In our previous column we noted that Albany has taken some exciting steps at reforming New York's election laws, but its work is not done. Two critical reforms remain to be passed: Automatic Voter Registration (AVR), and rights restoration for all citizens living in the community with convictions in their past. For the first time in many years, there appears to be sufficient political will to make New York a leader on election reform. Yet, further efforts seem to be stalled. Given the notoriously low turnout in New York's elections, it would be a shame to not move ahead on reforms as simple and significant as AVR and rights restoration.

To recap where we are: early voting, pre-registration, online registration, polling hour expansion, and registration portability have been passed. The first step of the process has been taken to amend the state constitution to enact same-day registration and no-excuse absentee voting. Legislation has also been enacted that promises campaign finance reform. That said, restoring rights for persons with past criminal convictions living in the community and AVR remain on the table.

AVR

Automatic voter registration can have a transformative impact in New York. In the last four years, 15 states plus the District of Columbia have adopted AVR. Lawmakers in 22 more states across the country have introduced AVR legislation this session.

Automatic voter registration reverses the traditional way of registering voters in two simple ways. The first is that AVR switches the voter registration opportunity from one that is “opt-in” (where applicants have to affirmatively request to register to vote) to “opt-out” (where eligible citizens are registered to vote unless they affirmatively decline to register). No one is registered against their will. Everyone is given a clear opportunity to opt-out. An opt-out approach capitalizes on how our brains work—behavioral scientists have shown that our brains are hard-wired to choose the default option presented to us.