In New Jersey, eligible voters will be automatically registered to vote when they issue or renew a driver’s license. Governor Phil Murphy signed Bill S-1636 into law, which establishes this automatic voter registration system, on the 12th.
The bill changes the voter registration process conducted by the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Currently, the Department of Motor Vehicles asks citizens who issue or renew their driver’s licenses if they wish to register to vote, but after the revised law takes effect, they will be automatically registered as voters. If a citizen who is 18 years of age or older and eligible to vote is not registered to vote when the Department of Motor Vehicles issues or renews a license, they will be automatically registered as a voter. They will then be notified individually to select a political party or decline to register altogether.
State Senator Andrew Zwalker expressed his hope that “automatic voter registration will increase voter registration and turnout and will be particularly beneficial for low-income and minority communities.”
The new law is scheduled to take effect two years after the governor signs it, but states can implement it sooner.