voter registration database

To Move, or Not to Move (Within the same County): that is the Question Georgia Voters are Trying to Answer

Election Law Society · November 7, 2018 ·

In the wake of the 2018 campaign season, Georgia’s Secretary of State agreed to yet another lawsuit settlement and has instructed local elections officials to automatically update the address of any registered voter who has moved within the same county in the last 2 years.

This settlement was reached nearly a year after the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Georgia filed suit against the Fulton County Board of Registration and Elections on behalf of Stacey Hopkins, a registered Georgia voter. Mrs. Hopkins was just one of nearly 160,000 Georgia voters that were sent notices stating they would be listed as “inactive” (one of the first steps in being removed from the voter rolls) if they didn’t respond to the notice within 30 days. These registered voters were receiving notices because they had moved (within the same county) and didn’t update their address with the Georgia Board of Registrars.

Updating Voter Registration in Ohio: Online is Easier

Election Law Society · September 28, 2011 ·

What can’t you do online nowadays? The government lets us use the internet to pay parking tickets, and several states even allow its residents to renew their driver’s licenses online, so why not update voter registration online too? That is exactly what House Bill 194 will allow Ohioans to do. [Read more…] about Updating Voter Registration in Ohio: Online is Easier

Sitting Down with Washington’s Director of Elections

Election Law Society · February 23, 2011 ·

I recently had a chance to have an email conversation with Nick Handy, Director of Elections under the Secretary of State for Washington. With a dedication to public service and a knack for handling tough situations with sensitivity, Mr. Handy has served Washington well and entered a well-deserved retirement at the end of 2010.

Could you tell us a little bit about your background? What prepared you to be Director of Elections?

I am perhaps an unconventional appointment to an Elections Director position in that I had no experience in elections management prior to the appointment.

I was a long time personal and political friend of the Secretary of State. I had 30 years experience in senior management in state and local government working in areas of high controversy and political scrutiny. These included open government after Watergate, natural resource management during the spotted owl and endangered species debates, and oil spill preventing after Exxon Valdez. [Read more…] about Sitting Down with Washington’s Director of Elections