“Federal Court Delivers Important Ruling in National Voter Registration Act Lawsuit”

Press release: “In a strongly worded order handed down yesterday, U.S. District Judge Charles A. Pannell, Jr. denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a coalition of voting rights groups to remedy the State of Georgia’s failure to provide voter registration services at public assistance offices, as required by Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). Judge Pannell ruled that, contrary to the state’s practice, the NVRA requires that public assistance agency clients be provided with the opportunity to receive a voter registration application every time they apply for or renew benefits or submit a change of address.  This must include instances where clients interact with the agency by remote means (e.g., by telephone, internet or mail).  In addition, Judge Pannell found that, to the extent that Georgia’s public assistance agencies do not presumptively distribute voter registration applications (and, instead, require clients to request them affirmatively), that the State is likely violating the NVRA.”

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