May 6, 2024
The Problems With Same Day Registration
Same Day Registration (SDR) to vote on Election Day is used in 21 states and D.C. The two biggest problems with SDR are:
1. THE THREAT
IT POSES TO ELECTION SECURITY DUE TO IMPROPER VOTER REGISTRATION
Elimination of comprehensive voter identification verification can lead to improper voter registration. Election officials don’t have time to check voter eligibility.
- Without the time necessary to check if a voter actually lives within the district in which that person is registering, there is no way to be certain that fraudulent votes are not being cast.
- Once elections are certified, typically within a few weeks after the election, votes cannot be discarded or marked as fraudulent.
- It is not fair to hold one set of voters (those whoregister before the election and whose addresses and eligibility are verified) to a different standard than another set of voters (those who register on Election Day and whose addresses and eligibility are not verified).
- SDR also creates a vulnerability in the election process by opening the door to duplicate voting. If an individual registers in the morning in one county and then votes, that person could later drive to multiple neighboring counties throughout Election Day, register again, and vote multiple times.
2. THE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN
IT CREATES FOR ELECTION OFFICIALS
SDR makes it harder for election officials to do their jobs.
States should prohibit the use of SDR because it is a solution in search of a problem.
“As a town clerk, one of my primary responsibilities is to administer elections and I strongly believe that same-day voter registration is bad public policy. I refute the notion that voter registration deadlines are somehow ‘arbitrary’ and unconstitutional…they ensure election officials can conduct fair, accurate and orderly elections.” - TAYLOR WHITE, ELECTION OFFICIAL