New Voter Registration Falls During Coronavirus Lockdowns

IN JANUARY OF THIS year, new voter registrations exceeded the number of new registrants from the same month four years earlier and appeared on track to potentially outpace overall registration in 2016. But once the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing in the U.S., voter registration sharply declined in March and April as most cities and states entered lockdowns.

for lost time as states reopen,” the report says.

Nearly 700,000 people registered to vote in January 2020, compared to almost 500,000 new registrants four years earlier. When the pandemic hit in March, the number declined to 600,000 and then plummeted to 200,000 in April. By contrast, about 700,000 new voters registered in both March and April of 2016. The substantial drop happened in a number of presidential battleground states – and many that also have competitive Senate races – including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

The report also warns about the potential challenges for people looking to vote by mail this fall. Elections officials are seeing an influx in mail-in ballot requests as some states ease the requirements for absentee voting due to the pandemic. More voters are looking to avoid the risks of voting in-person this election cycle, but the report points to the lingering hurdles posed by the viral outbreak.

“Long-time voters may also be affected, particularly as more voters choose the option of voting by mail. Without new address updates as a result of motor vehicle transactions, it may be difficult for voters to keep their contact information up-to-date.”

Still, the Center for Election Innovation & Research expects an uptick in new voter registration as outreach resumes with state reopenings. The group’s report pointed to efforts by the nonprofit Electronic Registration Information Center, a group of 30 participating states that plan to reach out to 20 million people who are eligible to vote but currently not registered.

Plus, the ongoing nationwide protests in the wake of George Floyd’s death are starting to spark increased interest in new voter registrations, particularly among Democrats.

Several Democratic voter registration groups are seeing recent surges in signing up new voters, according to CNBC. One group that focuses on mobilizing Latino voters, Voto Latino, told the publication that it has exceeded its June goal and is on track to soon register 50,000 young Latino voters.