Vermont Business Magazine Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos released the following statement in celebration of National Voter Registration Day.
“Our free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy. Today, September 24th, is National Voter Registration Day, and in Vermont we have a lot to celebrate in honor of this important day.
The right to register and vote is enshrined in our Constitution, and is one of the most important ways we can help shape the future of our towns or cities, of our state, and of our country. From local school budgets, to who represents us in the State House or in Congress, and all the way up to the President, voting is one very important way that we all can make our voice heard in the democratic process.
Unfortunately, we’ve seen an all-out attack in state legislatures across the country on one of our most sacred rights, the right to vote. I’m proud to say that in Vermont, we’ve taken the opposite approach, breaking down barriers and making it easier for all eligible voters to register and cast their ballots, while still maintaining all of the security necessary to the integrity of our elections. You CAN do both.
Our implementation of online voter registration and automatic voter registration (AVR) has made voter registration more accessible for thousands of Vermonters, opening the front doors of our democracy to citizens excited to engage in the civic process. AVR has not only increased access for eligible voters, it has improved the accuracy of our voter checklist data, a goal everyone should share, while saving both time and money. There’s a reason why AVR passed with tri-partisan support, and only a single ‘no’ vote on an issue unrelated to the policy itself! It’s common-sense, good policy that saves money, which is why we’re seeing so many other states follow Vermont and other early adopter states by passing AVR.
Before these voter registration tools, the majority of voter registrations took place either in the Town Clerk’s office, or at registration drives. Now, approximately 75% of new registrations, or voter information updates, occur online, through AVR at the Department of Motor Vehicles, or at the polls on Election Day through same-day voter registration.
While in-person, or paper-form registration, still plays an important role, it’s not accessible to all voters. In just the past year we registered or updated registration information for 45,569 voters! As a result of these important reforms, Vermont has one of the highest rates of registered voters compared to estimated eligible voters in the country, at over 93%.
In honor of National Voter Registration Day, I’m encouraging every eligible Vermonter to take a moment today to register for the first time, or to make sure their voter registration information is up to date, whether online at our website, by mail, or in-person at the Town Clerk’s office.
The November 2020 Election will be here before we know it, but don’t wait to register. There are important local elections, special elections, and the party primaries between now and then.
Remember that your vote is your voice. Happy National Voter Registration Day, and I’ll see you at the polls!”
Source: Montpelier, VT – Today Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos 9.24.2019