These state initiatives to remove the barriers to the ballot box, including the use of mail-in ballots, which has had tremendous success in Colorado, are beginning to ricochet around the nation. To date, ten states have implemented AVR and “15 states have introduced automatic voter registration proposals in 2018.” Illinois and Rhode Island, in fact, have expanded the program to include other agencies beyond the DMV, such as those “serving people with disabilities” and social service agencies, that also have the capacity to electronically send verified files to election officials.
