2 minute read
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS Civic Health
Policy Recommendation 4:
States can consider policies that make voting accessible to all citizens and invest in the public’s ongoing civic education, including: removing barriers to voting through actions such as restoring rights to justice-involved individuals; implementing automatic voter registration; and conducting voting education courses for the public.
The Civic Health Subcommittee approved this recommendation citing a desire to increase civic engagement and voter turnout. The subcommittee recommends investment in the public’s ongoing civic education. The subcommittee also encourages states to reduce barriers to voting and increase the ease with which people can register.
By working for equitable access to voting for all eligible citizens, we can uphold the ideals of our democracy. In 2019, we passed Public Act 101-0442 in Illinois, which exemplifies the goals laid out in this recommendation. Public Act 101-0442 increases access to the ballot for people who are detained in county jails awaiting trial throughout the state and allows voter education for people who are about to be released from department of corrections custody.”
According to a July 2021 poll, 57% of the American public view voting as a fundamental right that should not be restricted, while 42% viewed voting as a privilege which can be limited.1 A 2017 study found the U.S. ranks 26th in voter turnout among the 32 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries for which data is available.2
The subcommittee discussed mechanisms for raising voter turnout. For example, voter registration rates have increased in every state that has adopted opt-out as opposed to opt-in strategies, with increases in registrants ranging from 9% to 94%.3 State leaders should also consider ways to continuously educate the public about the administration of elections, which could increase voter trust and bolster participation rates.
Making felons ineligible to vote (in some cases permanently) has historically been commonplace in the U.S. The general trend has been towards reinstating the right to vote at some point, according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures. But there is wide variation across states. For example, in 21 states felons lose their voting rights only while incarcerated and receive automatic restoration upon release. In 11 other states, felons lose their voting rights indefinitely (for some crimes) or require a governor’s pardon in order for voting rights to be restored.
Continuous voter education was also discussed during the subcommittee’s working session at the CSG National Conference in December 2021. Subcommittee members noted efforts to increase the amount of reliable and publicly available information about individual elections and their unique characteristics. State leaders can use social media to build legitimacy and maintain a steady stream of reliable civic information. State leaders can also cultivate partnerships with social media companies to help tag bad information circulating online as quickly as possible.
State Examples
In Washington, D.C., justice-involved individuals never lose their right to vote, even while they are incarcerated.
In Maine, redistricting is handled by a 15-member commission that consists of leaders from both major political parties.
Additional Resources
The Council of State Governments Overseas Voting Initiative — https://ovi.csg.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/FailSafeRecommendations.pdf
Our Common Purpose Report — https://www.amacad.org/ourcommonpurpose/report
Election Official Handbook: Preparing for Election Day Misinformation, Election Integrity Partnership — https://www.eipartnership.net/2020/how-to-prepare-for-election-day-misinformation
The Council of State Governments State Leader Policy Brief: Increasing Trust in Government — https://web.csg.org/csghealthystates/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2022/05/Healthy-StatesNational-Task-Force-Policy-Brief-Increasing-Public-Trust-in-Government.pdf
