Unregistered voters can now hit two birds with one stone at the Division of Motor Vehicles.
The Department of Elections announced Tuesday that Delawareans not yet registered to vote will be automatically registered when receiving or renewing their driver's license at the DMV. They must be 18 to be registered.
Department of Elections spokesperson Cathleen Hartsky-Carter says automatic voter registration creates a seamless system between the DMV and Elections Dept. for the transfer of new voter data into Delaware’s voter registration database.
“And when the Department gets that information, we verify the person’s eligibility to register, and then register them to vote," she says. "So it’s a completely seamless process. There’s nothing that the voter, or the applicant for voting has to do on their end at DMV. Everything is done by the Department of Elections.”
People are only registered to vote, they are not required to select a political party. Hartsky-Carter says once drivers’ eligibility is confirmed, they will be sent a response form to pick a party or unregister.
“When we receive the voter application and we verify that person is eligible to register, and then they’re sent that notice," she says. "Now that notice includes that response form and the person can mark their party on that response form.”
AVR voters may choose a political party through the day of the first primary election following their automatic voter registration at DMV in order to vote in that primary election. Delaware is a closed primary state, so only voters registered with the Democratic or Republican Party may vote in their party’s primary election.
Hartsky-Carter also emphasizes data exchange is secure and protected by the Privacy Act.
Voters should contact the Department of Elections, not the DMV, with any questions about the Automatic Voter Registration process.
