Impact of same day voter registration Charlottesville and Albemarle County

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Same day voter registration has made it easier for people to show up and cast their vote.

There was a large turnout for a midterm, especially at precincts with high student population.

Charlottesville General Registrar and Director of Elections Taylor Yowell says there was a large turnout of same day registration in the city.

“Venable, which is our highest student populated precinct in the city, they had 273 provisionals that were issued,” she said. “We had 951 Total provisionals. 57 of those were during early voting and all of the 57 were for same day registration reasons.”

She also says students had the biggest issues when it came to voting complications.

“A big problem for them is that they are registered back home with mom and dad and don’t realize it until it’s too late,” Yowell said. “It does give a lot more expanded opportunity for students to be able to cast a ballot as well as just anyone that moves later in the timeframe around here.”

Ella Nelsen, an intern at the UVA Center for Politics, worked at the university precinct on Election Day

“The Carver precinct, they were turning a lot of people away for same day voter registration. They weren’t up to date on the rules and the laws of Virginia, and so we got several calls asking for help,” Nelsen said. “I saw the potential of more student voters and I saw that pan out as well.”

In Charlottesville, 772 people used same day registration. In Albemarle County, that number was 886.

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