Illinois became the 10th state, along with the District, to move to modernize its system of voter registration through automatic registration. 

Under the measure, individuals eligible to vote who interact with government agencies (such as the department of motor vehicles) will be automatically registered to vote unless they opt out. The system of automatic registration, first enacted by Oregon in 2015, not only boosts registration rates and makes voting more convenient, it also reduces errors and the potential for fraud. “Everybody wins in this system,” Chicago Election Board Commissioner Jonathan Swain said of the ability to register more voters with less paperwork and expense.

The fact that more states haven’t gone to automatic registration — and that some are opting to make voting even more difficult through strict new laws on photo ID requirements and other restrictions — is clearly a function of partisan political interests. Republicans see better electoral prospects when the number of voters decreases; hence their efforts to suppress participation from minorities and other constituencies seen as favoring Democrats.

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