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Expanding Voter Access
Expanding Voter Access
We fight to increase voters’ access to the polls, including expanding early voting and automatic and online voter registration.
Why It Matters
Increased accessibility to the electoral process is integral to ensuring that every American can exercise their right to vote. Leagues across the United States work year-round to promote pro-voter reforms that both preserve our existing rights and provide flexibility for casting ballots in order to be inclusive of historically underserved communities.
While we have made progress in expanding voter access, many people still face disproportionate challenges to participate in elections due to factors including health, age, race, and gender. Our democracy is strongest when every voice is heard, which is why we strongly advocate for measures to make voting more accessible.
Voter Accessibility Measures Supported by LWVUS
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Automatic voter registration
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Online voter registration
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Multilingual voting resources
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Extended polling hours
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Mail-in voting
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Early voting
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Eliminated ballot notary and witness signature requirements
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Extended registration deadlines
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Expanded polling locations
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Eliminated or relaxed ID requirements
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Added protections for in-person voting
Pro-voter reforms have transformed our democracy and led to unprecedented voter turnout in the 2020 Election. But they are too often threatened by politicians and special interests who prioritize their own needs over an equal and fair democracy. When it comes to opposing these anti-voter efforts, the League is on the frontlines, advocating in state houses and in Congress, fighting anti-voter laws in court, and organizing activists to make their voices heard.
As we work to expand voter access, the League also empowers voters through VOTE411, a nonpartisan, ‘one-stop-shop' for all the election information you need to cast a ballot in every election – available in English and Spanish. From registration to voting rules and candidate guides, this award-winning website is your guide to making your voice heard in every election.
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Support the fight for everyone's freedom to vote.
How We Expand Voter Access
Advocating for Voter Access
We work with legislators, grassroots organizers, and people like you to promote laws and policies that make the promise of democracy real for all Americans. These include:
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The Washington, DC Admission Act: Over 700,000 DC residents pay taxes, are eligible for the military draft, and contribute to our nation and their community the same as residents of every other state, yet they are without full representation in Congress. The majority of these Americans are people of color. We support full statehood and representation for the people of DC.
Legal Work
The League of Women Voters of the US and Leagues across the country engage in legal action supporting voting rights all year round. From Georgia to Kansas, we’re fighting discriminatory and suppressive voting regulations that limit access to the ballot.
In 2020 alone, we protected more than 25 million voters through voting rights litigation. We’re proud to have a 78% win rate in federal lawsuits.
In 2020, we protected 25 million voters
LWV has a 78% win rate in federal courts
Empowering Voters with VOTE411
To participate in our democracy, Americans deserve trustworthy, nonpartisan information about local and federal elections, including voter guides, candidate information, polling rules and locations, and more. We make this information easy to find with our free, digital voter resource, VOTE411.
Take Action
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Urge your representatives to expand the right to vote and fight voter discrimination
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Sign up for our email list or digital outreach platform to stay updated on breaking news and ways to take action
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Find the election information you need at VOTE411.org
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Spread the word about voting rights by sharing this page with your friends and family on social media
To become a League member, join one of the 700+ state and local Leagues.
Today, Montgomery County Judge Bonifant ruled in favor of a petition put forward by the Maryland State Board of Elections to enable pre-processing of mail-in ballots for the November general elections. Common Cause Maryland, the ACLU of Maryland, League of Women Voters of Maryland, Maryland PIRG, on behalf of the Everyone Votes Maryland coalition offered congratulations to the State Board of Elections on their successful legal bid to ensure timely election results in the aftermath of the November general elections.
This letter to the editor was originally published by the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
The Richmond City Council recently made the short-sighted decision to reject a proposal to adopt Ranked Choice Voting for the upcoming council elections in 2024. The co-signers of this letter know that adopting a new voting system would not be an easy task, but we are still disappointed in the council’s decision for two overarching reasons.
WASHINGTON — Today the League of Women Voters of the United States CEO Virginia Kase Solomón issued the following statement in response to the passage of the US House bipartisan bill on the Presidential Electoral Reform Act:
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