California Health Exchange Also Will Offer Voter Registration

May 20, 2013

California will become the first state to offer voter registration through its health insurance marketplace later this year.

Millions of Californians will get the chance to register at the same time they are buying insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act. Open enrollment begins in October.

The Secretary of State formally designated Covered California as a voter registration agency this week.

A 1993 federal law requires states to designate agencies and offices that provide public assistance or disability services as voter registration agencies. A bill by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla of Los Angeles that was signed into law last year allowed the exchange to have such authority.

Padilla says increasing voter registration will be good for the state because nearly 5.8 million Californians who are eligible are not registered.

Topics California

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Latest Comments

  • May 28, 2013 at 12:08 pm
    Libby says:
    What makes you think these people are not legal to vote just because they are following the law and obtaining health insurance? That's quite a stretch in and of itself. And ... read more
  • May 24, 2013 at 2:02 pm
    Texas Ag says:
    It has always been easy to vote. We don't need to make it easier to vote fraudulently. We just want to be sure that folks who are legal to vote do the voting.
  • May 24, 2013 at 1:42 pm
    insurance is fun! says:
    Yes, whether a Republican or Democrat is in office and the perception is that they are giving away the free stuff. Don't tell me you want to make it impossible to vote - like ... read more

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