A new law has been passed in Oregon making it easier to vote. Governor Kate Brown recently signed the bill into law. From now on, whenever someone in Oregon gets a drivers license or state identification card they are automatically registered to vote. Also, if an Oregon resident is not registered to vote already, he or she will get a postcard saying that they will be automatically registered unless the state hears otherwise.
The new law applies only to U.S. citizens. Those with green cards or illegal immigrants can not register to vote. In any event, Oregon does not allow illegal immigrants to drive or obtain a state identification card.
At the present time, there are about 2.2 million registered voters in Oregon. There are about 800,000 more residents who would be eligible to vote but aren’t currently registered. The new law seeks to cut this number in half.
Not a single Republican voted for the law. Governor Brown said that a Republican lawmaker asked her what the point of the law was when it’s already easy to vote in California. Brown responded that since it’s possible for the State of Oregon to make voting easier, more cost-effective and more convenient, then that’s what should be done.