The Independent View: Status of U.S. Online Voter Registration Option

As of May 2015, a total of 20 states offer online registration, and another seven states plus the District of Columbia have passed legislation to create online voter registration systems, but have not yet implemented them.

In May 2015, Florida (SB 228) authorized online voter registration, and in April Oklahoma (SB 313) and New Mexico (SB 643) did the same. Other states may be proceeding through administrative channels rather than legislative action.

Online voter registration systems supplement the traditional paper-based process, by which new voters fill out a paper form that is submitted to election officials, who confirm the registration is valid, and enter the information from the paper application into the registration system.

Online voter registration follows essentially the same process, but instead of filling out a paper application, the voter fills out a form via an Internet site, and that paperless form is submitted electronically to election officials. In most states the application is reviewed electronically; if the request is confirmed to be valid, the new registration is added to the state’s voter registration list.

That validation step is done by comparing the information on the online registration form against the information provided by the same individual when he or she received a driver’s license or other state-issued identification card. The signature already on record with the state becomes the signature on record for voting. When the information does not a match, the application is sent to officials for further review or action.

Online systems are not equipped to register voters who do not have state-issued driver’s licenses or identification cards. Those voters, or any voters who care to, can use a paper registration form.

Arizona was the innovator in paperless voter registration, having implemented its system in 2002. Washington followed with authorizing legislation in 2007 and implementation in 2008. Since then, more and more states have gone live with online voter registration. While most states have enacted specific legislation to authorize online voter registration, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri did not. Minnesota in 2013 made online voter registration available without enabling legislation but the legislature in 2014 authorized the state's system.

According to the 2010 report, Online Voter Registration: Case Studies in Arizona and Washington, Arizona experienced a reduction in per-registration costs from 83 cents per paper registration to 3 cents per online registration. Other states have also experienced significant cost savings in processing registrations.

Implementation costs have in some cases been absorbed within existing budgets, been paid for with Help America Vote Act funds or have required one-time appropriations, ranging from $250,000 to $750,000 for more elaborate systems.

While no fraud or security breaches are known to date, security for online voter registration is an essential element of system design. Several approaches can and are used to ensure system security and prevent fraud or breaches by hackers.

- The registrant provides his or her driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number, information that others will not have.

- Systems often include “captcha” boxes, where registrants must decode images that a computer cannot decode, to prevent hacking by programmers.

- Data is encrypted and data logs highlight unusual activity that can be investigated.

- Multi-screen systems, that offer just one question on a screen, are harder to hack.

M.D. - I would add an additional feature to the security option. When the citizen gets their driver license or ID card, generate a encrypted alpha/numeric value that is mailed to the citizen. This would then be have to be entered during the online registration processes. This also would be required when a request for an absentee ballot is made online. Absentee Ballots are where voter fraud can take place.

States with Online Voter Registration

Arizona - Implemented in 2002, called EZ Voter Registration.

California - Implemented in 2012, called California Online Voter Registration.

Connecticut - Implemented in 2013, called Connecticut Online Voter Registration.

Colorado - Implemented in 2010, called Go Vote Colorado.

Delaware - Implemented in 2014, called I Vote Delaware.

District of Columbia - Enacted in 2014, not implemented yet.

Florida (enacted in 2015; not implemented yet)

Georgia - Implemented in 2014, called Georgia Online Voter Registration.

Hawaii - Passed in 2012, not implemented yet.

Illinois - Implemented in 2014, called Illinois Online Voter Registration.

Indiana - Implemented in 2010, called Indiana Online Voter Registration.

Kansas - Implemented in 2009, called Kansas Online Voter Registration.

Louisiana - Implemented in 2010, called Geaux Vote.

Maryland - Implemented in 2012, called Maryland Online Voter Registration.

Massachusetts - Enacted in 2014, not implemented yet.

Minnesota - Implemented in 2013, without enabling legislation. In 2014, the legislature authorized the use of the system.

Missouri - Implemented in 2014, called Vote Missouri (a).

Nebraska - Passed in 2014, not implemented yet.

Nevada - Implemented in 2012, called Nevada Online Voter Registration.

New Mexico (enacted in 2015; not implemented yet)

New York - Implemented in 2011, called New York State Voter Registration Form (b).

Oklahoma - Enacted in 2015, not implemented yet.

Oregon - Implemented in 2010, called OreStar.

South Carolina - Implemented in 2012, called S.C. Online Voter Registration.

Utah - Implemented in 2010, called Utah Online Voter Registration.

Virginia - Implemented in 2013, called Virginia Voter Registration.

Washington - Implemented in 2008, called MyVote.

West Virginia - Enacted in 2013, not implemented yet.

(a) In Missouri, a person can register to vote online and electronically provide a signature using a mobile device, tablet computer or touchscreen computer, but not a standard desktop computer. The state reviews the information and prints out the registration form, which it sends to the person's local elections office for verification.

(b) In New York, the registration system is not fully paperless. Voters can submit a voter registration application online, but paper is exchanged between the motor vehicle system and the statewide database. This creates a paperless experience from the voter's perspective, but administrative processes are still paper-based.