'Motor voter' passes Senate, heads to governor's desk

Nevadans are one step closer to being automatically registered to vote when they renew their license after the Senate on Monday passed a petition initiative along party lines.

Initiative Petition 1 would automatically register people to vote when they update their Department of Motor Vehicle information – more commonly known as “motor voter” – essentially creating an opt-out system where individuals could decline to register instead of the current opt-in system where people choose to register.

IP1 already passed the Assembly and is on the way to Gov. Brian Sandoval’s desk. In both chambers, the vote tally came down along partisan lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans against.

Assistant Senate Minority Leader Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, said voter fraud was his main concern. While voter fraud isn’t a mass issue, the initiative does not account for people with green cards who get their license, Kieckhefer said.

Read more: http://www.rgj.com/story/news/politics/2017/03/13/motor-voter-passes-senate-heads-governors-desk/99135054/