Today the Arizona State Senate heard preregistration Senate Bill 1220, a proposed measure to allow all 17-year-old citizens to preregister to vote in order to automatically be on the voter rolls upon turning 18.
At the hearing, state representative and author of similar House Bill 2269, Ed Ablesser presented to the Senate Government Institutions committee about the issue of youth voting. Ablesser explained that the lack of a set preregistration policy in the state creates confusion and does not maximize on the state’s current law that allows a citizen to register to vote as long as he or she will be 18 by the next election. Under the proposed measure, Ablesser explained, all young people who reach the age of 17 will be able to preregister at any time, helping to engage young people in the voting processes earlier.
Much to the disappointment of the many supporters who attended the hearing, the chairman of the committee decided to hold the bill and not allow a vote, despite a positive reception from the committee to Ablesser’s presentation. Bill supporters expressed disappointment in the chairman’s actions, but are hopeful about bringing preregistration to the legislature next year.
Read Project Vote’s fact sheet on Preregistration in Arizona here.
Watch the hearing here.