is cosponsoring a measure to create automatic voter registration in Illinois..(Photo courtesy www.ilga.gov)
By WJBC Staff
SPRINGFIELD – There’s a renewed effort in the Illinois legislature to pass an automatic voter registration bill.
Lawmakers passed an automatic voter registration bill last year, but Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoed it, saying it lacked safeguards. State Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said this latest version should pass muster.
“I believe that the bill is a final version of what ought to receive wide bipartisan support and the support of Governor Rauner, ” Manar declared.
Manar’s bill lets visitors to certain state agencies opt out of being automatically registered and delays implementation to July 2018.
State Rep. Mike Fortner, R-West Chicago, said this would boost voter participation, and reduce long lines on election day for same day registration.
“A more efficient process, a process that is linked to databases that we can operate successfully is going to do a lot to help make that a smoother process,” Fortner said.
A similar bill is pending in the house. Seven other states have automatic voter registration laws.
