Wray-Lake on California Motor-Voter Bill
UCLA Luskin Professor of Social Welfare Laura Wray-Lake spoke to KPBS for a story about a proposed California bill designed to increase the state’s voter rolls by automatically registering eligible voters who obtain a state identification or driver’s license, or make a change of address through the DMV. The so-called motor-voter bill — SB 299 — recently passed in the state Legislature and, if signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, could potentially increase civic engagement among young people and predominantly Black, Latino, and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities, according to proponents. Opponents of the bill believe it could have unintended consequences. Wray-Lake said that a number of states have successfully implemented similar legislation, citing a 2% to 3% increase in registration. She noted that California currently ranks 25th in the nation for registration of young voters. While amendments to California’s motor-voter law in 2015 implemented registration through the DMV, customers could still choose to opt out.
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