The Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee passed legislation Monday to revamp how automatic voter registration works at the Motor Vehicle Commission.
The current system allows eligible voters who are updating or renewing their driver’s licenses to answer a prompt about whether they would like to register to vote.
If implemented, the new system would automatically register eligible voters when they update their identification at the MVC, apply for Medicaid, or are scheduled to be released from prison. State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (D-South Brunswick), one of the bill’s sponsors, said the new procedures would increase ballot access to groups who historically vote less often, like low-income residents and people of color.
“Updating our AVR system has the power to increase voter registration and turnout due to the removal of registration barriers, especially for low-income communities and communities of color,” Zwicker said in a release. “More voters means a more representative constitutional democracy in New Jersey, allowing more residents the opportunity to shape the State they live in.”
Under the new policy, the secretary of state would mail forms to newly registered voters. The forms would allow the voters to either opt out of their voter registration or register with a certain political party.
State Sen. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver) said the bill was a “solution looking for a problem.”
“You’re right, there are too many people who have not registered,” O’Scanlon said during the hearing. “So if people choose not to register, that’s none of our business.”
O’Scanlon voted against the bill in committee, as did the two other Republicans present for the hearing.
The bill passed through the committee on party lines. A similar bill in the Assembly is awaiting action in the Assembly State and Local Government Committee.
The Senate Budget Committee passed another MVC-related bill Monday: This bill would allow drivers to mark if they have hearing impairment. State Sens. Linda Greenstein (D-Plainsboro) and Parker Space (R-Wantage), the bill’s sponsors, said it would allow law enforcement to better communicate with drivers during traffic stops.
“It is absolutely essential that law enforcement can effectively communicate with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing,” Space said in a release. “This designation would remove concern from the equation by ensuring police officers are aware that the person they’re interacting with at a traffic stop is deaf and can respond accordingly.”