MACON, Ga. — Highly acclaimed writer and producer Shonda Rhimes was in Macon this week encouraging people to get out the vote. While here, she shared a tidbit she felt many voters didn't know.
"A lot of people don't know that if they have a driver's license, they're already registered to vote," Rhimes said.
A viewer reached out to our Verify the Vote team, hoping to verify this information.
Our Question
If you have a drivers license are you a registered voter?
Our Sources
- Charles Bullock, University of Georgia political science professor
- The Department of Drivers Services.
The Answer
Needs context. When you get your drivers license or update it, your information will be used to register you to vote unless you opt out.
What we found
The question needs context. According to the Department of Drivers Services website, when you go to apply for a license, DDS will give your information to the Georgia Secretary of State's office to register you to vote.
"You'll get registered unless you say. 'Oh, no, no, I don't want to register to vote'. Otherwise, yeah, you're signed up to vote at that point," Bullock said.
Bullock says this policy has been around since 2016.
DDS' website says when they ask about registration, you can press the opt out button if you don't want to register or update your voter information.
"This is a major reason we see so many people who are now registered to vote because it is so easy. You don't have to go to the courthouse to fill out forms," Bullock said.
2023 research from the Election Innovation and Research Center says active registered voter numbers increased by 20% in the first four years of automatic registration.
About 20 states have a similar system, assuming you're 18.
"Counties can determine how much they want to publicize it, but this is any place in Georgia when you go and get that driver's license," Bullock said.
You can always check your voter registration status here.