Oregon automatic voter registration a success, with a hitch

(AP) — Oregon's landmark new automatic voter registration system added nearly 52,000 voters in just four months this year, more than double what the state has normally seen for an entire year.

Under the new law, Oregonians 18 and up are automatically registered to vote while renewing or applying for a driver's license or state ID card, but they can't pick a party at that time.

What's happened so far suggests the first wrinkle in fulfilling the law's promise of knocking down outdated barriers to voting, Moore said.

California, which is rolling out its motor-voter program next year, will allow people the option of registering to vote and also affiliate with a party on driver's license applications at the motor vehicle department.

Jonathan Brater, counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice's Democracy program at New York University School of Law, said the Oregon data show how critical party affiliations will be for other states to consider.