration and Voting for a New Generation” in 2019. This resource identifies key barriers to youth registration and voting and opportunities to expand access. It provides best practices, useful background information, and concrete solutions including model legislation and policies to expand access to this new generation of voters. Its components span the civic engagement spectrum from voter registration and voter education to the ability to cast a valid ballot.
The policies include:
Preregistration of 16- and 17-Year-Olds
Expanding voter registration to include preregistration for young voters prepares them for voting when they turn 18, automatically registers them as voters, gets them on the list to receive information from election officials, and makes updates more efficient.
On-Campus Voter Registration and Voter Information Opportunities
States can expand voter registration and voter information available to students through a variety of reforms connected to their institutions that make student registration easier and more efficient.
Residency Rules Affecting Students
Residency rules can—but should not–interfere with students’ rights to register and vote where they live, including on campus.
Student ID as Voter ID
States with voter ID laws should always include student IDs in the acceptable forms of identification.
On-Campus Polling Places
Campus polling places during early voting and on Election Day offer students the same opportunity to vote in their community as other voters.
Students as Poll Workers
Student poll workers are a win-win for election officials. They are a pool of tech-savvy and bilingual community members, and students can deepen their civic engagement connections and service.