State lawmakers propose automatic voter registration with driver's license application (al.com)
By Paul Gattis | pgattis@al.com
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on March 09, 2016 at 8:19 AM, updated March 09, 2016 at 9:52 PM
A bill proposing to combine voter registration with acquiring a driver's license has been introduced in the state legislature but it does not have the backing of Alabama's top elections official.
The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, called for automatic voter registration for those who successfully apply for or renew their driver's license. A first-in-the-nation law similar to Hall's bill was passed in Oregon last year and resulted in a spike in voter registration.
Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, however, said increased voter registration does not necessarily translate into voter participation.
"We have a published and well publicized legislative agenda for 2016," Merrill said in a statement to AL.com. "
Hall's bill) is not on our agenda.
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Overall, the governing bodies of 15 states are considering automatic voter registration bills in 2016, according to the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.
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more: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/state_lawmakers_propose_automa.html
Lots of links in the article.
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