Gov. Kate Brown’s “Motor Voter” law received significant national attention when it passed this month, and it has already found its first adopter in California, whose secretary of state said this week he plans to push for the same law. California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said he believes the law could register millions of people to vote in his state, where about 7 million eligible voters have not signed up. “While many states are making it more difficult for citizens to vote, our neighbor to the north offers a better path,” Padilla said in a Tuesday press release. “I believe the Oregon model makes sense for California,”
Brown signed the law on March 16, creating a new policy that requires the Oregon DMV to share information about potential voters with the Secretary of State’s office. Qualified people will be automatically registered. They will be allowed to opt out of registering, and registered voters will still be able to change their voter information or status at any time.
Automatic voter registration exists nowhere else in the United States, although Minnesota passed a similar bill in 2009. Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty ultimately vetoed it because he thought registering to vote should be a personal decision.
Supporters of the law say people who don’t register are discouraged by the complicated process, and they’re betting many would like to be registered if it were easier to do.
Full Article: California wants to adopt Oregon’s ‘motor voter’ law.