Prefile – HB-20 – Automatic Voter Registration

Rep. Sandra Scott (D-76) has pre-filed House Bill 20 to “provide for the automatic registration of voters who obtain, renew, or change their name or address on a driver’s license or identification card issued by the Department of Driver Services.” It should also be noted that a change of address on a driver’s license or id card would also change the address listed on a voter’s registration.

There is not an option to decline to be registered, even if you do not desire to registered or are already registered. All applicants for a new or revised license or ID would have “to make a written statement under penalty of perjury of whether such person is a citizen of the United States, is serving a sentence for conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude, or has been found mentally incompetent by a judge.”

If you meet the three requirements to register (a citizen, not an immoral felon, and mentally competent) and are 17.5 years of age or older, an application for voter registration will be submitted, even if you have already been registered to vote before. The final determination of whether the person is eligible to be registered to vote would be made by the applicable County Board of Registrars’ office once they receive the application. They would also make a determination if the voter had previously registered to vote or not.