April 3, 2025

Democratic AGs expand NVRA access as federal courts limit voting

Democratic states counter federal restrictions with largest voting rights expansion in history

🤝Civic Action📜Constitutional Law📊Electoral Systems

On May 1, 2025, 17 Democratic-led states launched the largest voting rights expansion in U.S. history, enacting automatic voter registration, expanded early voting, and restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated citizens (circle.tufts.edu; NPR).

On Mar. 26, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration, threatened loss of federal funding for noncompliant states, and aimed to bar counting mailed ballots arriving after Election Day (NPR).

Rick Hasen (UCLA law professor) warned that proof of citizenship requirements “could disenfranchise millions” of eligible voters to prevent very rare noncitizen voting (NPR).

🤝Civic Action📜Constitutional Law📊Electoral Systems

Test Your Knowledge

What voting period did states expand to increase access?

The state voting rights expansion was the largest in U.S. history.

State voting laws can protect democratic participation when federal government restricts access.

On which date did Democratic-led states launch the largest voting rights expansion in U.S. history?

What automatic system did states implement to counter federal restrictions?

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People, bills, and sources

President Donald Trump

issued an executive order on Mar. 26, 2025 requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, threatening states with loss of federal funding and restricting mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day (NPR).

Rick Hasen (UCLA law professor)

stated that proof of citizenship requirements “could disenfranchise millions” of voters (NPR).

What you can do

Verify your automatic voter registration status under your state's new law effective May 1, 2025: visit https://vote.gov/register, select your state, and review your registration details.

If you were formerly incarcerated in one of the 17 states, confirm restoration of your voting rights by finding your state board of elections via https://vote.gov/state-site-links and following their restoration procedures.

Review your state's expanded early voting schedule (effective May 1, 2025) by visiting https://vote.gov/elections, selecting your state, and noting the early voting dates and polling locations.