Today is National Voter Registration Day: Here's What You Should Know

Today is National Voter Registration Day, so make sure you're registered and ready to vote at your current address. Here you may find information about registering to vote and updating your voter registration. We must all vote for our principles and fight for our rights in this election.

The promise of democracy becomes more tangible for all of us when every eligible individual may register and vote.

Our federal authorities must do all in their power to safeguard and promote the basic right to vote.

Last year, the Biden administration issued an executive order encouraging federal agencies to incorporate voter registration into their daily interactions with eligible voters, a practice that has been practiced for decades in state agencies such as state motor vehicle departments and public assistance offices. Given the assault of attacks on voting rights around the country, the Biden administration's executive order to encourage voting access was a critical step in defending our democracy.

We are pleased to hear that the Department of Interior has begun working with the states of Kansas and New Mexico to secure designation of Haskell Indian Nations University and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute as voter registration agencies, and we applaud the Department of Veterans Affairs for working with a small number of states to secure designation of its facilities serving veterans as voter registration agencies. These are key initiatives that will assist in bringing our Native American communities and veterans into full civic involvement.

However, this is insufficient, and the federal government can do more. This executive order may assure that thousands of veterans, students, low-income individuals, people of color, and others have the opportunity to register to vote every day of the year, not just on voter registration day or month.

We expect that the Biden administration would respect the Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Indian Health Services (IHS) vows to extend access to voter registration for the millions of individuals they serve, many of whom are low-income and/or persons of color. In addition, the Biden administration should take the following important actions to increase voter registration access:

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services: Ensure that all newly naturalized Americans are given the chance to register to vote.

Education Department: Voter registration is available as part of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application process. Every year, almost 17 million students file the FAFSA. According to estimates, 83 percent of Black students, 74 percent of Hispanic students, 54 percent of Asian students, and 77 percent of Native American students, in addition to 73 percent of low-income students, complete the FAFSA. Incorporating a voter registration option into the FAFSA application process would allow millions of Americans who are either unregistered or need to change their registration at a new address to register to vote.

Strong execution of this executive order is one of the most important acts this Administration can take to ensure that all eligible Americans have the right to vote. We encourage the Biden-Harris administration and government agencies to prioritize the Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting.

This November, we must not lose sight of the importance of registering to vote and updating their registration if they have relocated. Every election official, whether a secretary of state or a local election administrator, will play a part in defending our freedom to vote. That is why it is critical to vote your ideals in the forthcoming election. You have the ability to affect the course of our country.