Abstract

How does voter registration affect the participation and turnout of movers and transient populations? The transient population can be defined as groups of people living in a geographic place that tend to only live there for a short time. These people are also called movers. To explore this question, I look at the data from the U.S. Census for transient communities such as the City of Binghamton, New York. I also have looked at the percentage of individuals who have moved homes and who are not registered to vote. I look at the history of voter registration policies and different methods of registration systems. These include the solutions to voter registration issues such as automatic, portable, and same-day voter registration, which are proven methods of helping to increase voter turnout and registration rates amongst movers and transients. I also will look at the breakdown of polling places in relation to the community, look at parking accessibility, and anticipate the ease of voting and its effects on voter turnout. I expect to continue to find evidence that supports how transients and movers are less likely to be registered to vote at the address where they currently reside; and are therefore more likely to not be able to vote in elections due to registration deadlines. This study emphasizes the need for a national voter registration plan that includes automatic, portable, and same-day registration.