The Santa Barbara Unbiased republishes tales from CalMatters.org on state and native points impacting readers in Santa Barbara County.
A ballot out this month is simply the newest proof: California voters are usually whiter, older, higher educated than the inhabitants at massive, and extra more likely to be married and personal their houses as nicely.
However learn how to make the voters look extra like California — which the survey additionally says a majority of voters contemplate a precedence?
A coalition of advocacy teams for poor individuals, immigrants and labor is attempting to construct assist behind a invoice for a lot broader computerized voter registration. Underneath Senate Invoice 299, the Division of Motor Automobiles could be required to ship particulars to the Secretary of State to register all eligible voters, and county election officers must notify them and provides them an opportunity to refuse. Underneath California’s present “motor voter” regulation, you’re mechanically registered if you go to DMV, however you can even merely decide out. The invoice might additionally result in computerized registration if you are available in contact with different state businesses.
California has the best variety of unregistered however eligible voters of any state, says the California Grassroots Democracy Coalition, and if everybody who’s eligible however hasn’t registered indicators up, that will add as many as 4.7 million voters. Lots of these new voters could be youthful, ladies and Latinos, reflecting California’s variety.
The coalition says it has been speaking to key gamers, however with solely 4 weeks left on this session, the plan is to attend till subsequent 12 months to push the invoice. It’s co-authored by Democratic Sens. Caroline Menjivar of Van Nuys and Monique Limón of Santa Barbara.
In an announcement, Menjivar mentioned: “Voting is among the strongest methods to provoke change in the US, and simplifying voter registration could have an on the spot and dramatic impact on voter participation all through California. We’ve got taken vital steps in the proper course, however far more may be executed to elevate up the voices of traditionally disenfranchised communities.”
