Automatic voter registration is gaining traction in statehouses across the country. A bill making its way through the legislature could make it a reality in Utah.
Sen. Deidre Henderson’s bill, S.B. 112, would automatically register Utahns to vote while getting a driver's license, unless they opt out.
She said other states that have gone this route have seen a dramatic increase in participation.
“The practical side of me says let’s clear out arbitrary obstacles, let’s make sure that people have the option to exercise their fundamental rights — their constitutional rights — and at the same time streamline and modernize and update the process," Henderson said.
The Senate Business and Labor Committee gave the bill a unanimously favorable recommendation. Rep. Stephen Handy, R-Layton, is sponsoring a similar billin the House.
An automatic voter registration bill passed the House last year, but later died in the Senate. Henderson said 28 of 29 county clerks support the effort.