‘Motor Voter’ program led to increased registration, but not increased turnout, study says

Andrew Sheeler
·3 min read

Good morning and welcome to the A.M. Alert!

‘MOTOR VOTER’ PROGRAM LED TO MORE PEOPLE REGISTERING

The California Department of Motor Vehicles is the most widely used method of voter registration in the state, according to a new study from the Center for Inclusive Democracy (CID)at the USC Price School of Public Policy.

The DMV launched it’s “motor voter” program in April 2018, and through the 2020 general election, 43% of new registrants in the state had done so through that agency, according to the report. Just under 40% registered online and less than 17% used other methods.

However, that hasn’t necessarily led to greater turnout, the study found.

Despite major gains in voter registration, particularly for Black, Latino, Asian American and youth demographics, only 68% of those who registered through the DMV voted in the 2020 general election. That is 16.7 percentage points lower than those who had registered online during the same period.

“What these data tell us is that while the California New Motor Voter law has helped broaden access to elections through registration, it doesn’t translate into the same gains in voter turnout,” said CID Director Mindy Romero in a statement. “The program does not eliminate the need for sustained and effective voter outreach and engagement efforts, especially for groups historically underrepresented at the ballot box.”

You can read the full study here.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“MAGA extremists insist their attacks on LGBTQ people are only ‘about the children.’ That’s a lie. These ideologues are trying to create a moral panic about children — dredging up false claims that LGBTQ people are a threat to kids — to justify broader attacks on our community.”

- Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, via Twitter.

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