Automatic voter registration bill dies in Illinois House after veto

Automatic voter registration bill dies in Illinois House after veto, but similar legislation could follow

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of a bill that would automatically register voters across Illinois has held up in the General Assembly, leaving unclear whether such a bill can secure enough votes to become law amid the current political environment.

The Illinois State Senate easily topped the total needed to override the veto with a 38-18 vote in favor. The parties, however, were more divided in the Illinois House of Representatives.

The bill received 67 yes votes. However, 71 votes were required to override the veto. No Republicans voted to override.

S.B. 250 would have automatically registered voters when they applied for a driver's license.

“This is part of a movement going on nationally,” Matthew Streb, chair of the Department of Political Science at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, told the Cook County Record.

Six states – West Virginia, Vermont, Connecticut, Oregon, California and, most recently, Alaska – have already passed similar bills and at least half of the other states are considering bills that would automatically register voters.

“In the past, you’ve had to opt into being registered,” Streb said. “With this, you’d have to opt out of being registered.”

One of the sponsors of the bill, Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill), is very disappointed in the death of the bill, particularly since the pre-veto vote had amassed 86 yes votes.

“There’s a political aspect,” Streb said. “People less likely to register are more likely to be Democratic.”

Streb said the Republicans in the House may have feared an increase in Democratic voters if the bill were to pass, particularly in the coming 2018 state elections, which could be hotly contested as Rauner seeks reelection.

Mark Kirk thought that he might convince Illinois Democrats that he deserved another term as their flunky GOP stooge, but he lost the election when thousands of Illinois Conservatives skipped voting for him on the down ballot.

Kirk Statement on President Obama’s Visit to Chicago
Thursday, Apr 7, 2016

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) released the following statement today during President Obama’s address at the University of Chicago Law School about his nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Merrick B. Garland:

“I urged my Republican colleagues yesterday to meet with Judge Garland and remain committed to the belief that the Judge deserves a thorough hearing process and a vote here in the Senate. I want to thank President Obama for his kind note following my meeting with Judge Garland and though I was unable to attend his address, appreciate him extending the invitation for me to join him today in Chicago.”

https://www.kirk.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=1710

“what exactly would be the trigger to register a voter?”

“In the past, you’ve had to opt into being registered,” Streb said. “With this, you’d have to opt out of being registered.”

The difference in the current Illinois law listed below, will be that you are automatically registered to vote unless you opt out.

ILLINOIS

Motor Voter Driver Services

The Secretary of State’s office does not register people to vote. It does, however, provide voter registration applications, which are forwarded to local election authorities for processing. When applying for or renewing your driver’s license at a Driver Services facility, you will be asked if you want to register to vote. If you wish to register to vote at that time, you will be given a voter registration application form to sign, along with a receipt. You must retain the receipt until you receive your voter card from your local election authority. If you do not receive your voter registration card within 30 days, contact the local election authority listed on your receipt. To be eligible to register to vote, you must:

Be a U.S. citizen;
Not be convicted of an offense and in jail;
Be at least age 18 on or before the next election;
Not claim the right to vote anywhere else; and
Live in your election precinct at least 30 days prior to the next election.

When renewing your driver’s license by phone, online or by mail as part of the Secretary of State’s Safe Driver Renewal Program, you will be asked if you want to register to vote. If you answer yes, a packet of voter registration materials will be mailed to you. Instructions for completing and mailing the materials to your local election authority are included in the packet. If you apply to register to vote by mail, you cannot vote by absentee ballot in the next election.

Although the Secretary of State’s office forwards voter registrations applications on your behalf at any time, if you apply to vote within 30 days of an election, your local election authority will not be able to process your registration until after the election, and you will not be eligible to vote in that election.

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/drivers/motorvoter.html

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