Congressional Democrats have introduced a bill that has the potential to automatically register millions of low-income and minority voters.
The Huffington Post reports that last week, lawmakers introduced the Automatic Voter Registration Act of 2016, which would register an estimated 50 million Americans who are eligible to vote.
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Under the terms of the bill, individuals would be registered when they conduct business at a government agency, whether that’s receiving for a driver’s license, registering for college classes or applying for a firearm. People would have the choice to opt out.
“Our system is broken and in need of dire repair,” Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law President Kristen Clarke told the Huffington Post. “This bill is one step that Congress can take to meaningfully make it easier for Americans to participate in elections in our country.”
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An alarmingly low number of Americans showed up to vote in 2014—only 37 percent of eligible voters, making it the lowest voter turnout in more than 70 years.
Similar laws are already on the books in West Virginia, California, Vermont, Connecticut and Oregon. There is not a date set for a vote.