“California currently ranks 41st in the nation in voter turnout,” said Yee, who represents the Coastside. “We need to find ways to increase participation in our democracy and allow all citizens the opportunity to vote. Same-day and Election Day registration simply makes sense.”
Idaho, New Hampshire, Maine, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Wyoming have implemented Election Day registration. North Dakota does not require registration and North Carolina allows registration during early voting up until Election Day.
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“The integrity of our democracy is protected when all eligible voters are able to participate,” said Yee, in a prepared statement announcing his plan to author the bill.
“During my 20 years as a registrar of voters, I have always supported initiatives to expand participation as long as it did not jeopardize the integrity and sanctity of the vote,” said Warren Slocum, San Mateo County’s Chief Elections Officer in the same release. “I believe Sen. Yee's legislation will increase participation in a way that is both responsible and secure.”
Yee’s bill would delete arbitrary and undemocratic timelines which prevent eligible citizens from registering to vote within 14 days of an election. Under Yee’s bill, voters would be able to register and vote on the same day, including on Election Day.
The new standard would be phased in leading up to 2013, when voting sites will be equipped with the VoteCal system – real-time technology that provides election officials with immediate identity verification.
Under Yee’s proposal, voters would cast normal ballots at locations that had the VoteCal system. If the location was not equipped with VoteCal, counties could allow citizens to vote provisionally. The bill is not expected to cost counties any additional dollars.
Yee plans to officially introduce the bill in the next two weeks, with the first hearing likely in March.
-- from staff reports
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