On June 6, Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida) introduced S. 3100, a bill that would encourage advance voter registration for sixteen year olds, and automatic re-registration of voters who changed their residence. S. 3100 would create a grant program to provide the States with the funds needed to implement pre-registration for sixteen year olds, so ensuring that they would be on the voter rolls when they turn eighteen. Pre-registration, combined with automatic re-registration, would be a significant step towards FairVote's goal of universal voter registration. The bill also makes provision for absentee voting, mail-in voting, and vote verification through paper trails and manual audits. [Senator Nelson's statement on electoral reform]
[S. 3100]
It was a good week for FairVote in the states. On May 27, Colorado
governor Bill Ritter signed HB 1378, a bill to allow all Colorado
municipalities and special districts to use instant runoff voting and
choice voting; FairVote's Rob Richie testied for two hours to the task
force that recommended the bill last year. In Illinois, the legislature
sent to the governor SF 439, a bill to allow municipalities to use IRV
ballots to improve voting rights for overseas voters like those serving
in the military.