Federal
HR 55 Would Repeal the National Voter Registration Act of 1993
HR 55 is a federal bill that would eliminate the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), a law that currently requires states to offer voter registration through motor vehicle agencies and other public assistance offices, sets standards for maintaining voter rolls, and establishes certain federal baseline rules for how states administer voter registration. If enacted, states would no longer be bound by these federal requirements and would have full discretion over their own voter registration systems. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
✓ REASONS TO SUPPORT
- States would regain full authority to design their own voter registration systems without federal mandates, allowing them to tailor rules to local needs.
- Removing federal requirements could allow states to adopt stricter or different roll-maintenance practices they believe would improve the accuracy of their voter lists.
- Eliminating the federal law reduces one layer of regulatory compliance that states must follow when running their elections.
- States that believe current federal rules conflict with their election integrity goals would be free to pursue their own approaches.
✕ REASONS TO OPPOSE
- People would no longer be automatically offered voter registration when visiting a motor vehicle agency or certain public assistance offices, potentially reducing registration access.
- The uniform federal floor for voter roll maintenance would disappear, meaning protections against improper removal of eligible voters would vary widely by state.
- Low-income and minority voters who historically relied on NVRA-required registration opportunities could face higher barriers to getting registered.
- Without federal standards, the patchwork of state rules could make it harder for citizens who move across state lines to understand and navigate registration requirements.
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