Assembly Approves Legislation To Increase Voter Turnout

Media Contact:

May 31, 2012

Phillip Ung 916-520-4070

ASSEMBLY APPROVES LEGISLATION TO INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT

AB 1436 establishes Election Day Voter Registration

May 31, 2012 (Sacramento) – The State Assembly approved Assembly Bill 1436, authored by Assembly Member Mike Feuer, which will increase voter access and turnout by allowing eligible voters to register and vote up to and on Election Day. This election reform has the potential to increase voter registration by five percent or more – which equates to hundreds of thousands of voters. Current law does not allow voters to register and vote within 15 days of Election Day, preventing scores of voters from exercising their right to vote.

“This common sense reform will improve access to thousands of eligible voters who would have previously been shut out,” said Phillip Ung, policy advocate for California Common Cause. “Our coalition of good government and civic groups will continue to put pressure on the Senate to approve AB 1436.”

AB 1436 has significant voter integrity provisions and will raise the voter fraud penalty from $10,000 to $25,000. If enacted, California will join ten other states who currently use Election Day Registration. California Common Cause is the sponsor of AB 1436.

California Common Cause is a non-partisan, non-profit that strives to strengthen our democracy by empowering our members, supporters and the general public to take action on critical policy issues.