Automatic Voter Regisration Process

Before Voting in Elections, All eligible Citizens must First Register to Vote. To make this Process easier, Congress passed the National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter Law) in 1993.

The Motor Voter Law requires State Agencies to provide Eligible Voters the Option to "Opt-In" to Register to Vote when they Fill-Out Paperwork. A good example is when you go to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to Get or Renew your Driver's License. Your Application has a box, which if you check it, will give the Agency the Authority to Create or Update your Voter Registration: Picture, Signature, and Address. If you decide Not to Check the box, you will remain Registered in your Old Address or Not Registered at All if you are New to the State. Then you will have to Register In-Person or Online.

Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) follows a different, more Streamlined, approach. It is an Automated Process by which Eligible Voters are Registered to Vote when they Interact with Government Agencies. Unlike the Federal System, Voters need to Affirmatively Opt-Out if they Don't want the Agency to Create or Update their Information.

Oregon was the First State to Implement an AVR Sstem in 2016. Voters are Automatically Opted into Registering if they Interact with the DMV. The DMV Office will send a Notification to the Voters informing them of their Registration. Voters can Opt-Out by Returning the Notification.

States have used mainly Four Ways to Register Voters. These are:

- Agency provides Postcard: The DMV gives Eligible Voters a Postcard at the Agency. The Card states the Information provided will be used to Create or Update their Voter Registration Information. Eligible Voters can Sign and Return the Card if they want to Opt-Out.

- Agency sends Postcard via Mail: The Agency sends Voters Mail informing them that they will Automatically be Registered to Vote unless they Opt-Out by Signing and Returning the Card before a certain Date. Alaska is One of the States that use this Method.

- Opt-In Registration at the Agency: Voters give Information needed to Register to Vote during their Interaction at the DMV. This is done through an Electronic Screen that asks Citizens if they would like to Register to Vote.

- Opt-Out Registration at the Agency: California and Rhode Island are some of the Sates that follow this Process.

State Laws differ on their approach to AVR. Sixteen States and the District of Colombia have Approved AVR Systems. The Law, however, continues to evolve. It is, therefore, Crucial to Research the Current Laws of your State so you Understand how to Register to Vote.

Agencies transfer Voter Registration Information Electronically to Election Officials instead of using Paper Registration Forms. These Common-Sense Reforms increase Registration Rates, Clean-Up the Voter Rolls, and save States Money.

AVR is gaining momentum across the Country. Currently 19 States and D.C. have Approved the Policy, meaning that over a Third of Americans Live in a Jurisdiction that has either Passed or Implemented AVR.

In this Legislative Cycle, 39 States have Introduced Legislation to Implement or Expand AVR.

Four States have Laws on the Books that State Registration can occur at the age of 17.

Maine, Nevada, New Jerse, and West Virginia, allow Young Voters to Register who will be 18 in time for a General Election.

Some States allow Registration Six Months before an Election, some States, like Texas, allow for Registration after a Person turns 17 and 10 months, and others don’t have a Law on the Books that Specifically Addresses this in Clear fashion.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker