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Ohio Secretary Of State Pushes For Automatic Voter Registration

The early voting center at the Franklin County Board of Elections in Columbus.
John Minchillo
/
Associated Press

Ohio’s top elections official says it’s already easy to vote in Ohio, but he wants to make it even easier with automatic voter registration.

Right now, when you get your Ohio driver’s license, you can register to vote or update your registration. Secretary of State Frank LaRose is asking for a bipartisan group of lawmakers and others to come up with legislation that would automatically register you unless you opt out.

“The simple question is, ‘With this information that you have already provided us, we are going to register you to vote or update your voter address, would you like to opt out?’ If they opt out, that is their choice to do that, but otherwise, they are going to walk out of there as a registered voter," LaRose said.

LaRose wants the group to come up with details on how this can be done at the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, when filing state tax forms, getting a fishing license or other interactions with the state.

Democrats have long wanted automatic voter registration, but some Republicans have expressed concerns.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.