Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Americans vote at a lower rate than most highly developed, democratic states. While the 2016 presidential election saw a slight increase in turnout, more than 40% of Americans did not participate in the election. Voter turnout in non-presidential years is much lower. Many factors affect voter turnout, including age, race, income, education, proximity to a polling location, and availability of transportation. However, the largest barrier to electoral participation is registration. Registering to vote is an opt-in process, and citizens must re-register every time they change residences.

As our population becomes more mobile, registration becomes more of a burden. One U.S. subpopulation that has a lower rate of voter registration is renters. To increase voter registration rates among renters, some municipalities around the United States have passed an ordinance that requires landlords to provide voter registration information to new renters.

This project researches why voter registration rates are low in America, and specifically in the high mobility subgroup. It summarizes the current efforts to increase voter registration. It presents published research that supports the premise that lower voting rates among young people has little to do with age, and much to do with mobility. Finally, it introduces the concept of a Landlord-Tenant Voter Registration (LTVR) ordinance, and reviews the history, successes, and drawbacks of LTVR laws in the U.S.