California Registering Non-Citizens to Vote

[pushbrk 12,207]

California is reportedly automatically registering people to vote when they are issued or renew their driver licenses.  Please see the link in my signature about the dangers associated with this, as related to eventual US Citizenship.

[Scandi 3,977]

I remember that there was a question on the form you had to fill out at DMV that asked if you were a citizen, it's weird that they would still register you to vote when you checked "no" to being a citizen on the form.

[RandyW 149]

The facts according to the LA Times - Here's how California's new voter registration law will work

 

Quote

Although citizens are currently offered the opportunity to register to vote at the DMV under an earlier federal law, noncitizens are not. That will continue under the new registration process. People applying for the special licenses will not be asked about their eligibility to vote and will not be asked if they’d like to opt out of registration.

 

[Scandi 3,977]

So basically, the only way to citizenship is to never apply for a drivers license in California, is that what they're saying? And no State ID either?

[RandyW 149]

10 hours ago, Scandi said:

So basically, the only way to citizenship is to never apply for a drivers license in California, is that what they're saying? And no State ID either?

 

 

The FACTS according to the LA Times - Here's how California's new voter registration law will work

[Scandi 3,977]

Seems like the only thing that has changed is the box you check on the form when you apply for a drivers license.

 

It used to be a box to check if you wanted to register to vote,

now that is changed and instead it tells you to check the box if you DON'T want to register to vote. So all you need to do is to check that box and you're perfectly fine.

 

Also, from what I understand DMV doesn't register you to vote, they only send a request to whoever decides who is eligible to vote or not. So even if you forgot to check that box it still won't affect your status in the US. You will get a letter in the mailbox asking for more info, you just check the box saying you aren't eligible to vote because you're not a citizen and send it back.

 

So basically, nothing to be worried about here. 

 

I also found this article that says you won't be punished if you forget to check the "opt out" box:

 

Quote

A person who makes a false statement in completing a voter registration application form or the voter registration portion of an application for a motor vehicle driver’s license or nondriver identification card knowing the statement to be false shall be subject to the penalties of perjury as provided in 13 V.S.A. § 2901, except that a person who is not eligible to register to vote and who otherwise completes the application accurately shall not be considered to have made a false statement under this subsection by his or her unintentional failure to decline to register on a motor vehicle driver’s license or nondriver identification card application under section 2145a of this chapter.

 

https://www.snopes.com/non-citizens-vote-registered-dmv/

[pushbrk 12,207]

4 hours ago, Scandi said:

Seems like the only thing that has changed is the box you check on the form when you apply for a drivers license.

 

It used to be a box to check if you wanted to register to vote,

now that is changed and instead it tells you to check the box if you DON'T want to register to vote. So all you need to do is to check that box and you're perfectly fine.

 

Also, from what I understand DMV doesn't register you to vote, they only send a request to whoever decides who is eligible to vote or not. So even if you forgot to check that box it still won't affect your status in the US. You will get a letter in the mailbox asking for more info, you just check the box saying you aren't eligible to vote because you're not a citizen and send it back.

 

So basically, nothing to be worried about here. 

 

I also found this article that says you won't be punished if you forget to check the "opt out" box:

 

 

https://www.snopes.com/non-citizens-vote-registered-dmv/

The quote refers to Vermont State Law.  It's US Immigration Law that impacts non-citizens registering to vote.  All a State like Vermont or California can control is State consequences, not US Immigration Consequences.  Quotes without context can be very misleading.

[Scandi 3,977]

7 hours ago, pushbrk said:

The quote refers to Vermont State Law.  It's US Immigration Law that impacts non-citizens registering to vote.  All a State like Vermont or California can control is State consequences, not US Immigration Consequences.  Quotes without context can be very misleading.

Either way, seems to be next to impossible to end up in the voter registry if you tick the box on the DMV form. And even if you miss that you will still get some kind of "registration form" sent to your mailbox where you verify if you're eligible to vote or not. On that form you check the box "non-citizen/not eligible" and send it back.

 

There are several ways to get it right, one must be completely ignorant to not get it right by the look of it.

[pushbrk 12,207]

8 hours ago, Scandi said:

Either way, seems to be next to impossible to end up in the voter registry if you tick the box on the DMV form. And even if you miss that you will still get some kind of "registration form" sent to your mailbox where you verify if you're eligible to vote or not. On that form you check the box "non-citizen/not eligible" and send it back.

 

There are several ways to get it right, one must be completely ignorant to not get it right by the look of it.

That's Vermont.  The post is about California.

[Ontarkie 13,941]

I did not get a registration form to fill out when I checked my DL box to be registered to vote. I just got the voter registration card in the mail later. I would not count on getting any forms to fill out to finish the process. 

[Scandi 3,977]

33 minutes ago, Ontarkie said:

I did not get a registration form to fill out when I checked my DL box to be registered to vote. I just got the voter registration card in the mail later. I would not count on getting any forms to fill out to finish the process. 

Seems like only non-citizens get it since it can't automatically be proven that they are eligible to vote, unlike citizens. So they send it to ask for more info from you to determine if you're eligible or not (you can ofcourse lie on the form but I don't see a reason for why anyone would, unless maybe you're illegal and still feel like voting).