Last week’s column about Oregon’s new law that automatically registers residents as voters when they get or renew a driver’s license prompted some readers to conclude Spin Control is against more voters.

To be clear, we’re opposed to finding ways of registering more voters who have so little interest in voting they won’t take advantage of already easy steps to register, just for the sake of saying the state has registered more voters. Some will vote, several readers pointed out in backing the change. If that’s the gold standard, Washington could say anyone who isn’t registered to show up at the county elections office on Election Day, show proof of citizenship and residence, and get a ballot.

Not suggesting that’s the way to go, as merely mentioning such a plan might cause Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton to call and question my sanity.

The Legislature is considering a bill to make voter registration a bit easier, matching the deadline for online signup and the deadline for in-person signup at 11 days out from the election, which provides ample time for processing the registration. That’s a reasonable idea.

That bill and some other tweaks to the electoral system were heard last week in the Senate Government Operations Committee. Sen. Don Benton, R-Vancouver, wanted to know when the last time the state prosecuted someone for registering to vote when they weren’t eligible, which is a felony. Not in anyone’s memory, elections officials said; they don’t question eligibility unless another voter files a challenge, which is rare.

The only way to fix that is wipe the voter rolls clean and have everyone show proof of citizenship when they go to re-register, said Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn. “I don’t think it’s going to pass in this Legislature.”

Nor should it. Ever. 

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