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Proposal To Allow Voter Registration At DMV Moves Ahead In N.H. State House

Allegra Boverman/for NHPR

The New Hampshire House has voted to allow people to register to vote when they get or renew a driver’s license.

Under the bill, when someone applies for or renews a driver’s license at the state Division of Motor Vehicles, they would automatically be registered to vote, unless they opted out.

The bill, which has strong backing from Democrats, cleared the House by 50 votes. It now heads back to the state Senate, where it narrowly passed in a slightly different form last year.

The bill's long-term future, though, is uncertain. Support for it has split along party lines. Republicans say New Hampshire already has a high rate of voter registration and say the bill might increase costs for the secretary of state's office.

Gov. Chris Sununu, meanwhile says he has "concerns" about the bill.

I cover campaigns, elections, and government for NHPR. Stories that attract me often explore New Hampshire’s highly participatory political culture. I am interested in how ideologies – doctrinal and applied – shape our politics. I like to learn how voters make their decisions and explore how candidates and campaigns work to persuade them.
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