New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has signed legislation to expand voter registration.
The new law automatically registers eligible residents to vote when they apply for or renew their driver’s license.
Murphy says registering to vote should be simple and seamless.
“We come at this from the point of view that the more people wo are eligible to vote the stronger out Democracy will be and the stronger our communities will be.”
Secretary of State Tahesha Way says the automatic registration process will help ensure that voter registration rolls contain updated information.
“Which will lead to the filing of less provisional ballots and ultimately to more efficient elections across the board.”
The legislation also permits the expansion of automatic registration to other state agencies.
Senator Dawn Addiego is among the Republican lawmakers who worry that could result in voter fraud.
“Because you don’t have those safeguards where you have to make so many points in identification before you can register.”
Myrna Perez with the Brennan Center for Justice says the fraud concerns are misplaced.
“People have to affirm their citizenship and people also have to affirm that all of the information they provided is accurate. They have to do so under the penalty of perjury just like under the current system.”
Before other state agencies could offer automatic registration they’d have to convince the Secretary of State they have the technological capacity to do it securely and safely.