SPONSOR:

Rep. Longhurst & Sen. McDowell

 

Reps. Barbieri, Carson, George, J. Johnson, Q. Johnson, Keeley, Kowalko, Mitchell, Plant, Schooley, Schwartzkopf, Scott, B. Short, Viola, Walls, D.E. Williams, D.P. Williams; Sen. Blevins, Hall-Long, Katz

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

145th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 381

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 15 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO ELECTIONS.


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1.Amend §1701, Title 15 of the Delaware Code by designating the entirety of the existing section as subsection "(a)" thereof and by adding a new subsection "(b)" thereto as follows:

"(b) The Department shall permit registration of any citizen and bona fide resident of this State 16 years of age or older through the Division of Motor Vehicles as set forth in §050(a) of this Chapter, provided that such applicant shall not be a qualified voter unless the person will be 18 years of age or older on or before the day of the general election next succeeding the applicant's registration.".

Section 2.The provisions of this Act shall take effect on January 1, 2012.

SYNOPSIS

Current Delaware law allows individuals 18 and older, and those who will turn 18 before the next general election, to register to vote through the Division of Motor Vehicles.This act would allow 16 year olds to register to vote through the Division of Motor Vehicle at the time they first apply for their driver's license.Such individuals, however, will not be allowed to vote unless they will turn 18 before the next general election.