Manning Bill Would Improve Voter Registration

A proposal to make it easier to register to vote and update voter registration has been introduced in the Ohio House. 

The legislation, introduced today by State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville), would allow Ohioans to register to vote or update the address on their voter registration when they go the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to get a driver’s license.

“My goal is to make voter registration more convenient for people while maintaining the important safeguards we have in place to prevent voter fraud and protect the integrity of our elections,” said Manning. “This legislation will make our election system more efficient and improve the accuracy of Ohio’s voter lists.”

She said the bill does not change any of the current requirements for someone to become a registered voter in Ohio. Prospective voters, for example, will still be required to be Ohio residents and show they are United States citizens.

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office would run the proposed automated registration and verification system.

Under the proposal, when a person applies to receive or renew a driver’s license, commercial driver’s license or state identification card, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles would provide the individual’s information, along with an electronic copy of their signature, to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

If the person is eligible to vote but not registered, or if their address has changed, the secretary of state would forward the individual’s information to the appropriate county board of elections.

The county elections board would then register the individual to vote, or update their registration, and notify the voter that the process has been completed. People would have the option to decline registering to vote or updating their registration.

Voters would have to submit their information to the BMV at least 30 days prior to the upcoming election at which they intend to vote, mirroring the state’s 30-day voter registration requirement.

People would still be permitted to register to vote or update their voter registration online, by mail or in person, as is the case under current law.