Automatic Voter Registration Cost Report

A study of the costs of AVR implementation in three states (Oregon, Vermont, and Colorado) to estimate those expected in Massachusetts.

Executive Summary:

Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) is a key reform that will help to ensure that all Massachusetts citizens have an equal say in our political process, while at the same time modernizing our voter registration system to make it more accurate, secure, and ultimately cost-effective. With AVR, eligible citizens who interact with the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) and MassHealth will be automatically registered to vote, unless they choose to decline. This simple change from an opt-in to an opt-out system could add up to 700,000 new voters in our state.

This report uses data from other states to estimate the cost of AVR adoption in Massachusetts. Figures for this study were collected from election offices in Oregon, Vermont, and Colorado—three states whose implementation processes are far enough along to provide useful data.

Given the findings of this study, it is clear that Automatic Voter Registration costs have been minimal in the states that have established their programs. Accordingly, we feel confident that AVR will not place a financial burden on the Commonwealth