House Bill 317, legislation aimed at reviewing Delaware’s automatic voter registration system, advanced unanimously out of the House Elections Committee on Wednesday and is now headed to the House floor.
The bill, sponsored by Bryan Shupe, would require the Department of Elections, DMV, and other state agencies involved in automatic voter registration to review registrations dating back to January 1, 2021, to verify citizenship, residency, age eligibility, felony status, and identifying information.
Shupe said approximately 50,000 registrations may require additional review due to document collection practices before and after Delaware’s Real ID implementation.
“This issue became very real when a green card holder in my district contacted me after she was automatically registered to vote,” Shupe said in a statement following the committee vote. “HB 317 is about protecting election integrity, fixing a real problem, and ensuring every voter on Delaware’s rolls is legally eligible.”
According to the bill’s fiscal note, the legislation would cost nearly $100,000 a year in DMV expenses and create ongoing staffing and operational costs for the Department of Elections through at least Fiscal Year 2029.
While the bill would take effect upon the governor’s signature if passed, the review process would likely take months to complete. The legislation still must pass both chambers of the General Assembly before reaching Governor Matt Meyer’s desk.
If the bill moves quickly it could become law prior to the November’s election. This is not likely to happen.
