​​ACLU Comment on 29th Anniversary of National Voter Registration Act

WASHINGTON — Today marks the 29th anniversary of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA made voter registration more accessible for millions of Americans.

The following comment is from Sarah Brannon, managing attorney of the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project:

“The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 is a landmark piece of legislation and has expanded access to the ballot for millions of Americans. The NVRA has made it easier for millions of Americans to register to vote and maintain their registration.

“Although we’ve made progress, there is still so much more we can do. Last year, President Biden issued an executive order to increase access to voting, encouraging federal agencies and states to utilize an untapped provision of the NVRA that contemplates how federal agencies can provide voter registration services in cooperation with states. Since this announcement, several federal agencies have made public commitments to increase access to voting information and expand voter registration opportunities. However, there is much more that can be done, not only to embrace the whole-of-government approach encouraged by the executive order but also the unfulfilled promise contemplated since 1993 in the NVRA.

“On this anniversary of the NVRA, we also must not forget the importance of federal voting rights legislation. We’ve seen innumerable attacks on the right to vote — more than 400 anti-voter bills have been introduced in 48 states — these bills erect unnecessary barriers for people to register to vote, vote by mail, or vote in person. Congress must stop playing politics with the right to vote and pass federal voting rights legislation to protect the ballot box.”