On National Voter Registration Day, Klobuchar Introduces Legislation to Make Registering to Vote Easier for All Americans

WASHINGTON - On National Voter Registration Day, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced two bills to make it easier for Americans to register to vote.

The Same Day Registration Actwould require states to offer same day registration at polling locations on Election Day and during early voting. The Register America to Vote Actwould require every state to create a system to register all eligible citizens to vote when they turn 18 and ensure all eligible voters are covered by automatic registration through motor vehicle agencies.

"Our democracy works better and our country is stronger when our laws make it easier for people to vote,"said Klobuchar. "These pieces of legislation will eliminate barriers that prevent people from voting - requiring states to provide same day registration at polling places and automatically registering all eligible voters. This will help ensure that every American has the opportunity to have their voice heard at the ballot box."

The Same Day Registration Actwould:

• Require states to offer same day registration at polling locations on Election Day and during any early voting period;

• Require states to offer same day registration at all polling places by the 2028 general election, but create a waiver process to give states until the 2030 general election to comply if earlier compliance would be impracticable;

• Mandate that states have at least one location per 15,000 registered voters with same day registration by the 2026 general election; and

• Ensure that centralized same day registration locations are reasonably located to serve the voting population equitably.

The Same Day Registration Act is cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

The Register America to Vote Actwould:

• Require states to establish a system to automatically register all eligible voters when they turn 18;

• Ensure all eligible voters are covered by automatic registration through motor vehicle agencies while preserving the option to opt out of registering to vote during their interaction with the agency;

• Authorize $3 billion in grants for states to implement automatic voter registration;

• Allow voters to update their registration in the course of interaction with motor vehicle agencies;

• Create safeguards against registration of ineligible voters and protections for people who are erroneously registered; and

• Direct the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop voter database management standards and security policies states can adopt.

The Register America to Vote Actis cosponsored by Senators Alex Padilla (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael Bennet (D-CO) Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Bernie Sander (I-VT), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

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Permalink: https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2025/9/on-national-voter-registration-day-klobuchar-introduces-legislation-to-make-registering-to-vote-easier-for-all-americans