Schwarzenegger Signs Online Voter Registration Bill in California

I just heard from the California Young Democrats that Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill allowing online voter registration in California, making the state one of only three in the nation to allow its citizens to fully complete the voter registration process online (Arizona and Washington are the two other states).

Congrats to the CYD's who made phone calls and wrote letters to drum up support for the bill.

Soon registering to vote in California will be as easy as a few keystrokes, thanks to Senate Bill 381 (Calderon), which Governor Schwarzenegger signed today. The measure will usher in the era of online voter registration in California.

"Californians can pay bills and file their taxes online. Being able to register to vote online is the next logical step in making it easier for Californians to participate fully in their democracy," said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, California's chief elections officer. "This measure prevents fraud by limiting online voter registration to people who confirm their identity in a secure manner."

The online registration system will require registrants to provide their birth dates, the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, and the numbers from either a valid California driver's license or identification card. The Secretary of State may require additional information if it's necessary to establish a registrant's identity.

Registrants will be able to complete voter registration online using their digitized signatures that are already on file with the California Department of Motor Vehicles.