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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement

@umd-cdce.bsky.social
79 followers 10 following 25 posts

UMD's Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement educates, informs, and engages citizens and scholars in order to improve democratic governance.

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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 13/11/2025
Good research can play a crucial role in shaping debates about proposals to change how voters verify their residency, identity and citizenship when registering to vote and casting a ballot. Read more: cdce.substack.com/p/how-we-can...
cdce.substack.com
How we can know who lacks the proof of identity, residency, and citizenship they need to vote.
Good research can play a crucial role in shaping debates about proposals to change how voters verify their residency, identity and citizenship when registering to vote and casting a ballot.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 07/10/2025
Our new Election Resilience Lab will bring together researchers and practitioners to examine the increased demands that election officials face. You can learn more about this exciting new effort in Maryland Today! today.umd.edu/2m-grant-est...
today.umd.edu
$2M Grant Establishes Election Resilience Lab at UMD | Maryland Today
Effort Designed to Improve the Election Process by Supporting Those Who Administer Them
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Check out CDCE Director Michael Hanmer's book, Discount Voting: Voter Registration Reforms and their Effects, to read more about the research backing this up! www.cambridge.org/us/universit...
cambridge.org
Discount Voting | Cambridge University Press & Assessment
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Thousands are hosting voter registration drives today to celebrate #NationalVoterRegistrationDay. These actions matter even as "automatic" voter registration and other policy reforms expand. cdce.substack.com/p/why-policy...
cdce.substack.com
Why policy reforms can't replace voter registration drives
Thousands are hosting voter registration drives today to celebrate National Voter Registration Day. These actions matter even as "automatic" voter registration and other policy reforms expand.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 14/08/2025
Our research with @voteriders.bsky.social finds over 21 million U.S. citizens lack easy access to documents proving their citizenship. It is important to understand who might face challenges registering and voting if legislation like the SAVE Act is enacted. cdce.substack.com/p/which-us-c...
cdce.substack.com
Which U.S. citizens lack easy access to documentary proof of citizenship?
As the SAVE Act heads to a key vote in Congress, many people want to know more about which U.S. citizens lack easy access to documentary proof of citizenship. Here's what our research says.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
To close the 18-year-old registration gap in Maryland: ✅ Strengthen automatic registration at the MVA ✅ Expand AVR beyond the MVA to other agencies ✅ Boost school-based outreach like student election judge programs Learn more at cdce.substack.com/p/maryland-c....
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Montgomery County offers an additional model: Voter education and school-based outreach through a student election judge program boosted youth registration rates above what license data would predict.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Colorado shows what’s possible. Small changes to DMV pre-registration can boost rates dramatically. Notifying youth that they aren’t registered boosts rates by 18%, and implementing a default voter registration system boosts them by 29%.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Right now, 1 in 3 Maryland 18-year-olds is not registered to vote. Expanding automatic registration and voter education can help close this gap.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
And that same pattern continues at age 18. Counties with more 18-year-old drivers have higher registration rates.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
County-by-county data shows that license attainment among 16- and 17-year-olds strongly correlates with voter pre-registration rates.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
A major factor is whether young people have a driver’s license. Driver’s license attainment is correlated with voter registration and pre-registration rates for 16-, 17-, and 18-year-olds.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Maryland has relatively strong youth voter registration rates, but that’s not the full story. Major disparities exist between counties.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
Our new analysis with the Maryland Democracy Initiative and @thecivicscenter.bsky.social reveals a key link between young drivers and young voters in Maryland. Counties with fewer young drivers are struggling to serve 18-year-old voters.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
The upshot? Voters are most supportive of #Vote16 for school board elections– especially among certain constituencies. This support is sufficient to pass and implement Vote 16 policies in many cities and towns. Read more at vote16.substack.com/p/674-of-new....
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Certain groups are more likely to support #Vote16, but barriers in perception remain.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
There are *a lot* of voters who support #Vote16 for school board elections but not local, state, or federal elections.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
#Vote16 for school board elections is popular with key New Jersey constituencies.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
In May–June 2025, we worked with the Maryland Democracy Initiative to survey 800 NJ voters to understand support for lowering the voting age.
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
New Jersey is emerging as a national leader in #Vote16 organizing: 🗣️ Student-led campaigns ✅ Newark passed Vote 16 for school boards 💰 @govmurphy.bsky.social‬ proposed $1M to expand the policy statewide
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
67.4% of NJ Democrats support lowering the voting age to 16 for school board elections. A new poll shows growing momentum for #Vote16— but not across the board. 🧵
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
Finally, Dr. Laird shared that she believes that civic engagement is vital for the stability of our democracy. And she shared that as a fun fact— she enjoys crocheting! Thank you, Dr. Laird, for your leadership, scholarship, and impact. ⭐
Why does democracy matter and fun fact graphic
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
The big question driving Dr. Laird’s work is “At what age does someone start to believe in a racial linked fate?” And her top insight is that “Black girls’ awareness of the political world is exceptional!”
Questions she is passionate about and insight to share graphic
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
Dr. Laird’s research focuses on the political socialization of Black girls. She explores how Black women’s political behavior is shaped in adolescence. Check out her 2024 report: Hear Our Voices: Black Girl Tribe Politics Survey at cdce.umd.edu/sites/cdce.u...
Research focus graphic
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University of Maryland Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement @umd-cdce.bsky.social · 29/07/2025
We’re thrilled to uplift @chryllaird.bsky.social for our first CDCE Faculty Fellow Spotlight! Dr. Laird is an Associate Professor of Government and Politics at the @UofMaryland and Faculty Fellow for the CDCE.
CDCE Faculty Fellow Spotlight
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