The state of California is hoping to head off a federal lawsuit over voting rights by sending voter registration cards to residents who have applied for coverage under the Affordable Care Act.
Sending out the registration cards will bring the state into compliance with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. From the Los Angeles Times:
The accord resulted from negotiations between the state and the ACLU of California and other groups representing the League of Women Voters of California, Young Invincibles and several individuals.
“Many eligible voters fail to register due to lack of access and opportunity,” Jennifer A. Waggoner, League of Women Voters president, said in a statement announcing the settlement. “Offering voter registration to the millions of people enrolling in healthcare is a simple step toward reaching out to them.”
Raul Macias, a voting rights attorney for the ACLU, said California was first in adding its insurance exchange to the list of services offering voter registration assistance, but failed to follow through when the exchange opened.
