In the way of higher-than-usual turnout for November’s election, advocates say even more people would have turned out if registering to vote were easier. Voting is an essential American right, but to exercise it, Americans have to sign up. The process takes a couple of minutes, but in Florida, hundreds of thousands of people haven’t registered. That would change under a new Democratic bill, which says anyone who is eligible to vote and has a driver’s license would be automatically registered.
That’s something Florida State sophomore Ellen Pribil wishes she had when she turned 18.
“It takes away the hassle of going to do all that,” she said. “And once you’re 18, it’s legal anyway.”
When it comes to registering to vote, young Americans like Pribil tend to not turn out in very big numbers, which is why making registration automatic could have tremendous implications at the polls.
In 2008 and again in 2012, voters under 30 overwhelmingly selected President Barack Obama. Add more young voters with automatic registration, and Democrats could benefit most.
Full Article: Some lawmakers push to make voter registration automatic.