Voting & Elections
Americans still face many barriers to voting. Meanwhile, elections require secure systems and independent administration of the casting and counting of ballots. The Brennan Center fights for voting rights, and we advocate for plans that will safeguard the election system — and the officials who work in it — from attacks and political interference.
While elections are smooth and secure overall, there is always more work to be done to improve access to the vote — especially in light of ongoing voter suppression efforts, which tend to disproportionately impact communities of color. The Brennan Center pushes back against restrictive voting laws and policies through legislative proposals, litigation, and cutting-edge research. U.S. democracy itself is facing unprecedented challenges. In 2016, Russians targeted our systems, accessing voter lists and hacking emails. And since 2020, election officials have faced threats to their personal safety and political interference, wrongly blamed for outcomes that some politicians and voters do not like. The Brennan Center works with state and local election officials nationwide to defend the system’s integrity and security.
Democracy
The Racial Turnout Gap
Since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, dozens of states have enacted laws making it harder to vote, especially for people of color. The result: a growing racial turnout gap. But Congress has the power to guarantee all Americans’ access to the ballot.
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Automatic Voter Registration in 19 States!
One in four eligible voters isn’t registered. A decade ago, the Brennan Center proposed automatic voter registration (AVR), which effortlessly registers you to vote while you’re at the Department of Motor Vehicles or another government agency. Since then, 19 states and the District of Columbia have approved some form of AVR.
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