Peter Dreier, professor of politics at Occidental College, listed his 25 Best Progressive Victories in 2012 first published on TruthOut then re-posted on the Huffington Post. He ranked California’s Same Day Voter Registration as #8! For those of you who remember, California Common Cause made Same Day Voter Registration our top priority in 2012 where we served as the bill’s (AB 1436) lead advocate. With help from our members and allies, we were able to earn the support of the Legislature and the signature of Governor Jerry Brown. Same Day Voter Registration won’t be available to voters until 2015 or 2016. Common Cause is working hard to ensure proper implementation of this important election reform.

Here’s what Peter Dreier had to say about it:

Peter Dreier: 25 Best Progressive Victories in 2012.

“Add California to the list of states that allow voters to register and vote on election day – a victory for democracy. In September, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill allowing Californians to register to vote up to and including Election Day. (The current deadline is 15 days before an election). Common Cause, which sponsored the measure and shepherded it through the state legislature, says it could boost voter rolls by an estimated 8 percent. Republicans opposed the bill, warning about the potential of widespread voter fraud, even though there’s no evidence of fraud in the eight other states – Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin and Wyoming – that already have election day registration laws. States with such laws generally have higher levels of voter turnout, especially among low-income and young voters.”