Micah W. Kubic: Allow voters to register on Election Day

The time has come to modernize voter registration to better serve Kansans and to ensure our elections are free, fair and accessible.

One commonsense reform that’s being proposed this year – with a bill proposed in the Kansas House Committee on Elections – would allow voters to register and then vote on Election Day.

Election Day voter registration shouldn’t be controversial. Currently, 13 states and the District of Columbia allow voters to register on Election Day and then cast a ballot on the same day.

Though our elections are well-run, there’s always the chance that someone will make a mistake. Imagine waiting in line to vote, only to arrive at the desk and find out that, for some reason, you are not registered. With Election Day voter registration, you would not be turned away.

It’s critical that we protect the integrity of our elections and stop voter fraud. The same standards for registration will be enforced whether someone registers six months before the election or on Election Day.

It’s important to stop fraud of all kinds, and that includes laws that purposefully make it harder for eligible voters to participate and it includes outdated policies that make it harder for Kansans to vote.

Most importantly, when it comes to boosting citizen participation in our democracy, Election Day voter registration really works.

In the states that have adopted Election Day voter registration, we see greater turnout and participation. Those states with the process have increased turnout by more than 10 percent.

It reduces the number of provisional ballots that are cast and it gives voters an opportunity to fix errors with their registration that could have denied them the right to vote.

It helps people who might move frequently, especially those serving our country in the military, make sure that their registration is up to date and accurate.

It ends the arbitrary deadline for registration. A lot of voters don’t start paying attention, especially for local elections, until close to Election Day. They shouldn’t be punished for waiting to register.

Election Day voter registration helps to ensure that all eligible voters have a chance to be heard, to fulfill one of the greatest responsibilities in a democracy, and to exercise one of the most fundamental rights we have in America – voting.

This story was originally published January 25, 2016 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Micah W. Kubic: Allow voters to register on Election Day."