The new voting measure was passed this summer by the General
Assembly and signed by Gov. Mike Easley, but because of the
Voting Rights Act it required federal approval. That came last
week. The new law is supported by many progressive groups who
believe there are simply too many barriers to voting, barriers
that keep voter participation low and target particular groups
more than others. North Carolina ranks 43rd in the U.S. in voter
participation, according to one study. In the last five
presidential elections, the average turnout in this state was
47.8 percent. The national average was 52 percent. “Same-day
registration provides a new tool for empowering people whose
voices are not often heard,” says Bob Hall, the executive
director of Democracy North Carolina. “North Carolina is among
the bottom 15 states for voter participation, and our low
rankings for health care, education, pay equity and other
indicators mirror that low level of involvement by ordinary
citizens.” North Carolina is the first state in th