Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration said starting Tuesday it is making it easier for someone to register to vote when they are getting or renewing a driver’s license in Pennsylvania.
Under the new format, prompts on the computer screens in driver’s license centers will take the user to a template to register to vote. That leaves it up to them to choose not to register. Previously, prompts on the computer screen first asked the user whether they wanted to register to vote.
Twenty-three other states and Washington, D.C., already have varying models of what is called “automatic voter registration,” according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The difference is that not every state requires an SSN to obtain a driver’s license, and voter registration is granted provided you’re a citizen. An SSN is typically provided at birth or with granting of citizenship, but an individual or their parents have to apply for one (I think). Also too, resident noncitizens that work in the US are supposed to get an SSN for IRS reporting purposes. This is why SSNs aren’t typically considered a citizenship document.