Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced a bipartisan group of lawmakers Wednesday that would begin work on a bill to automate and streamline the state's voter registration system, possibly in time for the 2020 presidential election.

The current system "relies on this old assumption that if we don't hear from you for six years, and if you don't respond to this mailing, we make the assumption that you've moved or that you've passed on," LaRose said at a Statehouse press conference.

"We can do a lot better than that in the year 2019, and come up with a system that doesn't inconvenience infrequent voters ... while at the same time maintains an accurate list."

LaRose proposes allowing eligible Ohioans to automatically register to vote or update their information when they pay taxes, get new license tags for their vehicle or even purchase a hunting or fishing license.

"Any time someone interacts with state government should present an opportunity to update your information or become a registered voter, and that should be an opt-out, not an opt in system," LaRose said. "The default position is we're going to register someone to vote unless they choose not to."

The working group consists of Sen. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, and Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Cleveland. The goal is to have legislation ready to introduce this summer.

"This is part of the solution of increasing voter turnout," Sweeney said. "A lot of other states have enacted this."

She said as many as 1 million eligible voters could be added to Ohio rolls.

Manning said "it's common sense. If we are able to do it technology-wise, let's do it. Let's make government easier for people. Let's make it more efficient."

"The secretary of state has shown strong leadership on this issue and I am eager to work with him and my colleagues in the General Assembly to develop a 21st-century voter registration process," Sykes said.

"I believe the right people are in place to have thoughtful deliberations and ultimately work out a system that aligns with the idea that voting is a fundamental right.”

The proposal would not eliminate the state requirement to remove infrequent voters from the rolls, but should reduce the number, LaRose said.

Under state law, the registrations of voters are revoked once they have not cast a ballot in any election over six years and fail to respond to notices mailed by county boards of elections.

ccandisky@dispatch.com

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