Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a measure Monday allowing automatic voter registration in Illinois.
Illinois joins more than half a dozen other states with some form of automatic registration, which proponents say boosts civic participation.
"This is good bipartisan legislation and it addresses the fundamental fact that the right to vote is foundational for the rights of Americans in our democracy," Rauner said at a Chicago bill signing ceremony attended by voter rights groups and Democratic lawmakers. "We as a people need to do everything we can to knock down barriers, remove hurdles for all those who are eligible to vote, to be able to vote."
“This is a major victory for voting rights and democracy. Congratulations to Illinois on enacting automatic voter registration. We need to make sure that on a national level, every American over 18 is registered to vote automatically, so that students and working people can make their voices heard at the ballot box. Enough with cowardly politicians protecting themselves by suppressing the vote. The way we fight it is to make it easier for people to exercise their right to vote,” -- Senator Bernie Sanders.
By Sophia Tareen, Associated Press
