Democracy Advocates to Hold Statehouse Rally and Lobby Day for Same-Day Voter Registration
Democracy Advocates to Hold Statehouse Rally and Lobby Day for Same-Day Voter Registration
TRENTON – On May 26, a coalition of democracy advocates (the “Coalition”) will hold a rally and lobby day at the statehouse in Trenton urging passage of pending legislation (A1966/S247) to establish same-day voter registration in New Jersey, including on Election Day. A list of Coalition members and information on the day’s events are below.
Since the same-day voter registration bill was introduced, attacks on democracy in the country and across the world have continued unabated. Legislation across the United States continues to block access to the ballot and disenfranchise voters – most often impacting Black and other voters of color.
Same-day registration has been shown to increase turnout for Black and Latina/Latino voters, and in particular young people. It will also cost the state little – if anything – since it uses already-existing infrastructure. Yet despite support from across the state and from Gov. Murphy, the bill remains stalled.
Twenty other states plus Washington, DC already have same-day voter registration. Recently, election officials from two of those states, Utah and Connecticut, briefed New Jersey officials on its success and impact. Currently, New Jersey maintains an arbitrary 21-day registration deadline, disenfranchising voters in every election. Voters who have moved, attend college out-of-state, have been erroneously purged from voting rolls or were recently released from being incarcerated, as well as new citizens, may easily find themselves unregistered on Election Day – sometimes unbeknownst to them – and an arbitrary deadline should not prevent them from exercising their voting rights.
INFORMATION ON RALLY AND LOBBY DAY
WHAT: Rally and Lobby Day for Same-Day Voter Registration in New Jersey
WHEN/WHERE:
May 26, 2022
11 a.m.: Rally in front of Trenton Statehouse
Noon: Lobby Day inside Statehouse, when advocates will urge elected officials to pass A1966/S247 to establish same-day voter registration
Coalition members include:
American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey
Council on American-Islamic Relations of New Jersey
Delaware-New Jersey National Lawyers Guild
Disability Rights New Jersey
Episcopal Community Services of New Jersey
Fair Share Housing Center
Faith in New Jersey
Integrated Justice Alliance
Latinas United for Political Empowerment Fund, Inc.
Lawyers for Equal Access to Advocacy & Dignity
League of Women Voters of New Jersey
Latino Action Network
March for Our Lives New Jersey
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People New Jersey State Conference
National Association of Social Workers of New Jersey
New Jersey 11th for Change
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Youth & College
New Jersey Working Families Party
New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
NeighborCorps Re-Entry Services
New Brunswick Area National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
New Jersey Convention of Progressive Baptists
New Jersey League of Conservation Voters
New Jersey Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
People’s Organization for Progress
Salvation and Social Justice
Stand Up America
The Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
The Prisoners Legal Advocacy Network
Unitarian Universalist FaithAction New Jersey
Waterspirit
