OSPIRG Applauds Step Towards Modernizing Oregon’s Voter Registration System

OSPIRG

Statement from OSPIRG Executive Director Dave Rosenfeld on the passage of HB 2177 through the Oregon State Senate:

“Voting is a both a sacred American right and a great responsibility. It is important that our voting systems are set up and managed for simplicity of use and utmost integrity. One logistical step in that system is to determine both a person’s citizenship (and thus, eligibility to vote) and domicile. From our nation’s founding through the 20th century, this end could only be achieved by requiring citizens to submit a unique registration form to elections officials – initially and each time a citizen changed addresses. Today, that same end can often be achieved through a secure electronic transfer of existing Oregon Department of Transportation customer records to elections officials. Moving in this direction moves us one step closer to a nimbler, more-user friendly government.

“It is important to remember that all we are talking about is a logistical step that is needed to determine one’s eligibility to vote and current address. The choice to actually cast a ballot remains – as it should – an intensely private decision that each and every individual must make for themselves. Nothing in HB 2177 tampers with that basic right. Instead, HB 2177 makes that one logistical step work a little bit more efficiently and frees up Oregon citizens to focus even more of their attentions on the important and difficult work of citizenship. We commend Oregon’s lawmakers and Governor Kate Brown for taking this important step.”

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