Voting Rights Protection Act
Lead Author: Joanna McClinton, Speaker of the House – Philadelphia, PACategory: Democracy & Civic Engagement
The Challenge
In the aftermath of the 2020 election, Pennsylvania became a focal point of baseless conspiracy theories and election-security fears. While the election itself was secure, pandemic‐era administrative disruptions were seized upon to raise doubts about legitimacy. With the right to vote enshrined in the Constitution and at the heart of our democracy, ensuring that ballot access is secure, equitable and efficient is imperative.The Solution
The Voting Rights Protection Act (House Bill 1396) proposes amendments to the Pennsylvania Election Code aimed at modernizing election administration and reinforcing public trust. Key provisions include:- Pre‐canvassing of returned mail-in ballots to expedite result reporting
- Uniform statewide standards for secure ballot drop-boxes
- Ballot “curing” procedures to address minor voter errors and prevent disenfranchisement
- Implementation of true in-person early voting
- Increased poll worker pay to improve recruitment, retention and training
Why It Matters
Pennsylvania has lagged behind other states in adopting these reforms, leading to wide variation across counties, long lines, delayed results and frustrated voters. By establishing consistent, transparent standards and streamlining processes, this bill aims to:- Reduce wait times and administrative burden on election officials
- Expand access to early in-person voting
- Accelerate results and diminish the window for conspiracy theories to take hold
- Ultimately increase voter participation and confidence in elections
Impact & Measurement
Expected outcomes include measurable reductions in wait times at polling places, higher early‐voting turnout, fewer ballots rejected for minor errors, and a faster official call of results post-election. Comparative data across election cycles will track changes in participation, processing speed and voter‐confidence indicators.Read more.
Election Administration Student Fellowship
Lead Author: Adrian Fontes, Secretary of State – Arizona, AZCategory: Democracy & Civic Engagement
The Challenge
Modern election administration faces growing complexity: evolving technology, cyber-threats, legal and procedural variation across states, and a workforce challenged to recruit and retain skilled election officials. Without a pipeline of trained professionals, local election offices risk delays, errors, uneven access, and diminished public confidence in our democratic process.The Solution
The Election Administration Student Fellowship proposes a paid, immersive fellowship program for undergraduate and recent-graduate students to work directly within state and local election offices, gaining hands-on experience and building a talent pipeline for election administration. Key features include:- Paid stipend for fellows to relieve financial barriers.
- Placement in local election offices across Arizona (with potential for national expansion).
- Training modules on election law, technology, voter access, cybersecurity, and community outreach.
- Mentor-pairing with experienced election administrators.
- Structured post-fellowship pathway: fellows offered permanent or contract roles in election offices or related civic-engagement roles.
Why It Matters
By targeting the early-career workforce, this fellowship addresses a critical gap in election infrastructure. It helps ensure that tomorrow’s election administrators are not only competent but deeply familiar with the full cycle of election operations—from voter registration through results certification. The benefits:- Strengthened staffing and institutional capacity in election offices.
- More consistent, professional operations across jurisdictions.
- Reduced risk of service disruptions or procedural errors.
- Enhanced public trust through staffing that reflects modern training and accountability.
Impact & Measurement
The program has already shown success:- Over half of Fellows expressed interest in election administration careers after the program (compared to 15% of nonparticipants). Three Fellows have already accepted full-time election office roles.
- Public Service Engagement: ~66% would consider local or state government work (vs. 32% of nonparticipants), and 58% would consider federal roles (vs. 35%).
- Voter Education: 100% of Fellows felt confident explaining state voting procedures (vs. 57% of nonparticipants).
- Confidence in Elections: 83% believed votes in Arizona were counted correctly (vs. 47% of nonparticipants).
- Recruitment & Staffing: Provided low-cost staffing relief during the election cycle while building a pipeline of trained, motivated future election administrators.
Restoring Voting Rights
Lead Author: Tanya Miller, Representative – Atlanta, GACategory: Democracy & Civic Engagement
The Challenge
In Georgia, where elections are often decided by razor-thin margins, an estimated 450,000 Georgians who have completed felony sentences are eligible to vote but remain unregistered or unaware of their rights. At the same time, over 249,000 individuals remain disenfranchised—more than 75 % of them under community supervision—disproportionately impacting Black communities and reinforcing structural inequities in voting, housing, employment and representation.Georgia’s disenfranchisement laws rank among the most restrictive in the country—individuals lose the right to vote until they complete every part of their felony sentence, including probation, parole and restitution.
The Solution
The initiative, known as the Prosperity Alliance, is a statewide multi-entity effort designed to end mass disenfranchisement in Georgia and restore full citizenship to justice-impacted individuals. It operates through three coordinated entities:- Georgians for Prosperity (501(c)(3)) — voter education & reentry support
- Prosper Georgia Project (501(c)(4)) — policy reform & advocacy
- Prosper Georgia Action PAC — electoral mobilization & candidate support
Why It Matters
- Re-engaging hundreds of thousands of eligible but unregistered Georgians can measurably shift civic participation and strengthen democratic legitimacy.
- Restoring voting rights can contribute to lower rates of recidivism, higher employment, and stronger community investment among justice-impacted individuals.
- Addressing this systemic disenfranchisement helps reduce racial disparities in access to representation, housing, employment and civic life.
- Strengthening citizen engagement and restoring full civic rights signals a commitment to inclusive democracy, rebuilding trust in public institutions and reducing barriers to full participation.
Impact & Measurement
The Prosperity Alliance tracks progress via a public dashboard and partner-agency data streams. Key metrics include:- Voter registration: target registering 50,000 previously disenfranchised voters.
- Probation terminations: assist 5,000+ individuals with early probation petitions under SB 105.
- Civic engagement: track turnout rates among newly registered voters in target counties.
- Reentry outcomes: job placement goal of 70 %+ for program participants; < 10 % rearrest rate within three years.
- Policy wins: target at least 3 legislative reforms introduced or passed within three years (e.g., redefining “moral turpitude,” probation reform, jail-based voting access).
