On June 15, the U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th circuit, ruled that if an organization or an individual wishes to see copies of voter registration applications for voters whose attempt to register failed, then election officials must release such applications to whomever wishes to see them.

Virginia election officials were refusing a request by Project Vote to examine the voter registration records of students at Norfolk State University who had tried to register during 2008, but who were not allowed to register. Project Vote encourages voter registration, and believed that the students were improperly being denied the ability to register. In order to make a case, Project Vote asked to see the voter registration records, but election officials refused. The 4th circuit agreed with the U.S. District Court that the federal National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (“motor voter”) mandates that such forms be made available if a group or individual wishes to examine them. The case is Project Vote v Long, 11-1809. Here is the 17-page decision. Thanks to Rick Hasen for the link.