# PA is rolling out automatic voter registration **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 19, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362 "2023-09-19T13:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/1 "2023-09-19T13:04:29Z")
It happens at the same time you get your driver’s license or ID card, and you only have to answer 11 questions. That sounds like a good idea to me, and I hope it helps to push back “election integrity” concerns. Story: [Pennsylvania rolls out automatic voter registration](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/pennsylvania-automatic-voter-registration-josh-shapiro-rcna105584) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/2 "2023-09-19T13:13:28Z")
Many, many states have so-called motor-voter registration already. And have had for 30+ years. Nice of PA to join the 20th century. But yes, good news to be applauded and to be publicized through all available means. Now we just need to prevent people from being unknowingly de-registered. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/3 "2023-09-19T13:15:12Z")
So far Shapiro has done a good job as Gov. Upon re-reading, it doesn’t say how this came about: was it a law passed, or just an executive action by Shapiro? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/4 "2023-09-19T14:21:16Z")
I may not quite understand this as we already had motor voter. This article is from 2017: [Pennsylvania changing ‘Motor Voter’ to keep noncitizens from registering to vote](https://whyy.org/articles/pennsylvania-changing-motor-voter-to-keep-noncitizens-from-registering-to-vote/) It seems they changed a switch in the driver license web user interface from voter registration opt-in to opt-out, and made some other software updates: [Press Release](https://www.governor.pa.gov/newsroom/governor-shapiro-implements-automatic-voter-registration-in-pennsylvania-joining-bipartisan-group-of-states-that-have-taken-commonsense-step-to-make-voter-registration-more-streamlined-and-secure/) > [@](#): > > Starting today, Commonwealth residents who are obtaining new or renewed driver licenses and ID cards and are eligible to vote will be automatically taken through the voter registration application process unless they opt out of doing so. Previously, eligible voters were required to take additional steps to opt into the voter registration process. Today’s changes also increase access to voter registration by adding instructions in five more languages, for a total of 31 languages. It does not seem that a change to the law was required. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/5 "2023-09-19T15:56:42Z")
It’s not quite the same. With motor voter, when you apply for a license (say) you are asked if you want to register to vote. With this new system, when you apply for a license you are automatically registered to vote unless you specifically decline. It’s “opt out” instead of “opt in”. And tons of research shows that can make a huge difference in response rate. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/6 "2023-09-19T15:59:40Z")
I had thought the same “opt out” system was used in organ donation registration, but it appears not to be the case. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/7 "2023-09-19T16:03:45Z")
What, the Republicans aren’t melting down over this yet? Did they sleep late this morning? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/8 "2023-09-19T16:05:37Z")
If Pennsylvania is issuing Real ID drivers licenses by default, they’ll have proof of the applicant’s citizenship and place of residence. Presumably they don’t auto register non-US citizens, so what’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/9 "2023-09-19T16:09:27Z")
Generally, my impression is if I’m a Republican, more voting is bad. Easier voting is bad. It’s kind of reflexive with them, isn’t it? I hope I am not being too snarky but I’d think they’d at least object to the concept of automatic opt-in, rather than each citizen having to take an active step to opt in. I’ll be very happy to be wrong about this, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/10 "2023-09-19T17:29:00Z")
Don’t know the current status, but in years past Republicans have tried to repeal the [original 1993 law](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Voter_Registration_Act_of_1993) (which was vetoed by George H. W. Bush but signed by Clinton). [House Republicans introduce bill to repeal ‘motor voter’ law over fraud fears](https://steube.house.gov/in-the-news/house-republicans-introduce-bill-to-repeal-motor-voter-law-over-fraud-fears/) (2020) [Republicans Are Trying to Kill a Key Voting Rights Law](https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/01/supreme-court-nvra-voter-registration/) (2018) [Bill would repeal the 1993 “Motor Voter” law which allows people to register to vote at the DMV](https://govtrackinsider.com/bill-would-repeal-the-1993-motor-voter-law-which-allows-people-to-register-to-vote-at-the-dmv-9745d486bd6e) (2021) ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/11 "2023-09-19T17:35:38Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > What, the Republicans aren’t melting down over this yet? Did they sleep late this morning? They wont be concerned with this - registering people to vote is one thing, but getting them to actually vote is another. How does PA fare with mail-in ballots? Are there restrictions on the number of polling places (especially in “specific” neighborhoods)? Are voting hours restricted? Because those are the tip of the spear. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pa-is-rolling-out-automatic-voter-registration/990362/12 "2023-09-19T17:38:39Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > I hope I am not being too snarky but I’d think they’d at least object to the concept of automatic opt-in, rather than each citizen having to take an active step to opt in. They might like it, because statistics show that voters who don’t have driver’s licenses are more likely to be poor minorities who overwhelmingly vote Democratic. That’s one reason why strict voter ID laws get passed; it helps prevent the “wrong” people from voting. This law might help the “right” people vote more easily, so it might in theory be a benefit to them. Just speculating here, I am not basing this off of any research. It is a total WAG.