The House overwhelmingly approved a bill Tuesday to automatically register Vermonters to vote in state and federal elections when they apply for driver’s licenses through the Department of Motor Vehicles.
The bill, H.458, would set up a system where voters would be registered unless they opted out. It’s aimed at increasing the number of registered voters in Vermont.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Chris Pearson, P-Burlington, passed 137-0 in a Tuesday morning roll call. Pearson thanked the Government Operations Committee for its work on the bill and said it would “remove barriers to voting.”
Automatic registration would occur for people who meet a number of requirements, including status as a U.S. citizen and Vermont resident over the age of 18.
Rep. Anne Donahue, R-Northfield, amended the bill early Tuesday to soften the penalties for those who inadvertently register to vote on DMV forms when they are ineligible. As long as the information on the license application is accurate, a federal charge of perjury would be waived.
Donahue’s amendment passed unanimously out of the Government Operations Committee and was adopted minutes later on the House floor.
The bill has the support of the Department of Motor Vehicles and the secretary of state’s office.
Secretary of State Jim Condos said automatic voter registration “saves time and money, increases the accuracy of our statewide voter checklist, curbs the potential for fraud, and protects the integrity of our elections.”
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
