On August 9, Massachusetts Governor Charles Baker signed HB 4834, which sets up automatic voter registration in Massachusetts. Every adult citizen known by the state government to exist will be automatically registered, unless he or she declines.
In states with automatic voter registration, petition validity rates are higher.
They’re going the wrong way on this, IMO. We need to have civics tests as a requirement to vote. Just like needing to renew a drivers license every five years, competence needs to be demonstrated. That and property ownership! FEWER but better voters is the proper solution.
As done in Massachusetts, it is somewhat of a misnomer.
The traditional method of voter registration in Massachusetts is to register in your town of residence (counties are quite weak in Massachusetts and many have been formally abolished). Under the federal so-called motor voter law, agencies such as the DMV must offer voter registration to people that they come in contact to. Someone getting a driver’s license would be asked if they wanted to register to vote, and if so, would give them a registration application.
Originally, the DMV might give the potential voters a paper application, which they might have bothered to forward to election officials. Over time this likely became more direct. The DMV likely checks for actual addresses. But some persons might think they were registered, or were already frustrated with dealing with the DMV.
Under the new bill, the DMV (and other state agencies) would become “automatic voter registration agencies” and would do the actual registration. The completed registrations will be transmitted to the SOS and on to the towns and cities.
JB —
the property requirement to be an Elector-Voter got wiped out after the War of 1812.
See Dorr’s War in little RI in early 1840s – mini-rebellion against RI regime —
about Elector property requirement and severe RI legislature gerrymander — going back to 1600s.
See 1844 RI Const.
— one of the several major events leading up to 1860-1861 – Civil WAR I.
Now, if they only gave the voters more choices on election day. Massachusetts has a huge number of unchallenged positions every election.
Which State has the higher percentage of Donkey communists — with escaped Elephants to other States ???
MA (with shark JAWS and NE storms) on east coast or burned/ flooded/ quaked CA on west coast ???
PR and AppV — even for them —
commie left vs commie more left gangs — getting help from Russia and China commies ???