New voter registrations plunge during pandemic
The number of people registering to vote for the first time has fallen dramatically in recent months as traditional venues for registrations were closed or banned during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a study released Wednesday.
The report by the Center for Election Innovation and Research found that while voter registrations were running ahead of the 2016 pace in the early part of this year, new registrations collapsed in March and April when the pandemic began raging across the United States.
The study points to venues in which most voters typically register for the first time -- the department of motor vehicles (DMV) or voter registration drives at big events and festivals -- which were closed amid lockdowns.
DMV closures are particularly harmful to voter registration in states that have automatic registration programs that enroll voters when they interact with government agencies.
"As DMV transactions have declined, registrations have dwindled," the authors wrote. "While new voter registration deficits may be difficult to overcome, they could spark a push to make up for lost time as
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/502239-new-voter-registrations-plunge-during-pandemic
