The future of voter registration and civic engagement may just stand a chance. California (a populous state of many voters-to-be) will soon allow all 17-year-old citizens to preregister to vote so that they will be automatically enrolled as legal voters once they turn 18. This newer trend in legislation, which boasts bipartisan support, has recently passed in North Carolina and has been successfully implemented in five other states, including Florida.
“AB 30 will benefit the Golden State by encouraging higher voter registration and turnout among California’s youth, and by encouraging high schools to become more actively involved in youth engagement and civic education,” the New America Foundation – a group that was actively pursuing preregistration in the state – wrote in a press release Monday. “Research shows that people who get involved in the electoral process at an earlier age are much more likely to become lifelong voters. Research also shows that preregistration in Florida has boosted voter registration and voter turnout of young people.”
The measure was supported by a wide range of groups, including New America, FairVote, California Association of Student Councils, and California AARP.
"This legislation had multi-generational support,” said Pete Martineau, Legislative Advocate for AARP, in the release. “We want to thank the Governor for increasing the opportunities to help us register more of our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to vote. Civic participation is essential for a healthy democracy, and we applaud the Governor for signing AB 30."
Currently, California joins three other states that allow all 17-year-old citizens to preregister to vote. Previously, California allowed only certain 17-year-old citizens that would be 18 by the next election to preregister, a practice followed by as many as 19 other states. The confusing and unspecified age-range hampered proper implementation of the law, hardly maximizing on the potential for engaging new voters.
Three other states permit citizens as young as 16 to preregister, including Florida, Hawaii, and North Carolina, where the newly passed law will become effective in January 2010.
Perhaps inspired by the growing success of passing and implementing preregistration, other parts of the country are pushing similar bills.
“A member of the Massachusetts statehouse leadership announced last week that a similar measure is her top priority in coming weeks,” according to FairVote, which referred to House Bill 683 Monday. “And the Washington, D.C. City Council last week unanimously backed pre-registration legislation.”
HB 683 is eligible for executive session in the Joint Committee on Election Laws while Washington’s omnibus measure, B 345 was read on the council floor for the first time last week. To follow preregistration bills and other election reforms, visit www.ElectionLegislation.org.
