15TH ANNUAL LATIN GRAMMY AWARDS NOMINATIONS REFLECT A DIVERSE BLEND OF TALENTED ARTISTS AND MUSIC CREATORS FROM ACROSS THE LATIN MUSIC WORLD
The Latin Recording Academy® today announced nominations for the 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards® digitally via LatinGRAMMY.com and Twitter. Eduardo Cabra of Calle 13 leads the field with 10 nominations; Calle 13 garners nine nods; Andrés Castro earns eight; Tom Coyne receives seven; Julio Reyes Copello andCarlos Vives each receive six nominations; and Descemer Bueno and Enrique Iglesias net five nominations each. Artists vying for Best New Artist are Aneeka, Linda Briceño,Caloncho, Julio César, Pablo López, Miranda, Periko & Jessi León, Daniela Spalla, Juan Pablo Vega, and Mariana Vega. The 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®, set for Thursday, Nov. 20 at the MGM Grand Garden Area in Las Vegas, will be broadcast live on the Univision Network from 8– 11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central). A limited number of tickets go on sale today and may be purchased through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.com). For a complete list of nominees, media credentialing instructions and more information, please visitThe Latin Recording Academy's website and its social networks on Twitter and Facebook.
"In this, our 15th anniversary year, we received more than 10,000 entries and the nominations continue to reflect a dynamic and vibrant worldwide Latin music community of artists, producers, engineers, songwriters and everyone involved in the recording process," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "With the roster of multitalented nominees, it is reassuring that this peer-recognized award is truly focused on acknowledging the quality of material and excellence in recorded music and reflects the evolution of not only our awards process but the growth of the organization in recognizing the best and most current representation of music. And once again, we are excited to partner with Univision and the MGM Grand Garden Arena to present what is sure to be one of the most memorable telecasts in Latin GRAMMY® history."
Following is a sampling of nominations, featuring an array of musical styles, artists and creators (or professionals), as well as some of the most prominent names and brightest newcomers in Latin music:
GENERAL FIELD
Album Of The Year:
3.0 — Marc Anthony
Tangos — Rubén Blades
Multiviral — Calle 13
Elypse — Camila
Canción Andaluza — Paco de Lucía
Raíz — Lila Downs, Niña Pastori y Soledad
Bailar En La Cueva — Jorge Drexler
Fonseca Sinfónico — Fonseca
Somos — Jarabe De Palo
Más + Corazón Profundo — Carlos Vives
Record Of The Year:
"Donde Está El Amor — Pablo Alborán Featuring Jesse & Joy
"Cambio De Piel" — Marc Anthony
"Respira El Momento" — Calle 13
"Decidiste Dejarme" — Camila
"Universos Paralelos" — Jorge Drexler Featuring Ana Tijoux
"Llegaste Tú" — Luis Fonsi Featuring Juan Luis Guerra
"Bailando" — Enrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente De Zona
"Darte Un Beso" — Prince Royce
"Cuando Nos Volvamos A Encontrar" — Carlos Vives Featuring Marc Anthony
"El Mar De Sus Ojos"— Carlos Vives Featuring ChocQuibTown
Song Of The Year:
"A Bossa Nova É Foda" — Caetano Veloso, songwriter; performed by Caetano Veloso
"Bailando" — Descemer Bueno, Gente De Zona, Enrique Iglesias, songwriters; performed byEnrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente De Zona
"Cambio De Piel" — Yoel Henríquez & Julio Reyes Copello, songwriters; performed by Marc Anthony
"Corazones Invencibles" — Manu Moreno & Aleks Syntek, songwriters; performed by Aleks Syntek
"Cuando Nos Volvamos A Encontrar" — Andrés Castro, Carlos Vives, songwriters; performed by Carlos Vives Featuring Marc Anthony
"Darte Un Beso" — Andrés Castro, Guianko Gómez, Juan Riveros & Prince Royce, songwriters; performed by Prince Royce
"Decidiste Dejarme" — Mario Domm, Lauren Evans & Mónica Vélez, songwriters; performed by Camila
"Mi Tesoro" — Jesse & Joy, songwriters; performed by Jesse & Joy
"Ojos Color Sol" — Calle 13 & Silvio Rodríquez, songwriters; performed by Calle 13 Featuring Silvio Rodríguez
"Universos Paralelos" — Jorge Drexler & Ana Tijoux, songwriters; performed by Jorge Drexler Featuring Ana Tijoux
POP FIELD
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Amor En Portofino — Andrea Bocelli
Tiempo — Linda Briceño
Orígenes: El Bolero Volumen 2 — Café Quijano
Fonseca Sinfónica — Fonseca
Gracias Por Estar Aquí — Marco Antonio Solís
URBAN FIELD
Best Urban Performance
"6AM" — J Balvin Featuring Farruko
"Adentro" — Calle 13
"Bailando" — Enrique Iglesias Featuring Descemer Bueno & Gente De Zona
"Pura Vida" — Don Omar
"Que Viva La Vida" — Wisin
ROCK FIELD
Best Rock Album
Palosanto — Bunbury
Ama-Zonas — Doctor Krápula
Don Tetto — Don Tetto
El Final Del Mundo Vol. II: Nada Es Imposible — Luz Verde
Agua Maldita — Molotov
ALTERNATIVE FIELD
Best Alternative Music Album
Romantisísmico — Babasónicos
Fruta — Caloncho
Los Cafres — 25 Años De Música! — Los Cafres
El Vuelo Del Pez — Siddhartha
Aquelarre — Sig Ragga
TROPICAL FIELD
Best Salsa Album
3.0 — Marc Anthony
Déjame Así — Maite Hontelé
Mis Mejores Recuerdos — Tito Nieves
First Class To Havana — Aymee Nuviola
50 Aniversario — Mario Ortiz All Star Band
REGIONAL-MEXICAN FIELD
Best Norteño Album
Amor Amor — Conjunto Primavera
XX Años — El Poder Del Norte
En Tus Manos — Los Rieleros Del Norte
Por Ti — Pesado
Clásicas De Ayer Y Siempre — Polo Urias Y Su Máquina Norteña
BRAZILIAN FIELD
Best MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) Album
Calma Aí, Coração Ao Vivo — Zeca Baleiro
De Graça — Jeneci
Inventario Encontra Ivan Lins— Ivan Lins
Verdade, Uma Ilusão — Marisa Monte
Caymmi — Nana, Dori E Danilo
This year's Latin GRAMMY Awards process registered a record-breaking 10,000-plus submissions over a 12-month eligibility period (July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014), and all members of The Latin Recording Academy were able to submit entries for consideration through an online entry process. Final ballots will be mailed on Oct. 1 to
the voting members of The Latin Recording Academy, and they are due back to the accounting firm of Deloitte by Oct. 22, when they will be tabulated and the results will be revealed on the Latin GRAMMY telecast. This year, for the third time, The Latin Recording Academy and Spotify will work together to offer voting members and all music fans the opportunity to listen to nominated music for the 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards. More details will be announced shortly.
The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, follow @LatinGRAMMYs on Twitter, like "Latin GRAMMYs" on Facebook, and join the Latin GRAMMYs' social communities on Foursquare, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, andYouTube.
Video and Twitter announcement of nominations for the 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards®.
Artists featured in the video announcement include Miguel Bosé, Eugenio Derbez,Natalia Lafourcade, Daniela Mercury, Prince Royce, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Diego Torres, andCarlos Vives along with fans from across the world. Additionally, Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy® will introduce the video.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014
4 a.m. PT/ 7 a.m. ET Video and twitter unveil nominees
www.latingrammy.com and @LatinGRAMMYs; join the conversation with our official hashtag #LatinGRAMMY
The 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards will be broadcast from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 20, and will air in the United States on the Univision Network from 8 – 11 p.m. ET/PT (7 p.m. Central).
Joan Manuel Serrat Has Been named the 2014 Latin Recording Academy ® Person of the Year .
Iconic singer songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat Has Been named the 2014 Latin Recording Academy ® Person of the Year . Chosen for his artistic and social accomplishments, as well as his Contributions to Latin culture, Serrat will be honored with a star-studded tribute concert on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. The celebration will feature songs from Serrat's catalog Performed by an impressive array of notable artists and friends. A portion of the net proceeds from the gala will benefit the Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation TM -. Which Provides scholarships, fellowships, grants, and educational programs The prestigious event will precede the 15th Annual Latin GRAMMY Awards ® , Which will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and will be broadcast live on the Univision Network on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 8 pm Eastern / 7 pm Central. For breaking news and exclusive content, join The Latin Academy's social networks as a follower on Twitter and a fan on the Facebook .
"As a profound and brilliant songwriter, a true poet in Spanish and Catalan and a sensational performer, Joan Manuel Serrat's lyrical style and magnificent talent make him a treasured and timeless musical figure," said Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President / CEO of The Latin Recording Academy. "Through his talent, artistry, passion, and dedication to his craft, his work has spoken to music fans all over. It is a privilege to Recognize a man with such an illustrious career and socially conscious, and we look forward to celebrating his creativity and legacy. "
Serrat's impressive career resonates not only with fans, but Also with fellow artists in the music community.
"Joan Manuel Serrat took Miguel Hernández's beautiful little poem 'Llego Con Tres Heridas (I Come With Three Wounds)' and turned it into an even more beautiful song, haunting in its simplicity." said GRAMMY ® -nominated singer songwriter Joan Baez. "I fell in love with the song and recorded it in 1974 I still sing it today. "
"Joan Manuel has become a true symbol for freedom, coherence, quality, and perfect use of our language, and the reference que we all have in reaching our goals," said Latin GRAMMY and GRAMMY winner Shakira, the previous Person Of The Year honoree .
A native of Barcelona, Spain, Serrat Began playing music as a teenager and quickly developed a desire to write and perform. In 1965, while singing on Spanish Radio Program "radioscope" Serrat secured his first record deal. Within two years he went on to release two EPs, a full-length debut album, and gave his first live stage performance at the Palau de la Música Catalana - a concert que him established the one of the pioneers of the New Canco movement in Spain's Catalonian region. The part of a generation of politically outspoken artists, Serrat is known for his strong political stances. He once refused to follow dictator Francisco Franco's orders to perform the song in Spanish, instead of his native Catalan, at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968 Serrat This led to being banned from appearing in Spanish average for five years. In the mid '70s, after Speaking Out against the Franco dictatorship, Serrat went into self-imposed exile in Mexico and did not return to his homeland until after Franco's death in 1975.
In 1969 Serrat released The Dedicated Antonio Machado, Poeta in honor of the Spanish poet. The album garnered critical acclaim and massive Both appeal throughout Spain and Latin America. His 1971 single "Mediterráneo" established him as a widely popular artist in Spanish-speaking countries around the world.
For the past two decades, Serrat has had a prolific career writing, recording and touring. In 2006 he released Mô , his first album recorded completely in Catalan in 17 years. In 2008 he collaborated with fellow singer songwriter Joaquín Sabina Spanish to release Pdjaros Dos De Un Tiro ; Followed by 2012's La Orquesta Del Titanic . The 2013 documentary , El Y El Cuate Symbol , captured Serrat and Sabina's acclaimed tour throughout Spain and Latin America.
As the 2014 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, Serrat joins a distinguished list of past recipients includes que Miguel Bosé, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Gilberto Gil, Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, Shakira, and Caetano Veloso, among others.
For information on purchasing tickets or tables to this year's Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year gala for Joan Manuel Serrat, please contact The Latin Recording Academy ticketing office at 310.314.8281 or ticketing@grammy.com .
The Latin Recording Academy is an international, membership-based organization Comprised of Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking recording artists, musicians, songwriters, producers and other creative and technical recording professionals. The organization is dedicated to Improving the quality of life and cultural condition for Latin music and its makers. In addition to producing the Latin GRAMMY Awards to honor excellence in the recorded arts and sciences, The Latin Recording Academy Provides educational and outreach programs for the Latin music community. For more information about The Latin Recording Academy, please visit http://www.latingrammy.com/en . For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks as a Twitter follower at https://twitter.com/ latingrammys , and a Facebook fan at www.facebook.com/latingrammys .
The Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation was established by The Latin Recording Academy to promote international awareness and appreciation of the Significant Contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world's culture, and to protect its rich musical heritage and legacy. The Foundation's primary charitable focus is to Provide scholarships to students of Latin music with financial needs, as well as grants to scholars and organizations worldwide for research and preservation of diverse Latin music genres. For additional information, please visit us at Latin GRAMMY Cultural Foundation , or join us on Twitter and Facebook .
To Difusión Inmediata
LA LATIN ACADEMY OF RECORDING LA ® SE EN ENORGULLECE ANNOUNCE THE JOAN MANUEL HOW SERRAT
PERSONA LA DEL YEAR 2014
Una P art of them I ngresos of la Gala B eneficiará a la
Fundación Cultural Latin GRAMMY TM
El Homenaje, plethoric de Estrellas, will be held en el Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas wednesday el 19 de noviembre
MIAMI ( Sept. 9, 2014) - El cantante y legendary songwriter Joan Manuel Serrat , ha been designated as la Persona del Año 2014 La Academia Latina de la Grabacion ® . Elected by sociales y sus artistic achievements, such as sus Contribuciones así la Ibero-American culture, Serrat con una plethoric Celebración de estrellas will homenajeado el 19 de noviembre del wednesday 2014 , en el Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas . El homenaje will con themes del Serrat catalog interpreted by una gran variety of notables artists y friends. Una part of them Inflows grandchildren de la Gala benefit a la Fundación Cultural Latin GRAMMY ™ , which provides scholarships, educational Subvenciones the y estudiantes programs escasos resources. El prestigious event will precede a la 15th. Delivery del Annual Latin GRAMMY ® , to be held en el MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas which will be broadcast live by en Univision el jueves 20 de noviembre , a las 8 pm hour del Este / 7 pm central time. Thorugh news last moment of y sole contenido, unete a las sociales de la Organización y networks Follow us on Twitter , by the Facebook .
"Su deep y brillante style composición, su poetry both en español y catalán, su lyrical style aunado a single y su magnificent talent convierten Joan Manuel Serrat en una musical figure atesorada y leyenda", señaló Gabriel Abaroa Jr., President / CEO of La Academia Latina de la Grabacion. "Through su talent, art, dedication pasión y su oficio, su ha llegado work to sus admirers el mundo. Privilege Es un able to un hombre reconocer con una carrera y tan illustrious socially conscious, y look forward to this Celebración creatividad y su legacy. "
La carrera de Serrat resuena impressive on the ground between sus admirers bell también between otros compañeros de la music industry.
"Joan Manuel Serrat take hermoso y pequeño poem by Miguel Hernández un 'LLEGO Con Tres Heridas' y lo convirtió en una canción más bella Aún, unsettling for simplicity su" manifesto la cantante y nominated songwriter al GRAMMY ® , Joan Baez. "Me enamoré de la canción en 1974 y la grabe Aún hoy follow her singing."
"Joan Manuel ha is converted en un verdadero symbol libertad, coherencia, calidad y perfecto use of nuestra lengua, y una tenemos that all references to llegar a nuestro goal", declare it ganadora del Latin GRAMMY GRAMMY y, Shakira, as previously homenajeada Persona del Año 2011 La Academia Latina de la Grabacion.
Nacido en Barcelona, España, Serrat comenzo to penetrate en cuando la music was a teenager quickly Desarrollo y el deseo y escribir of singing. En 1965, mientras Cantaba en el español radio "radioscope" program, Serrat aseguró su primer discographic contract. En años, Lanzar LLEGO of the EP (Extended Duración), un album debut Duración wide, and Hizo su primera presentación en vivo en el Palau de la Música Catalana, un concierto that you mark as one of them leaders del movimiento New Canco Cataluña, España en Región. As part of the politically unite generación abiertos artists, Serrat es conocido by fuertes sus political stances. En una ocasión, en el Festival en Eurovision 1968, the following busi them Órdenes del Dictator Francisco Franco de una canción en español interpret, rather than en su versión original en catalan. The mediated después de los 70's of hablar en la dictadura against Franco, Serrat self-exiled to Mexico in regreso y su tierra native hasta después de la muerte en Franc 1975.
En 1969 Serrat Lanzo The Dedicated Antonio Machado, poet en honor al español, critically acclaimed album that fue una y deception masiva Atracción en España y throughout Latin America. Su sencillo 1971 "Mediterráneo", as it estableció un muy popular artist en los Hispanic countries around habla el mundo.
Them during the last decades, Serrat ha intensified prolific ya su carrera con COMPOSICIONES, Grabaciones y cute. En 2006 Lanzo Mô , su primer album grabado completely en 17 años en catalan. En 2008 con el cantante y collaborate español composer Joaquín Sabina for Lanzar Of Pdjaros De Un Tiro, followed by La Orquesta Del Titanic El documental en el 2012 , El Symbol Y El Cuate , I capture her acclaimed turns Serrat y Sabina en España y all Latin America.
Como la Persona del Año 2014 La Academia Latina de la Grabacion, Serrat joins a distinguished list of una homenajeados previos that en la figuran Miguel Bosé, Plácido Domingo, Gloria Estefan, Gilberto Gil, Juan Luis Guerra, Carlos Santana, Shakira, y Caetano Veloso & events.
To recibir información sobre cómo al asistir the event to reserve tables for el tribute to her Persona Del Año 2014 De La Academia De La Latina Grabacion celebrating Joan Manuel Serrat, please comuníquese con la workshop slips La Academia Latina de la Grabacion al 310.314.8281 email the correction to ticketing@grammy.com .
La Academia Latina de la Grabacion es una organización compuesta international artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, technicians y otros y la grabación creative profesionales, Spanish-Portuguese habla y. La organización is dedicated to mejorar la calidad y las life culturales condiciones de la y sus Latin music creators. Producir the Surrender of además del Latin GRAMMY Awards la excellence en las Artes y Ciencias de la grabación, La Academia Latina de la Grabacion educational programs toasts y Asistencia para la comunidad latina musical. For more info about La Academia Latina de la Grabacion, please visit LatinGRAMMY.com . Thorugh news last moment of y sole contenido, sigue enLatinGRAMMYs Twitter , hazte en un fanatic Facebook and unete a las sociales networks organización en la Foursquare , Google+ , Instagram , Pinterest , Tumblr , y YouTube .
La Fundación Cultural Latin GRAMMY ™, fue establecida for La Academia Latina de la Grabacion to promote her apreciación y el conocimiento international a la la contribución important Latin music a la y sus creators world culture, así how to protect rich musical legacy y su herencia . El es la main objective of the Foundation to provide scholarships estudiantes Latin music that Tengan Financieras necessities, y otorgar Subsidies to scholars and to investigate instituciones del mundo y retain various genres of Latin music la. For additional obtener información, please visit el sitio de la Fundación Cultural Latin GRAMMY , the UNASE the nuestras en Twitter y Facebook .
51 MILLION ELIGIBLE AMERICANS NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE
Former U.S. Representative Lincoln Davis, of Tennessee, knows something about elections and government, yet this year when he went to polls in his hometown where he’d been voting since 1995, he was denied the right to vote.
“We walked in and they told me I was not a registered voter. I had been taken off the list . . . These are people who I grew up with. I told them I live here. I went to school about 20 yards away. . . .It’s always been this way and today, for some reason, they change it. I had a sense of uneasiness when I was told that I was not allowed to vote. They didn’t offer me a provisional ballot, or anything, just told me I wasn’t registered. . . . He said I would have to re-register, and I told them I’m already registered, I’m not going to re-register. I’m a former member of Congress, state senator, House member, mayor and all my life, I’ve been involved in the community, coaching Little League, participating in Boy Scouts and serving on boards here, and I’m denied the right to vote. It just doesn’t make sense.”
“We walked in and they told me I was not a registered voter. I had been taken off the list . . . These are people who I grew up with. I told them I live here. I went to school about 20 yards away. . . .It’s always been this way and today, for some reason, they change it. I had a sense of uneasiness when I was told that I was not allowed to vote. They didn’t offer me a provisional ballot, or anything, just told me I wasn’t registered. . . . He said I would have to re-register, and I told them I’m already registered, I’m not going to re-register. I’m a former member of Congress, state senator, House member, mayor and all my life, I’ve been involved in the community, coaching Little League, participating in Boy Scouts and serving on boards here, and I’m denied the right to vote. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Representative Davis had been improperly “purged” from the voting rolls. If it can happen to a former Congressman, it can happen to anyone.
All this makes clear that a major focus for increasing citizen participation in elections should be to decrease the bureaucratic barriers to becoming, and remaining, registered to vote. Americans deserve an election system that is much more responsive to their needs, and that facilitates their participation in democratic governance.
Who isn't Registered?
- Today, approximately 51 million eligible Americans are still not registered to vote. This represents almost one in four eligible persons, disproportionately low-income voters, people of color, and younger Americans. Among eligible voters, some 30 percent of African Americans, 40 percent of Hispanics, 45 percent of Asian Americans, and 41 percent of young adults (age 18-24), were not registered to vote in the historic 2008 election.
- In the 2008 elections, the voting rate for all eligible persons of voting age was only 64 percent, while the voting rate for people who were registered to vote was 90 percent – showing that registration is key to turnout.
- In many states, pre-election registration deadlines of 25-30 days prior to the election have not been updated for decades; such deadlines may have been adopted long before the age of the Internet or computers, and no longer make sense in today’s world.
- In the 2008 election, 2 to 3 million registered voters were prevented from voting because of various administrative problems, and 9 million eligible Americans were not registered because of residency rules or registration deadlines.
- The number of people barred from voting in 2008 because of such problemsexceeded the popular vote margin of the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections.
What is Same-Day Registration?
Many states still impose lengthy pre-election voter registration deadlines that may have been established decades ago, despite the proven effect of such deadlines in dampening voter participation.
Many citizens become most interested and engaged with the election in the last few weeks before Election Day, when candidate debates are taking place, just as registration deadlines may be closing in their state. Other voters who are already registered may lose eligibility merely because they move to a different neighborhood or county, or because of clerical errors with their registration, or because of flawed and erroneous pre-election challenges to a voter’s eligibility.If they fail to discover the problem prior to Election Day, when the registration deadline has passed, they may be unable to vote.
Eleven states, plus the District of Columbia, have now adopted Same Day Registration in order to ensure that eligible voters are not turned away because of errors with their registrations or failure to register in advance of Election Day.14 Same Day Registration eliminates arbitrary pre-election deadlines and allows voters to register and vote on the same day, making it a more convenient one-stop process and ensuring that eligible individuals who are not on the lists can register to vote, or correct inaccurate existing registration information. Same Day Registration means that voters no longer are without recourse when faced with registration problems that threaten their right to vote.
Same Day Registration increases political participation, without undue costs or administrative burdens. States that allow Same Day Registration have consistently led the nation in voter participation. Indeed, the top five states for voter turnout in 2008 all had Same Day Registration, and average voter turnout was seven percentage points higher in Same Day Registration states in the 2008 presidential elections. North Carolina witnessed the greatest increase in voter turnout over the previous presidential election, one year after Same Day Registration was adopted.
Experts have projected substantial voter turnout increases in states that have considered adopting Same Day Registration, with average voting projected to rise by over 4 to nearly 9 percent. Even greater increases are estimated for young people, low-income populations, people of color, newly naturalized citizens, and those who have recently changed residences.
Same Day Registration is so popular with voters that an overwhelming majority of Maine citizens used a so-called “People’s Veto” on the November 2011 ballot to reinstate Same Day Registration after the nearly forty-year old program was repealed by the state legislature.
Same Day Registration is so popular with voters that an overwhelming majority of Maine citizens used a so-called “People’s Veto” on the November 2011 ballot to reinstate Same Day Registration after the nearly forty-year old program was repealed by the state legislature.
The convenience and accessibility of Same Day Registration should be available to voters throughout the country. The Voter Empowerment Act of 2012, H.R. 5799, introduced by Rep. John Lewis and 140 co-sponsors, would provide for Same Day Registration throughout the country, along with many other pro-voter reforms.
If I Just Moved, How Does That Affect My Voter Registration Status?
The need to update registration when a person moves is another major source of red tape in our mobile society. Almost 36.5 million US residents moved between 2011 and 2012. Low-income individuals are twice as likely to move as those above the poverty line. Young people, moreover, are more likely to move than any other demographic group; between 2011 and 2012, 21 percent of young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 moved.
Voter registration should become portable and permanent for persons who move within a state, by automatic updates to registration records as citizens change their address. Because all states now are required to have statewide voter registration databases, there should be no need for persons to register anew each time they move within a state. States such as Colorado and Minnesota have procedures that help voters keep their registration current when they move. Reforms to make voter registration portable and permanent for persons who move within a state also are part of The Voter Empowerment Act of 2012 that is pending in Congress.
How Could We Modernize the Registration System?
Our current system is archaic and inefficient, and badly needs modernization. It still relies on handwritten, paper forms that that can result in clerical errors and is needlessly expensive for states to administer. It leaves the burden on the citizen to negotiate the registration process and to update her registration again and again each time she moves.
We need policy changes that put the responsibility for registering voters squarely on the government by automating the registration process. Under a modernized voter registration system, eligible citizens interacting with the government will be asked if they consent to being registered to vote, and will be added to the rolls through a paperless process if they do. This shifts the administrative burden off of the individual voter and onto the government to register eligible citizens to vote. Delaware has implemented a version of this by providing for paperless voter registration for persons interacting with the motor vehicle bureau or public assistance offices.
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