A bill that would make voter registration automatic is headed the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
“Members approved two bills with nearly identical language that would implement automatic voter registration in Minnesota by using information being collected during transactions with government agencies, such as getting a driver’s license, to register those who are eligible,” according to the state House’s website. “People would have 20 days to decline the registration.”
Twenty-two states already make voter registration automatic upon receiving a driver’s license. Currently, Minnesota residents are required to fill out an online form or paper form with the Secretary of State’s office in order to register to vote.
“It is not enough to claim to be beacons of democracy, but we must live our values by continually working to increase our participation while balancing the checks and balances that requires,” Rep. Kristin Bahner (DFL-Maple Grove) said of the bill. “This bill does just that.”
HF607 passed through the House State Government Finance and Elections Committee Tuesday with a 10-7 vote along party lines. Its companion, SF1104, is headed to the Senate State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee.
Opponents of such bills argue that allowing residents to register to vote automatically via Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) transactions like obtaining a driver’s license, is a threat to election integrity.
In 18 states and the District of Columbia, illegal aliens can obtain driver’s licenses. But they are not legally allowed to vote.
Illinois, which has both automatic voter registration and allows illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses, was forced to admit in 2018 that the process led to illegal aliens voting.
“A watchdog group has requested records from the Illinois State Board of Elections after 574 noncitizens were added to its voter rolls, allowing some of them to vote illegally in the 2018 midterm elections,” Free Beacon reported.
The Public Interest Legal Foundation is an election integrity group, and made the findings.
“The watchdog says Democratic politicians are pushing automatic voter registration at the expense of election integrity,” the report said. “The issues in Illinois with automatic voter registration, which has been implemented in 18 states and the District of Columbia, contribute to an already widespread trend of noncitizens making their way onto voter rolls nationwide.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a contributor at The Minnesota Sun and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
