National Voter Registration Act of 1993 - History of The Act

History of The Act

This voter registration movement was spearheaded by the husband and wife team of Frances Fox Piven and Richard Cloward in the early 1980s in response to the Reagan administration. Both of them college professors and liberal activists, it was Piven's and Cloward's belief that through government implementation of more active registration proposals, it would increase voter turnout rates which had been on a steady decline since the monumental election of 1896. The NVRA encourages people of all demographics to vote despite their socioeconomic situations and backgrounds. Political parties, in particular Democrats, were hoping that the NVRA would reduce racial disparities and close the electoral gap by including more minorities, low income earners, individuals on public assistance and other individuals reluctant to vote.

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