Reform tracker · 50 states
Automatic voter registration
Eligible people are registered to vote when they deal with a state agency, such as the motor vehicle office, unless they decline.
- States
- 50
- Not confirmed
- 1 value
- Changes pending
- 2
Research draft. We gathered this from official sources: election offices, state laws and court records, each linked to its source. Separate reviewers checked a random sample of 64 facts from the reform research against the cited sources and found 6 errors, since corrected; 1 couldn’t be checked because the source wouldn’t display its text. The rest hasn't been reviewed fact by fact yet, so check the linked source before relying on anything here.
§1Every state
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
- In place
- Eligible people are registered through a state agency unless they decline.
- Passed, not yet started
- A law sets it up, but it hasn’t taken effect.
- None
- People must ask to register; agencies may offer the chance.
- Not confirmed
- We couldn’t confirm this from an official source.
A full mark means it is in place; a half mark, that it is law but hasn’t started. The marks show how far the practice applies, not whether it is a good idea.
- In place22 states
- Passed, not yet started1 state
- None26 states
- Not confirmed1 state
| State | Status | What the law says |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | None1 | The Secretary of State's voter guide lists registering when applying for or renewing a driver's license or non-driver ID, or when applying for certain public benefits, as one of several ways a citizen may choose to register; it describes no automatic registration.1 Where in the source: p. 4, Where and How to Register |
| Alaska | In place2, | Eligible people who apply for the Permanent Fund Dividend are registered to vote, or have their registration address updated, unless they opt out within 30 days of a notice the Division mails after the March 31 application deadline.2, |
| Arizona | None4 | People applying for or renewing a driver license are offered the chance to register to vote at the same time, and the state must tell them that a decision to decline stays confidential; registration is not automatic.4 Where in the source: A.R.S. § 16-112(A), (C) |
| Arkansas | None5 | Driver's license and state revenue offices must offer voter registration to people getting or renewing a license or ID, and keep a record when a person declines; people are not registered automatically.5 Where in the source: Ark. Const. amend. 51, § 5(a)(2) (PDF p. 698) |
| California | In place6 | Under the California Motor Voter program, eligible people who complete a driver license, ID card or change-of-address transaction with the DMV, online, by mail or in person, are registered to vote by the Secretary of State unless they opt out.6 The program is set out in Elections Code sections 2260 to 2277, and 16- and 17-year-olds who pre-register are registered automatically when they turn 18.6 Where in the source: About; Additional Information |
| Colorado | In place7 | Since July 1, 2020, the Department of Revenue sends the state the records of unregistered people who show proof of U.S. citizenship when they get or renew a driver's license or state ID, and the county clerk registers them and mails a notice.7 Where in the source: § 1-2-213.3(1)-(3) The person can mail back a prepaid card to decline registration or to choose a party; if nothing comes back within 20 days, the person stays registered as unaffiliated.7 Where in the source: § 1-2-213.3(3), (7) A 2019 law set up the same process for people who apply for Medicaid through the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.7 Where in the source: § 1-2-502.5 |
| Connecticut | In place8, | Since June 23, 2021, when the Department of Motor Vehicles finds that a person getting or renewing a driver's license or ID card meets every voting requirement, it sends that person's voter registration to the town's registrars unless the person declines.8 Where in the source: § 9-19h(b)(2)(B) Since January 1, 2022, public assistance offices, offices serving people with disabilities, public libraries and other offices the Secretary of the State designates must use the same kind of electronic system, again unless the person declines.9 Where in the source: § 9-23n(a), (b)(2) No registration is sent for a person the agency finds is not a U.S. citizen, and a person whose citizenship the agency cannot confirm must attest to it first.8, |
| Delaware | In place10, | Under a 2021 law (Senate Bill 5), the DMV sends the Department of Elections the records of unregistered adults whose U.S. citizenship it has confirmed during a license, ID, renewal or address transaction, and the Department registers them with no party.10, |
| Florida | None13 | The Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must offer people getting or renewing a license or ID the chance to register, and its examiner asks whether the person wants to register; information is sent on only if the person chooses to.13 Where in the source: § 97.057(1)-(2) |
| Georgia | In place14 | Every Department of Driver Services application for a license or ID card has a voter registration section telling customers their information will be used for voter registration unless they choose otherwise, with an opt-out box for those who do not want to register or update their record.14 Where in the source: Interest in Registering to Vote The department sends the information to the Secretary of State's office, and county registrars complete the registration and issue the voter card.14 Where in the source: Interest in Registering to Vote |
| Hawaii | Passed, not yet started15, | Act 67 of 2026 (Senate Bill 2239), signed May 29, 2026, registers eligible residents automatically when they apply for or renew a Hawaii driver's license or state ID unless they opt out, starting January 1, 2027.15 For the 2026 elections, the Office of Elections says new applicants may choose to register when they apply for a license or state ID, while records of people already registered are updated automatically unless they decline.16 Where in the source: Automatic Voter Registration Through DMV Voter registration is also offered with Department of Health and Department of Human Services public-assistance programs.16 |
| Idaho | None17 | A person is registered only when the county clerk, or a poll worker at an early voting site or on Election Day, receives the person's completed application with proof of identity and residence.17 Where in the source: § 34-404(1) The Secretary of State tells voters to register online, by mail, with the county clerk or in person when voting, and to update their driver's license with the Idaho Transportation Department separately.18 |
| Illinois | In place19, | When a person applies for, renews or changes the address on a REAL ID-compliant driver's license or state ID, the application also registers them to vote or updates their registration unless they check a box to decline.19, |
| Indiana | None21, | A person getting or renewing a driver's license, permit or state ID at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles must be offered the chance to apply to register, and BMV staff ask each such customer whether they want to register (IC 3-7-14-5).21, |
| Iowa | None23, | The voter registration rules direct driver license clerks to ask each customer 17 or older whether they would like to apply to register or update their registration, and to drop the matter if the answer is no.23 Where in the source: r. 821—11.2 A customer who does not sign the registration attestation is treated as having declined, and online renewal applicants are asked the same question, so registering at the license office is the customer's choice.23 Where in the source: r. 821—11.6 The Code says a license application serves as a voter registration application unless the applicant declines, and leaves the forms and procedures to these rules.24 Where in the source: § 48A.18(1), (4) |
| Kansas | None25 | A driver's license or state ID application at the Division of Motor Vehicles also works as a voter registration application, but only if the applicant signs the voter registration part.25 Where in the source: § 25-2352(a)(1) The form must tell applicants that a choice not to register is kept confidential, so registering at the DMV is the applicant's choice rather than automatic.25 Where in the source: § 25-2352(b)(3) |
| Kentucky | None26 | A driver's license application also serves as a voter registration application, but only if the applicant signs the voter registration part.26 Where in the source: KRS 116.0455(1)(a) Applicants who decline sign a declination statement that is sent to the county clerk, so registering at the license office is the applicant's choice rather than automatic.26 Where in the source: KRS 116.0455(6) |
| Louisiana | None27 | A driver's license or ID card application also serves as a voter registration application unless the applicant declines or does not sign the voter registration form.27 Where in the source: R.S. 18:114(B)(1) License office staff must offer registration and get a signed statement from anyone who declines, so registering there is the applicant's choice rather than automatic.27 Where in the source: R.S. 18:114(F)(2) |
| Maine | In place28, | When someone applies for, renews or updates a driver's license or state ID at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, the bureau creates a pending voter registration record and sends it to the local registrar unless the person opts out.28, |
| Maryland | In place32 | People doing business with the Motor Vehicle Administration, the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, local social services departments or the Maryland Transit Administration's paratransit certification office are registered or have their registration updated unless they decline.32 Where in the source: Election Law § 3-203(a)(2)–(4) The law required these agencies to have the system running by July 1, 2019, and local social services departments by December 1, 2019.32 Where in the source: § 3-203(b) |
| Massachusetts | In place33, | The Registry of Motor Vehicles (driver's license and ID transactions), MassHealth and the Health Connector send records of eligible applicants to election officials.33 Where in the source: § 42G1/2(b), (d) Local registrars mail each person a notice, and the person is added to the voter rolls unless they decline within 21 days.34 Where in the source: § 65(d) The automatic registration sections of the 2018 law took effect on January 1, 2020.35 Where in the source: § 11 |
| Michigan | In place36, | Since a 2018 constitutional amendment, people doing driver's license or state ID business with the Secretary of State have a right to be registered automatically unless they decline.36 Where in the source: § 4(1)(d) Under the current law, which took effect June 30, 2025, eligible applicants who have shown proof of citizenship are registered and mailed a notice with a prepaid form they can return to decline.37 Medicaid applications through the Department of Health and Human Services and releases from state prison also feed automatic registration.38 |
| Minnesota | In place39, | Eligible people who apply for or renew a Minnesota driver's license or ID card, or apply for MinnesotaCare or Medical Assistance, and whose citizenship is documented, must be registered to vote.39 Where in the source: subd. 1 Each person is mailed a notice and is not registered if they decline within 20 days.39 Where in the source: subd. 2 A 2023 law made registration automatic in this way and required the Department of Public Safety's systems to be tested by December 1, 2023.39, |
| Mississippi | None41 | People may choose to register at the Department of Public Safety when applying for or renewing a driver's license, or at several other state agencies, as well as at circuit and municipal clerks' offices or by mail.41 Where in the source: p. 7 |
| Missouri | None42 | Driver's license applicants receive a voter registration application as part of the license form, and only applications they complete and sign are sent to election officials.42 |
| Montana | None43, | A voter registration form comes with every driver's license application, and the state accepts it only if the applicant chooses to register.43 Where in the source: § 61-5-107(1) Public assistance and disability service agencies must offer people the chance to register and help fill out the form, which is also a choice the person makes.44 |
| Nebraska | None45 | People applying for a driver's license or state ID are offered a voter registration application they may use, and the law treats whether someone registers or declines as confidential, so registering is the person's choice.45 Where in the source: § 32-308(2), (4) |
| Nevada | In place46, | Under a 2021 law, the DMV, the Department of Human Services, the Nevada Health Authority and its Medicaid agencies, the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange, and agencies the Governor designates send voter information when a person's records show they are eligible.46 Where in the source: NRS 293.5768(1)-(2) The county clerk then registers eligible people and mails them a notice; anyone who declines in writing is taken off the voter list.47 Where in the source: NRS 293.57693(1)-(3) Clark County's election office says many DMV transactions register people automatically unless they opt out in writing.48 |
| New Hampshire | None49, | A person registers by filling out the standard form and showing proof of qualifications to the town or city clerk, the supervisors of the checklist, or election officials at the polls. The voter registration chapter has no provision for registering people through the DMV or other agencies.49, |
| New Jersey | In place52 | A 2018 law (P.L.2018, c.6) has the Motor Vehicle Commission register eligible people to vote, or update their registration, when they apply for, renew or change the address on a driver's license, permit or non-driver ID, unless they decline.52 Where in the source: § 3 (C.39:2-3.2) The law took effect on the first day of the seventh month after its April 17, 2018 approval, and lets other state agencies that already collect proof of eligibility set up the same process.52 Where in the source: §§ 4-5 (C.19:31-6.14) |
| New Mexico | In place53, | An eligible person who shows proof of U.S. citizenship while applying for or renewing a driver's license or state ID in person at the Motor Vehicle Division is registered to vote, and the county clerk then mails a notice with a prepaid card the person can return to decline.53, |
| New York | In place56 | The Department of Motor Vehicles says eligible people are registered to vote automatically during many DMV transactions, such as getting a learner permit, driver license or non-driver ID, or changing a name or address, unless they opt out.56 DMV sends the registration to the county or city board of elections, which decides whether to approve it.56 |
| North Carolina | None57, | People applying for or renewing a driver's license or state ID at the Division of Motor Vehicles may fill out a voter registration application as part of the form; registration happens only if they complete it.57 Where in the source: G.S. 163-82.19(a) The State Board of Elections says the DMV and certain other agencies must offer voter registration services.58 |
| North Dakota | None59, | North Dakota does not have voter registration, so there is no automatic registration program; eligible residents vote by showing a valid ID.59 The state keeps a central voter file, but state law says it may not be used to require voters to register.60 Where in the source: N.D.C.C. § 16.1-01-05.1 |
| Ohio | None61 | When people who have shown proof of U.S. citizenship get or renew a driver's license or state ID, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles must offer them the chance to register or update their registration; they are registered only if they choose to.61 Where in the source: R.C. 3503.11(A)(1) The BMV sends each registration it takes to the Secretary of State within 24 hours, and it is checked before being added to the voter list.61 Where in the source: R.C. 3503.11(B) |
| Oklahoma | None62 | People getting or renewing a driver license or state ID are asked whether they want to register to vote, and someone who declines confirms that choice; registration is not automatic.62 Where in the source: § 4-109.3(A) A license or ID address change within the same county also updates the voter's registration address unless the voter says it is not for voting.62 Where in the source: § 4-109.3(C) |
| Oregon | In place63, | Under Oregon Motor Voter, in effect since January 2016, the DMV sends the state records of eligible people who apply for, renew or replace a license, permit or ID card and who have shown proof of U.S. citizenship.63, |
| Pennsylvania | In place65, | Since September 19, 2023, eligible PennDOT customers at photo license centers are taken through voter registration screens and submit an application unless they opt out; before that date they had to choose to opt in.65 Where in the source: pp. 28-29 PennDOT's system first checks age, Pennsylvania address and U.S. citizenship, and the customer must confirm citizenship and other qualifications, choose a party preference and sign a declaration.65 Where in the source: p. 28 The change was made by the executive branch within the existing motor voter law, under which a driver's license application also serves as a voter registration application unless the person does not sign it.65, |
| Rhode Island | Not confirmed | Automatic registration is left null. State law says people applying for or renewing a driver's license or state ID at the Division of Motor Vehicles are registered to vote unless they decline (R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-9.1-7(a)-(b)), but the section takes effect only 30 days after the DMV administrator certifies in writing to the General Assembly that the DMV computer system can do this (§ 17-9.1-7(j)), and no source we could read says that certification happened. On a slower re-check on 2026-10-27, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's 2024 data brief for Rhode Island showed the DMV as the source of 88.3 percent of the state's 532,095 registration transactions, which fits a working DMV process but does not say it is automatic registration; an election policy profile that counts Rhode Island among the automatic-registration states is a joint NCSL and EAC product, so it is only a pointer. The Department of State (vote.sos.ri.gov) and Board of Elections (elections.ri.gov) sites still answered single requests with bot checks. |
| South Carolina | None67, | A driver's license application, including a renewal, also serves as a voter registration application only if the applicant signs the voter registration part; not signing counts as declining.67 Where in the source: § 7-5-320(A) The State Election Commission lists the Department of Motor Vehicles and other agencies as places where people can choose to register under the National Voter Registration Act.68 |
| South Dakota | None69, | Driver license stations and certain public assistance, disability and military recruiting offices must offer voter registration forms.69, |
| Tennessee | None73 | The General Assembly's summary of a 2023 bill says that under present law, a driver license applicant who does not say whether they also want to register to vote is presumed to have chosen not to register.73 Where in the source: Bill Summary That bill, which would have registered applicants unless they opted out, failed 2 to 6 in the Senate State and Local Government Committee on March 7, 2023.73 |
| Texas | None74 | When a person applies in person for a driver's license or ID card, the Department of Public Safety must offer the chance to fill out a voter registration application on a combined form.74 Where in the source: §§ 20.062, 20.063(a) An address change given to the department also updates the voter's registration address unless the person says it should not.74 Where in the source: § 20.063(c) |
| Utah | None75, | Driver license and state ID applications include a question every applicant must answer, asking whether the information may be used to register them to vote.75 Where in the source: § 20A-2-108(2)(a)(i) The applicant is registered only after answering yes, so registering at the Driver License Division remains the person's choice.76 Where in the source: § 20A-2-204(2)(a) |
| Vermont | In place77 | Applying for or renewing a driver's license or non-driver ID at the Department of Motor Vehicles also registers an eligible citizen to vote unless the person checks a box to decline.77 Where in the source: § 2145a(a) This process took effect July 1, 2017, and a change of address given to the department also updates the voter's registration unless the person says otherwise.77 Where in the source: § 2145a(c); history note |
| Virginia | In place78, | People who get, renew or update a driver's license or ID card through the DMV, in person or online, are asked about citizenship and given a chance to decline; unless they decline, their information is sent to the Department of Elections for registration.78 Where in the source: § 24.2-411.3(A)-(C) This opt-out process replaced the earlier opt-in process under a law effective July 1, 2020.79 Where in the source: HB 235 and SB 219 A 2026 law created a work group to study moving from this front-end system to a back-end opt-out system; it did not change the current process.80 Where in the source: HB319 and SB658 |
| Washington | In place81, | When an eligible citizen gets, renews or updates an enhanced driver's license or enhanced ID card, which requires proof of citizenship, the Department of Licensing sends the information to the Secretary of State and the person is registered as of that transaction; this began July 1, 2019.81, |
| West Virginia | In place87 | When someone applies for, renews or changes the address on a driver's license or state ID card, the Division of Motor Vehicles collects voter registration information and sends it to the Secretary of State unless the person affirmatively declines.87 Where in the source: § 3-2-11(a)-(b) The county clerk then processes the new registration or update; this opt-out process, passed in 2016, took effect July 1, 2021 under the statute.87 Where in the source: § 3-2-11(b), (n) Amendments effective January 1, 2025 require the Division of Motor Vehicles to share citizenship information so the Secretary of State can confirm that applicants registered through it are U.S. citizens.87 Where in the source: § 3-2-11(c), (p), (q) |
| Wisconsin | None88, | A person registers by applying on their own, in person, by mail, or online, and online registration requires a Wisconsin driver's license or state ID so the state can copy the signature on file with the Department of Transportation.88 Where in the source: § 6.30(1), (4), (5) State law refers to Wisconsin's exemption from the National Voter Registration Act, and we found no provision that registers people automatically when they deal with the Department of Transportation or another agency.89, |
| Wyoming | None91 | A person may register only in person or by mail, at a polling place on election day or at a county or city clerk's office, by giving the required information and signing the registration oath.91 Where in the source: W.S. 22-3-104(d), (h) The Department of Transportation shares driver's license data with the Secretary of State only to verify registrations, and we found no provision that registers people automatically.91 Where in the source: W.S. 22-3-102(e) |
§2Changes pending
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Laws not yet in effect, open court cases and November 3 measures that would change a status above.
- Delaware. A newer version of the DMV registration law, already printed in the Delaware Code, will take effect once a condition set in that law is met: people will be registered during the DMV transaction unless they decline, and will pick a party at that time; the Department of Elections says this change is coming soon.10,
11 - Hawaii. Automatic registration under Act 67 of 2026 begins January 1, 2027, after the November 3, 2026 election.15
§3Notes on the research
The research notes that mention automatic voter registration, in their own plain words: what couldn't be read or confirmed, and judgment calls a reviewer should look at.
Delaware1 note
- The Delaware Code says the newer DMV registration rules take effect upon fulfillment of 85 Del. Laws, c. 63, § 14(f), but the session law page we found under that chapter number on the General Assembly's site is an unrelated appropriation bill, so we could not read the condition or confirm its status.
Georgia1 note
- Automatic registration rests on the Department of Driver Services' description of its license and ID application. We could not read the state law or a Secretary of State description, and we did not find when the opt-out process began.
Hawaii1 note
- Act 67 of 2026 is sourced to the Hawaii State Senate Majority's press release because the session law on capitol.hawaii.gov was blocked; the Office of Elections' registration page (updated September 28, 2026) still describes the current opt-in process under the heading Automatic Voter Registration Through DMV.
Iowa1 note
- Automatic registration is set to none from the voter registration rules (Iowa Administrative Code 821—Chapter 11) on the Legislature's site, which carry out Iowa Code § 48A.18 as an ask-and-answer step. We could not read a Secretary of State or Department of Transportation description of the process, so a reviewer may want to confirm that practice matches the rules.
Maine1 note
- Because the Secretary of State's site was blocked, we could not confirm from the election office that automatic registration is operating, which agencies besides the Bureau of Motor Vehicles take part, or the full list of November 3, 2026 referendum questions (so pending may be incomplete).
Massachusetts1 note
- We could not read the Secretary's automatic voter registration reports (blocked site), so the AVR value rests on the statute and its January 1, 2020 effective date.
Michigan1 note
- No official page we could reach describes how many people have been registered through automatic registration, so the AVR value rests on the constitution and statutes.
Minnesota2 notes
- The Secretary of State's website (www.sos.mn.gov) answered with a CAPTCHA page, so we did not use it. We could not read its explainers on ranked-choice voting, redistricting or automatic registration.
- We did not find an official page confirming when the Department of Public Safety began automatic registration. The AVR value rests on the statute, which has required it since the 2023 law and set a December 1, 2023 testing deadline.
New Jersey1 note
- The Motor Vehicle Commission's voter registration page says people may register while applying for or renewing a license or ID and does not describe the opt-out process; the implemented value rests on the 2018 law and its effective date, not on an agency statement that automatic registration is running.
New Mexico1 note
- We did not find an official list of state agencies, other than the Motor Vehicle Division, that send records for automatic registration under NMSA § 1-4-47.1.
New York2 notes
- We could not read New York statutes or the constitution from an official site: nysenate.gov and the State Board of Elections site (elections.ny.gov) answered with human-verification checks, dos.ny.gov denied access, and the Legislative Bill Drafting Commission's laws database is reached only through a form. Values here rest on the New York City Board of Elections, the Monroe County Board of Elections, the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Legislature's redistricting task force (LATFOR).
- The DMV page does not say when automatic registration began, and we could not read the automatic registration statute.
North Dakota1 note
- The schema has no no-registration option for automatic registration, so automatic registration is none, with detail explaining that the state has no voter registration.
Pennsylvania1 note
- Automatic registration at PennDOT is described in the Department of State's 2025 annual report; we found no statute that created the opt-out process, which the report presents as a change to the existing motor voter process.
Rhode Island1 note
- Automatic registration is left null. State law says people applying for or renewing a driver's license or state ID at the Division of Motor Vehicles are registered to vote unless they decline (R.I. Gen. Laws § 17-9.1-7(a)-(b)), but the section takes effect only 30 days after the DMV administrator certifies in writing to the General Assembly that the DMV computer system can do this (§ 17-9.1-7(j)), and no source we could read says that certification happened. On a slower re-check on 2026-10-27, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission's 2024 data brief for Rhode Island showed the DMV as the source of 88.3 percent of the state's 532,095 registration transactions, which fits a working DMV process but does not say it is automatic registration; an election policy profile that counts Rhode Island among the automatic-registration states is a joint NCSL and EAC product, so it is only a pointer. The Department of State (vote.sos.ri.gov) and Board of Elections (elections.ri.gov) sites still answered single requests with bot checks.
Tennessee1 note
- Automatic registration rests on the General Assembly's 2023 summary of present law. The 2025-2026 voter registration bill we read (SB 831) does not change it, but we could not read the current Code or a Department of Safety or Secretary of State description.
West Virginia1 note
- We found no Secretary of State or Division of Motor Vehicles page that describes the opt-out registration process at the DMV as operating; the implemented value rests on § 3-2-11, which says the process took effect July 1, 2021. The Secretary of State's Motor Voter page describes agency registration only in general terms. A 2026 act (House Bill 4577, on driver's licenses) also amended § 3-2-11; we did not compare its changes in detail.