Thread: CA. Motor Voter Act is a driving force

Oct. 14 2015

Motor Voter Act is a driving force

DMVs will soon auto register California voters

BY RON DONOHO rond@sdcitybeat.com

Automatic voter registration is coming to DMVs.
Photo by Micah Sittig / Flickr

Sunday was the deadline for Gov. Jerry Brown to sign or veto bills passed by the state Legislature. He’s likely recovering from writer’s cramp this week, but it’s Republicans who are wringing their hands over pas- sage of AB 1461. That’s the New Motor Voter Act, which could increase voter rolls in San Diego County by 700,000, and by nearly 7 million statewide.

Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez authored the New Motor Voter Act. It aims to easily and automatically register every voting-eligible resident who applies for or renews a driver’s license at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The Act goes into effect Jan. 1, 2016. It is not retroactive.

The DMV will ask you to record your party affiliation.

If you don’t want to register to vote you can opt out. (In this case, if you complain about politics anytime afterward, you deserve to have a set of car keys shoved down your throat.)

Before the New Motor Voter program begins registering citizens at the DMV, however, VoteCal—the statewide voter registration database—has to be officially certified and deployed. VoteCal is scheduled to be certified and go live by June 2016, according to Sam Mahood, press secretary for California Secretary of State Alex Padilla.

Note: State voters must still opt-in to vote by May 23, 2016, to vote in the primary election on June 7, 2016. The new system should be in place for the general election on Nov. 8, 2016.

Since the national Motor Voter Act of 1993, voter registration materials have been available at DMVs. That made it relatively simple to opt-in. However, Gonzalez says fewer than one in five residents who interact with the DMV opt in.

“As we watch states across the country do their best to disenfranchise voters, I’m proud to have legislation signed into law that actually expands voting opportunities for all Californians,” Gonzalez said in a released statement. “Removing an unnecessary barrier to voter registration will allow us to get down to the business of increasing actual participation.”

Some concern has been raised that Motor Voter will lead to voter fraud in the shape of illegal immigrants casting ballots. That’s a nonstarter. The DMV already screens out noncitizens who have AB 60 driver’s licenses. And, the DMV is prohibited from sending the Secretary of State records belonging to anyone who can’t satisfy voter eligibility requirements, including AB 60 applicants.

So why are members of the California GOP opining that political Armageddon is upon them?

In part because the Micah Sittig / flickr majority of the state’s are, you guessed it, Democrats. A study by UC Davis found that eligible-but-unregistered voters in the state are largely minorities and young adults. That includes 30 to 45 percent of African Americans, Asian Americans and Latinos.

Whether or not it’s a political power play by Dems, Motor Voter is a good idea that makes sense. California follows Oregon in enacting automatic voter registration, a policy that already exists in countries like Canada and Sweden.

Honestly, the opt-in process was not a particularly tall barrier. It was nothing like the racist Deep South literacy tests abolished by The Voting Rights Act of 1965. But opt-in was a barrier, nonetheless.

Political elites who refer to eligible-but-unregistered residents as potentially uninformed voters who shouldn’t cast ballots because they don’t understand the issues are dinosaurs offering reactionary commentary.

Simply put, participatory government works best when the most people possible have a free path to participate.

http://sdcitybeat.com/article-16776-...ing-force.html

Critics predict new California motor-voter law will flood rolls with non-citizens

FAQ: How does Oregon's new "motor voter" law work?

Hannah Hoffman, Statesman Journal 4:41 p.m. PDT March 19, 2015

Buy Photo
(Photo: ASHLEY SMITH / STATESMAN JOURNAL)

Gov. Kate Brown signed Oregon's "motor voter" law on Monday, creating a new system to automatically register people to vote in this state. It has been a pet project for Brown, who introduced House Bill 2177 when she was secretary of state in January, testified in its favor before the Oregon Legislature and signed it as governor in March.

However, many people have still been left wondering how it works. No other state has any system like it, and it received little attention before the 2015 legislative session began in February.

The Statesman Journal sat down with Secretary of State Communications Director Tony Green to talk about the practicalities of how the law will work and to answer readers' most pressing questions.

STATESMAN JOURNAL Oregon is first state to adopt automatic voter registration

Why does everyone call it the "motor voter" bill?

It's a short way of explaining that the Oregon DMV will now share information about potential voters with the Secretary of State's Office, for purposes of registering those people to vote or updating their registration.

It doesn't hurt that it rhymes.


Only citizens can vote, but the DMV has records on non citizens as well. Won't that get confusing?

The computer system will be programmed to select only people who provided proof of citizenship to the DMV.

People who provided a green card will not be included in the information given to the secretary of state.

Illegal immigrants cannot get a driver's license or other government identification and would not be included in that database.


Aren't my DMV records private?

Not really. They can already be searched by the police, private investigators and other government agencies. There are some restrictions on who can search the DMV database, and it is true that the secretary of state database is more publicly accessible.

However, the information being shared is simply your name, address and age. No one will share information such as social security numbers, credit card information, height or weight.
It amounts to information that is traditionally available in a phone book or other public registry.

STATESMAN JOURNAL Gov. Kate Brown talks politics with Rachel Maddow

What if I don't want to register to vote?

You don't have to. The state will send you a postcard telling you that you will be registered unless you check the box saying that you don't want to be. (You can also select a political party at this time.)

If you don't send in the card with the box checked, you will be registered. You have three weeks to mail it back.

What if I was out of town or misplaced the card?

You can go online or go to your local county clerk's office at any time and unregister to vote.

What if I am registered to vote already?

If you are already registered, you won't receive a post card.
However, if you have moved or changed your name since you last registered, you will receive a postcard, and your voter information will be updating with your new address or new name.

Do I have to vote?

No. Even if you are registered to vote, no one can compel you to turn in a ballot.

You also do not have to vote in every race in an election. It is acceptable to submit a ballot with even just one box filled in, so if you care strongly about just one candidate or issue, you may vote in that race and ignore the others. Your ballot will still be valid.

How often is the state going to do this?

The DMV will send information about potential voters on a rolling basis, but it hasn't been determined exactly how often.

The secretary of state currently pulls voter information from county clerks every day, but it may not be that frequently.

Look for a postcard within a few weeks of visiting the DMV.

Because information is shared continually, rather than once a year, your postcard's arrival will correspond with your interaction with the DMV.

When does the law go into effect?

The state has until Jan. 2016 to comply, but the program will likely be in place earlier. The first time the DMV looks for potential voters, it will reach back to Dec. 2013, so a lot of people will receive postcards early in the process.

That will not be typical. (See above.)

What if I want to register or change my mind about my party, and I don't want to wait for the next time I renew my license?

You can go online to register or change your information at any time. You may also make any necessary changes at your local county clerk's office. Voter registration isnot dependent on having a driver's license or government identification card.

hhoffman@statesmanjournal.com, (503) 399-6719 or follow at twitter.com/HannahKHoffman
Buy PhotoA locked ballot box at the Marion County Elections Office at Courthouse Square in downtown Salem on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. (Photo: DANIELLE PETERSON / Statesman Journal)

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/stor...work/25048243/

ELECTIONS: Statewide voter database starting its rollout

July 27th, 2015, 1:20 pm ·
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· posted by JEFF HORSEMAN

Published: July 27, 2015 Updated: July 28, 2015 10:41 a.m.

California is moving closer to have a statewide voter registration database, a step intended to modernize how elections and voting are handled.

Orange and Sacramento counties recently became the first in the Golden State to deploy VoteCal, which will be implemented incrementally in other counties. The goal is to have the database ready for the June 2016 primary election.

VoteCal will provide a single database of voter information for all of the state’s 58 counties. It will allow voters to register online, check the status of their ballot and find their polling place, read a news release from the California Secretary of State.

“VoteCal will help counties more efficiently and accurately maintain voter rolls,” said Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley.

“VoteCal is a big step forward in modernizing election administration in California, and I am excited that Orange County is one of the first counties to implement the new system.”

Riverside County is scheduled to join VoteCal in February 2016, said Registrar of Voters Rebecca Spencer.

Here’s a link to an Orange County Register piece on VoteCal.

http://www.pe.com/articles/database-...r-votecal.html

. . . Some concern has been raised that Motor Voter will lead to voter fraud in the shape of illegal immigrants casting ballots. That’s a nonstarter. The DMV already screens out noncitizens who have AB 60 driver’s licenses. And, the DMV is prohibited from sending the Secretary of State records belonging to anyone who can’t satisfy voter eligibility requirements, including AB 60 applicants. . .

Q&A
Here's how California's new voter registration law will work

California's new voter registration law will enable people to register to vote when they go to the DMV to obtain or renew a driver's license.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)


By Melanie Mason Contact Reporter

California has received a lot of attention in recent days for its new voter registration law, which is intended to streamline the process of signing up to vote and encourage more participation in elections. Here’s what we know — and don’t know yet — about the new law:

What is the process?

When people go to the DMV to obtain or renew a driver's license, or to get a state identification card, they’ll be asked for the usual information in such transactions, such as their name, date of birth and address. They’ll also be asked to affirm their eligibility to vote and will be given the choice of opting out of registering at that time.

Information about anyone who does not decline registration will be electronically transmitted from the DMV to the secretary of state’s office, where citizenship will be verified and names will be added to the voter rolls.

When will this go into effect?

That’s unclear. The law goes into place on Jan. 1, 2016, but the DMV said in a statement that it would not send information to the secretary of state until that office "develops regulations, completes a statewide database system and funding is secured to implement this program.”

The regulations, which must be agreed upon between the DMV and the secretary of state, will have to settle basic procedural issues, such as how the “opt-out” question will be phrased and how often the DMV will transmit data.

The statewide voter registration database, Vote-Cal, is on track to be implemented by June 2016, said Secretary of State Alex Padilla. He said he expects funding needs to be minimal, noting that the DMV received money in the current state budget for a technology upgrade. If there are extra costs, he said, “the governor signed the bill, and I interpret his signature as a commitment to funding implementation as necessary.”

Resolving the procedural questions will take some time, Padilla acknowledged. “It won’t be in time for the June primary of 2016,” he said. “At the latest, for the 2018 election cycle, I expect millions of new voters on the rolls in the state of California."

Is this really “automatic” voter registration?

Not quite. No one who is eligible will be registered to vote without their knowledge. Proponents of the New Motor Voter Act have emphasized how the electronic transmittal of information will simplify the process. Lori Shellenberger, voting rights director for the ACLU of California, called the law “a gold standard for what is an automated voter registration, but not automatic.”

How is this law different from Oregon’s, where automatic registration was first enacted?

The key difference is the timing of the “opt-out” choice. In Oregon, there are no questions about voter registration at the point of service at the DMV. Rather, the DMV forwards people's information to the secretary of State. Those deemed eligible receive a card in the mail that informs them of their registered status and allows them to pick a political party or to opt out of registration.

What about people in the country illegally who are able to obtain driver's licenses in California under a law passed in 2013?

Padilla noted that there is already a separate process for residents in the country illegally to apply for special licenses. Although citizens are currently offered the opportunity to register to vote at the DMV under an earlier federal law, noncitizens are not. That will continue under the new registration process. People applying for the special licenses will not be asked about their eligibility to vote and will not be asked if they’d like to opt out of registration.

“We’ve built the protocols and the firewalls to not register people that aren’t eligible,” Padilla said. “We’re going to keep those firewalls in place."

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-m...htmlstory.html

Originally Posted by JohnDoe2

Motor Voter Act is a driving force

Some concern has been raised that Motor Voter will lead to voter fraud in the shape of illegal immigrants casting ballots. That’s a nonstarter.
The DMV already screens out noncitizens who have AB 60 driver’s licenses. And, the DMV is prohibited from sending the Secretary of State records belonging to
anyone who can’t satisfy voter eligibility requirements, including AB 60 applicants.

Do these people think we're stupid!

News Flash...... everyone knows the Illegal Aliens from Arizona, Las Vegas, Utah and the ones within California can walk into any CA DMV office
and buy a valid drivers license from the DMV clerk for $100.00 - $500.00. Price fluctuates by city with Los Angeles county charging the highest price $500.00.

Pay an extra $100.00 and you get a real social security number borrowed from a deceased person on file with DMV.

Need a car title? No problem...... for a mere $700.00, Sacramento will mail you a new, clean car title in 5 - 10 business days.

Have you purchased (or stole) an out-of-state vehicle and need a certified CA DMV representative to issue a VIN Verification so you can register and get license plates..... no problem, $250.00.

Have an old, stinking car that back fires black smoke that can't pass a Smog Test... no problem, $300.00

If that old, stinking car doesn't start and can't drive it to a Smog station..... no problem, have it emailed to you for $500.00.

Have you ever been to DMV office and asked yourself why the DMV clerks don't know anything and can't answer basic questions????

DMV only hires low-skilled, minority Democrat 'SEIU' Union members and 'Undocumented Immigrants'.