Rachel Leingang Arizona Republic Published 10:49 PM EDT Oct 17, 2018 The number of people newly registered to vote in Arizona this year is more than double that of the last midterm election year, which could signal a higher turnout to come in November, new figures from the Secretary of State's Office show. And the youngest voting demographic, those aged 18 to 24, has more new voters registered than all other age groups since Jan. 1 — and possibly more than their cohort in 2016, a presidential election year. But, one expert said, the big increase in registrations likely won't move the needle massively in November. "I believe changes in voter turnout and demography in the state of Arizona are incremental, and we will see an incremental shift in voter turnout," said Paul Bentz, vice president of research and strategy for consulting firm HighGround. And, while more new Democrats registered this year than Republicans, GOP voters still make up the … [Read more...] about Arizona voter registration surges ahead of 2018 midterm election
Arizona voter registration
The people with clipboards: Voter registration groups are here to prepare students for elections
A person with a clipboard stops you and asks if you want to register to vote … sound familiar? Voter registration groups have been an active presence on campus since the first week of school, eagerly registering students. Their goal is clear: get students civically engaged and ready to represent the younger generation. Who are the people with the clipboards? Student-run groups such as NextGen Rising and the Arizona Public Interest Research Group New Voters Project wanted to educate students on how they can have an impact on the elections as an adult. Both groups seek to get new students involved and civically active. To do this, they recruited student volunteers to stop students on the street and register them to vote. Xoe Watchman, an anthropology student and organizer for NextGen, said that within the first week of school they had gotten over 800 people registered to vote on campus alone, not to mention over 11,000 people statewide. By the sixth week NextGen Arizona … [Read more...] about The people with clipboards: Voter registration groups are here to prepare students for elections
Request to send voter-registration mailers in Arizona denied
Jacques Billeaud Associated Press Published 11:30 PM EDT Sep 19, 2018 A judge hearing a lawsuit that alleges Arizona Secretary of State Michele Reagan is failing to update voter-registration addresses for certain people has rejected a request to send mailers to thousands of voters saying their registration may be out of date. U.S. District Court Judge James Teilborg said in a ruling Tuesday that voting-rights advocates didn't show that anyone had been disenfranchised by Reagan's alleged failure to update voter-registration records in cases where people have informed motor-vehicle offices they have new addresses. A federal law from the 1990s allows people to register to vote at motor-vehicle offices. The judge ruled that the League of Women Voters of Arizona and two other groups that filed the lawsuit wouldn't be harmed if such letters weren't sent to voters. Instead, Teilborg said Reagan's office would have to pay an estimated $276,000 to send a mailer and new voter-registration … [Read more...] about Request to send voter-registration mailers in Arizona denied
Rep. Bob Gibbs introduces bill to require citizenship proof for voter registration
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Holmes County GOP Rep. Bob Gibbs introduced legislation Thursday that would require people across the nation to provide proof of citizenship when they register to vote. "This is a matter of protecting the integrity of our elections," said a statement from Gibbs. "We have made substantial investments in protecting our voting systems from foreign influence or corruption. It is time to take steps to stop illegal voting before it happens, rather than dealing with the consequences after the fact." He noted that just one illegal vote can affect election outcomes, observing that the Ohio Secretary of State's office reported 199 races or issue elections were tied or decided by one vote over the last five years. Gibbs said recent incidents of foreign nationals attempting to vote in federal elections prompted his legislative effort. These include the indictments of seven people who were accused of illegal voting in Franklin County last year, and nineteen … [Read more...] about Rep. Bob Gibbs introduces bill to require citizenship proof for voter registration
Democrats surge in voter registration, still trail significantly
It may not be the signs of a “blue wave.” But a new report from the Secretary of State’s Office suggests that Arizona Democrats appear to be more energized this year than Republicans. And that may translate to victories in races that in any other year they could not win. The latest figures show that for every person who registered with the GOP since March, the Democrats registered more than three. That doesn’t endanger the lead that Republicans have in Arizona. They still make up nearly 35 percent of registered voters, versus less than 31 percent for Democrats. And independents, those not affiliated with any of the four recognized parties, still make up about a third, though, their share of the total is dropping. The surge in Democrat registration in Arizona comes as recent national elections have shown that races in what should be safe Republican districts have proven closer than expected, as some party faithful stay home amid the controversy over President … [Read more...] about Democrats surge in voter registration, still trail significantly