Same Day Voter Registration in Iowa

Via Jonathan Singer at MyDD, I just learned that the governor of Iowa has signed legislation instituting same-day voter registration.

This is huge.

Same day registration is one of the most effective ways (pdf) to increase young voter turnout. The six states that already use same day registration consistently see some of the highest turnout rates among young voters:

Six states—New Hampshire, Maine, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming, and Idaho—have same-day registration, which allows eligible citizens to register at their neighborhood polling station on Election Day. North Dakota has no registration requirement, in effect making it a same-day registration state. These states are among the leaders in turnout rate and even more so when young-adult turnout is the benchmark. Same-day registration increases the likelihood that citizens will know when, where, and how to register, and it accommodates those individuals who have recently changed residence. For young adults, these advantages are considerable.

Demos estimates (pdf) that same day registration could increase young voter turnout in Iowa by as much as 10.7%.

I'm not really sure what this means in terms of the caucus. If this makes more people eligible for the caucus, and more likely to attend, that means potentially a lot more power for young people early in the nominating process. And even if it doesn't, it's huge none the less. The more that states adopt this as the standard, the more open our elections become, the more young people participate. The more that happens, the quicker we'll kill the "apathetic meme" and get an equal share of attention and influence among our officials.