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Lt. Gov. Beyer predicted motorvoter registration will increase voter turnout in the state, saying he expects to see more than one million new voters signed up in the next five years. The lieutenant governor pointed out that one-third of today’s eligible voters in the state are not registered to vote.
“This is a people issue,” he said. “We now can get more people involved in the democratic process. Since the other states across the country adopted motor voter in January 1995 more than one million people have been added to the voter rolls.”
Opponents of the legislation voiced concern about an increase in fraud resulting from the liberalized registration. Early in this year’s assembly Gov. Allen pushed for an amendment requiring photo identification for first-time voters.
Lawmakers and the Allen administration eventually reached a compromise calling for identification to be shown though not necessarily a photo ID.
Del. James Scott, D-Fairfax, said he thinks the concerns of fraud were unfounded.
“There is no evidence (of fraud) in any of the states that adopted this procedure before the national act. . .” he said.
The State Board of Elections received $1.3 million to put the law into effect.
“Think of the power of having all those new people involved in all the decisions that are so important to us,” Lt. Gov. Beyer said.
95.8%