Losing 1.4 Million Eligible Voters (so far) a Bad Prescription for Healthy Democracy: Do the Secretary of State and DMV Have the Right Medicine?

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October 30, 2018 - Serious implementation errors have put the New Motor Voter Program in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, despite adding thousands of Californians to the voter rolls. Government failures with the program may serve to shake, if not seriously undermine, faith in the electoral process. The Commission found that more than 1.4 million eligible Californians opt out of registering to vote or fail to complete their registration through the program.

“California has one of the most diverse populations in the nation, but the state’s electorate does not reflect this,” Commission Chair Pedro Nava said. “The promise of the New Motor Voter Program, and other recent electoral reforms, lies in their ability to entice millions of eligible new and infrequent voters out to make their voice heard. But these mistakes weaken trust in government and discourage Californians form fulfilling their civic responsibility.”

As the new Administration sets its agenda, the Commission offers the following proposals for improved administration of this important program:

1. In the first quarter of implementation, far too many eligible Californians chose not to register through the program. The Secretary of State should engage in activities to learn why eligible Californians opt out of registering to vote and report findings to lawmakers annually;
2. The Secretary of State sends outreach postcards to eligible individuals who opt out of registering to vote through the New Motor Voter Program or who provide unclear or missing registration information. The Secretary of State should measure and determine the effectiveness and cost efficiency of these outreach efforts and consider other approaches where appropriate; and
3. Effective administration of voter registration is critical to maintaining public trust in the electoral process. The California State Auditor should review the Department of Motor Vehicles and the California Department of Technology’s administration of the New Motor Voter Program to ensure its long-term integrity.

The Little Hoover Commission is an independent state agency charged with recommending ways to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of state programs. The Commission’s recommendations are submitted to the Governor and the Legislature for their consideration and action. The letter report is available at www.lhc.ca.gov.
Source: CA.Little Hoover Commission