Will More Americans Vote After Death Of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg?

The death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this past Friday has sparked a sharp uptick in new voter registrations, according to nonprofit voter engagement groups.

Vote.org saw over 40,000 new voter registrations this past Saturday and Sunday, a 68% jump over the weekend before. On National Voter Registration Day on Tuesday, the site took in 74,000 new registrations.

Celebrities urged citizens to get registered on Tuesday. When We All Vote, a group founded by Michelle Obama, broadcast a virtual event on Instagram live, featuring “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Democratic nominee Joe Biden’s campaign also held a virtual rally, featuring “Full House” star Jodie Sweeten and figure skater Michelle Kwan.

Bob Weir, a guitar player and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has been texting fans this week to sign up to vote. Weir is involved with HeadCount, a voter registration nonprofit aimed at live music fans.

As the November election looms, there are signs that voter registration has plummeted overall this year.

The Brennan Center for Justice, a law and public policy institute, conducted an analysis of voter registration rates in 21 states and compared those figures to the 2016 election. The center found that voter registration has dropped in 17 states compared to 2016, most likely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The registration growth rate in swing-state Wisconsin fell 2% from 2016, while swing-state Arizona saw a 65% drop.

The death of Ginsburg has brought an added dimension to the political landscape. With the presidential election just weeks away, President Donald Trump has sought to fill Ginsburg’s seat with a conservative justice.

Should Trump win in November, he would likely have a 6-3 conservative majority in his second term, making it easier for his agenda to get passed. If Biden wins the election, and the Democrats take the Senate, there is a possibility that the Supreme Court could be expanded in order to make the court more ideologically balanced.

Trump’s top two picks to replace Ginsburg are believed to be Amy Coney Barrett and Barbara Lagoa. Trump is expected to announce the pick on Saturday.