Eligible voters who receive a brand new Pennsylvania driver’s license or ID card might be mechanically registered to vote, commonwealth officers mentioned.
Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro introduced the change on Tuesday, calling it good for democracy.
“Automated voter registration is a commonsense step to make sure election safety and save Pennsylvanians time and tax {dollars},” Shapiro mentioned in an announcement. “Commonwealth residents already present proof of identification, residency, age and citizenship on the DMV — all data required to register to vote — so it is sensible to streamline this course of with voter registration,” he added.
Pennsylvania turns into the twenty fourth state to implement computerized voter registration, in keeping with A.J His balance From the Nationwide Convention of State Legislatures.
Automated voter registration streamlines voter registration processes and requires voters to decide out in the event that they wish to keep off the rolls. Beforehand, Pennsylvania voters had the choice of registering whereas acquiring a driver’s license, a course of that concerned 19 screens of questions. Now, they’ll mechanically be directed to reply 11 questions in the course of the identification course of, in keeping with Manuel Ponder, a spokesman for the governor.
The measure additionally helps election officers hold voter rolls so as, by permitting voters to replace their registrations throughout the identical course of.
Individuals have been capable of register to vote at a state motorized vehicle company since federal legislation mandated it in 1993; Since then, almost half of the states and the District of Columbia have made this course of computerized.
As a candidate, Shapiro campaigned as an advocate for democracy and his Democratic coverage agenda Included Implement automated voter registration.