Election Day Voter Registration Bill Approved by Committee
California Political Desk
June 01, 2010
SACRAMENTO – California will allow citizens to vote without registering prior to Election Day if a bill by Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) becomes law. The Senate Appropriations Committee approved Yee´s Senate Bill 1140 on a partisan 7-3 vote. While voter turnout has declined throughout the country, other states with similar laws have seen a seven percent increase in voter participation.
"California currently ranks 41st in the nation in voter turnout," said Yee. "We need to find ways to increase participation in our democracy and allow all citizens the opportunity to vote. As a proven way of increasing voter turnout, we should implement same-day and Election Day registration in California."
Idaho, New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have successfully implemented Election Day registration. North Dakota does not require registration and North Carolina allows registration during early voting up until Election Day.
Seven more states – Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia – and the District of Columbia allow people who have moved within the state to re-register with their new address at polling places on Election Day.
Since California voters last reviewed this issue with Proposition 52 (2002), new technology has allowed several states to implement same-day registration. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie called same-day registration a "no brainer" and said it was more secure because "you have the person right in front of you — not a postcard in the mail."
"The integrity of our democracy is protected when all eligible voters are able to participate," said Yee. "A lot has changed since 2002, especially with technology that can ensure the integrity of the vote. We should be using this new technology to break down barriers that keep some citizens from voting."
"During my 20 years as a Registrar of Voters, I have always supported initiatives to expand participation as long as it did not jeopardize the integrity and sanctity of the vote," said Warren Slocum, San Mateo County´s Chief Elections Officer. "I believe Senator Yee's legislation will increase participation in a way that is both responsible and secure."
"In November 2008, we saw a lot of citizens try to vote who were turned away," said Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause. "It is vital that we ensure the integrity of our voting system and protect the rights of all citizens to participate in our electoral process."
According to Common Cause, only 76 percent of the voting age population was registered in 2006. Registrars also report that many people – especially new citizens and young people – show up on Election Day to vote, and only find out at the polls that they were supposed to register prior.
Yee´s bill would delete arbitrary and undemocratic timelines which prevent eligible citizens from registering to vote within 14 days of an election. Under Yee´s bill, voters would be able to register and vote on the same day, including on Election Day.
The new standard would be phased in starting in 2011, when county elections offices will be equipped with the VoteCal system – real-time technology that provides election officials with immediate identity verification. For locations with the VoteCal system, new voters would cast regular ballots; if the location was not equipped with VoteCal, counties could allow citizens to vote provisionally.
"California currently ranks 41st in the nation in voter turnout," said Yee. "We need to find ways to increase participation in our democracy and allow all citizens the opportunity to vote. As a proven way of increasing voter turnout, we should implement same-day and Election Day registration in California."
Idaho, New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming have successfully implemented Election Day registration. North Dakota does not require registration and North Carolina allows registration during early voting up until Election Day.
Seven more states – Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia – and the District of Columbia allow people who have moved within the state to re-register with their new address at polling places on Election Day.
Since California voters last reviewed this issue with Proposition 52 (2002), new technology has allowed several states to implement same-day registration. Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie called same-day registration a "no brainer" and said it was more secure because "you have the person right in front of you — not a postcard in the mail."
"The integrity of our democracy is protected when all eligible voters are able to participate," said Yee. "A lot has changed since 2002, especially with technology that can ensure the integrity of the vote. We should be using this new technology to break down barriers that keep some citizens from voting."
"During my 20 years as a Registrar of Voters, I have always supported initiatives to expand participation as long as it did not jeopardize the integrity and sanctity of the vote," said Warren Slocum, San Mateo County´s Chief Elections Officer. "I believe Senator Yee's legislation will increase participation in a way that is both responsible and secure."
"In November 2008, we saw a lot of citizens try to vote who were turned away," said Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause. "It is vital that we ensure the integrity of our voting system and protect the rights of all citizens to participate in our electoral process."
According to Common Cause, only 76 percent of the voting age population was registered in 2006. Registrars also report that many people – especially new citizens and young people – show up on Election Day to vote, and only find out at the polls that they were supposed to register prior.
Yee´s bill would delete arbitrary and undemocratic timelines which prevent eligible citizens from registering to vote within 14 days of an election. Under Yee´s bill, voters would be able to register and vote on the same day, including on Election Day.
The new standard would be phased in starting in 2011, when county elections offices will be equipped with the VoteCal system – real-time technology that provides election officials with immediate identity verification. For locations with the VoteCal system, new voters would cast regular ballots; if the location was not equipped with VoteCal, counties could allow citizens to vote provisionally.
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