Minnesota’s new automatic registration initiative enrolls 15,000 voters

Minnesota has automatically enrolled an additional 15,116 eligible residents since an April automatic voter registration initiative took effect.

A law passed earlier this year allowed the Department of Public Safety to enroll eligible Minnesota residents to vote automatically when they renew or obtain a state-issued ID, such as a driver’s license. The measure also allows 16-year-olds to preregister to vote, and 13,283 16- and 17-year-olds had already been preregistered.

“In just a few weeks, Automatic Voter Registration has already brought more than 28,000 eligible Minnesotans into our democracy,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon said. “For years, I’ve advocated for Automatic Voter Registration – as a common-sense policy that will increase security and access to our already strong election system. I am grateful for the dedicated public employees in state and local government that are bringing this system to life.”

Before the law, applicants at Driver and Vehicle Services would need to check an “opt-in” box to be registered to vote at that point of government contact. Now, all who are eligible are automatically enrolled. Minnesota officials are committed to integrity with the new measure.

“It’s important that we make voting easy and accessible for Minnesotans who are eligible,” Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said. “It’s equally important to ensure the process remains secure as ever.”

“Automatic voter registration is called automatic because of its convenience for applicants,” the secretary of state’s website reads. “In fact, the process of registering someone to vote under this new law is complex and involves multiple points of human verification.”

Those who are already registered to vote in Minnesota are not affected by the change.

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To vote in Minnesota, one must be at least 18, be a U.S. citizen, have maintained a residence in Minnesota for at least 20 days before Election Day, not be incarcerated for a felony conviction, not be under court-ordered guardianship in which the court order revokes one’s right to vote, and have not been found legally incompetent to vote.

People can also opt out of the automatic registration. When Minnesota residents are automatically registered, voters will be sent a mailed notification about their registration, including information about how to opt out. The opt-out notice must be sent back to the DVS within 20 days to be accounted for.