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Panel advances bill to expand online voter registration to Californians without DMV IDs
Summary
The Senate Elections Committee advanced AB 11 16, which would let eligible Californians without a California DMV-issued ID register online using the last four digits of their Social Security number and an uploaded signature image; supporters said it increases access and cuts county paperwork while the Secretary of State’s office warned of technical and security challenges.
AB 11 16, introduced as an update to California’s online voter registration system, won committee approval to move forward after supporters argued the change would expand access and reduce county paperwork.
The author said the bill would allow eligible Californians who lack a California Department of Motor Vehicles identification to register online by providing the last four digits of their Social Security number and an uploaded image of their signature, while preserving the option to use a paper registration form.
“My name is Michael Moser,” testified Michael Moser, a consultant for Responsive Government Action and a former election security official, “AB 11 16 upgrades California's online voter registration system so more eligible Californians can register to vote online. This change will improve voter access and convenience, save money, and increase the accuracy and security of voter registration.” He cited secretary of state data showing roughly 920,000 paper registration forms were submitted in 2024 and estimated processing costs of about $4.72 per form.
Amy Hamlin, a policy advisor with NextGen California, told the committee the bill would help people without DMV IDs: “By one estimate, over 1,000,000 eligible Californians do not have a California DMV issued ID. About half those are people without any government issued ID and half those with an ID from a different state.” She said allowing the last four SSN digits and an electronic signature upload is a straightforward fix to improve access, especially for young people, people of color and people with disabilities.
But the Secretary of State's office urged caution. Tim Cromartie, representing Secretary of State Shirley Weber, said the office is sympathetic to the concept but raised “significant and multiple concerns,” arguing that VoteCal was not designed to accept public file uploads and that allowing external image files without additional funding and cybersecurity measures could create malware and operational risks.
The bill’s author and witnesses said AB 11 16 is intended to mirror existing verification on paper registration forms and does not change eligibility checks. “The validation in this bill is exactly how it would be done with the paper form,” the author said, and witnesses described state and county workflows, including checks with DMVs and the Social Security Administration, that would remain in place.
The committee recorded a motion and ultimately advanced the bill out of committee by roll call. The chair said he supported the measure while acknowledging agency concerns and asked the Secretary of State’s office to work with the author on technical specifications.
The committee placed the bill on call when some members were absent and recorded a final favorable tally before adjourning. The measure will be referred to the next committee listed by the rules for further consideration.
