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Common Cause Maryland, the League of Women Voters of Maryland, Maryland PIRG and ACLU of Maryland today urged Governor Larry Hogan and the Maryland Board of Elections to implement changes before the delayed 2020 Presidential Primary and the 7th Congressional District special election.

Marylanders voted for a commonsense, pro-democracy reform. They voted for a ballot initiative that gives eligible voters the right to register, update their registration, and vote on every Election Day in the future.

We applaud the General Assembly for passing legislation to improve upon Maryland's voter registration system. With the Freedom to Vote Act, our state expands voter registration opportunities to nearly every state agency. The move towards modernized, online or electronic voter registration systems – and away from outdated paper-based models – will save the state both time and money, making this a win for both voters and administrators alike.

With the 2016 legislative session nearing its close, advocates expressed their disappointment that more progress was not made on good government reforms in the past 90 days.

Today, the Maryland State Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will hear testimony on automatic voter registration, a reform that would register eligible citizens to vote when they interact with the Motor Vehicle Administration and other state agencies. With almost half a million eligible but unregistered citizens, Maryland could dramatically boost its registration rate while reducing costs and making registration more convenient for government officials and voters alike.

Today Governor Hogan announced the appointment of a study commission to look at options for redistricting reform in Maryland.