The ACLU is joining the campaign to pass Nevada’s Question 5, the ballot initiative on automatic voter registration (AVR), and committing $1.15 million to the effort. This commitment marks the first time money has been spent on a ballot question in Nevada by the organization. The ACLU will work with Nevadans for Secure Elections to expand and secure the vote in the state.
Nationally, the ACLU is spending $10 million on voting rights ballot initiatives in the 2018 midterms to expand Americans’ voting rights in multiple states.
AVR is a commonsense policy solution that will modernize Nevada’s voter registration processes at the DMV and expand access to the ballot for thousands of Nevadans. Streamlined systems and upgraded software will lead to cleaner, more secure voter rolls while eliminating common voter registration errors, such as changes of address.
ACLU of Nevada canvassers will knock on tens of thousands of doors in the Las Vegas and Reno metropolitan areas to spread the word about this commonsense policy solution.
ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Tod Story said:
“The right to vote is essential for a thriving democracy and it’s essential that that right extends to every eligible voter. While we work every election to ensure voter protection, we are excited to mobilize voters to pass Question 5 in November. AVR will further secure our voter registration system at the DMV and simplify the registration experience for first-time voters, members of the armed forces, communities of color, young people, and improve participation in our elections.”
For more information about Nevadans for Secure Elections and Question 5, please visit: nvsecureelections.com.
About Automatic Voter Registration
Fourteen states have an AVR measure on the books, starting with Oregon in 2015. The Center for American Progress studied AVR’s impact in Oregon and found more than 272,000 new people were registered — more than 116,000 people were unlikely to have done so otherwise — and more than 98,000 voted in the 2016 presidential election.
About the ACLU of Nevada’s Other Voting Rights Efforts
The organization is committed to securing the right to vote and expanding the franchise to all eligible Nevadans. ACLUNV has advocated on behalf of voters on tribal lands, acted as a watchdog for compliance with the National Voting Rights Act, and maintains an election protection program.
