ATLANTA — New voter registrations have reportedly plunged in Georgia, and some members of Congress want an investigation. One culprit may be a change in a website that helps new Georgia drivers get registered to vote at the same time.
For years, Georgia encouraged adults getting new driver’s licenses to also register to vote at the same time. In 2020, 79 percent of new drivers also registered to vote. However, in 2021, only 39 percent of new drivers became registered voters, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Last year, the Department of Driver Services changed its website, altering its online voter registration form.
Previously, the default was a checked box agreeing to be registered to vote. Folks wishing to not register to vote had to uncheck the box.
In 2021, the default changed to unchecked “yes” and “no” boxes, requiring the voter to make a choice, according to the AJC.
That made voter registration less automatic than before.
Although voter registration drives are somewhat commonplace, activists said automatic registration among new drivers far and away, gets the newest voters on the rolls. Data indicated new voters leading into the 2020 election were predominantly voters of color.
Now three Democrats in Congress – Sanford Bishop, Nikema Williams and Carolyn Bourdeaux – are asking for state and federal investigations saying the “steep decline in drivers utilizing automatic voter registration at DDS raises serious questions regarding access to the ballot in this year’s election.”
Voter registration for next month’s primary runs out next week. The members of Congress said they fear many new residents who may think they are already registered will find out in May when they go to vote that they aren’t.