New Act Mandates Automatic Voter Registration at DMV and Age 18, Authorizes $3 Billion for State Tech Upgrades

The Register America to Vote Act of 2025 is designed to drag voter registration systems into the 21st century by making registration automatic for millions of eligible citizens. Forget filling out paper forms or missing the deadline because you moved—this bill makes it the government’s job to get you registered unless you actively say no.

Your DMV Just Became Your Voter Registrar

The biggest change comes through your state’s motor vehicle authority—your local DMV, in most cases. Under Section 5, when you apply for or renew a driver’s license, the DMV must automatically send your information to election officials to register you to vote, or update your existing record, for federal elections. This is the “opt-out” system: if you don't decline, you’re in. This applies to any “applicable transaction” at the DMV where you affirm your citizenship. The agency then has just 10 days to electronically transfer your data to election officials, who must then confirm your registration status within 60 days. For the average person, this means one less piece of paperwork to worry about during an already tedious DMV visit, and it should lead to much cleaner, more accurate voter rolls.

Catching Voters at the Starting Line

Section 4 targets the next generation of voters. States are required to set up a system to automatically register every eligible person the exact day they turn 18. This is huge for young people, who historically face the highest hurdles in getting registered in time for their first election. If you’re a high school senior, you won’t have to worry about missing the sign-up deadline; the system handles it for you the moment you become legally eligible.

The Privacy Shield and Data Security Upgrade

If you’re worried about your data flying around, Section 6 sets up some serious guardrails. The bill explicitly protects individuals from legal fallout if they are mistakenly registered—for instance, if an agency error registers a non-citizen. Your decision to decline registration or not affirm citizenship cannot be used against you in any law enforcement or civil case regarding your immigration status. Furthermore, the bill brings in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create national standards for data matching and security for all state voter lists within one year. This means states can’t just make up their own security rules anymore; they must adhere to federal cybersecurity best practices for protecting your personal information.

The Cost of Modernization (And Who Pays)

Modernizing these systems isn't cheap, but the bill provides the funding. Section 7 authorizes a massive $3 billion for fiscal year 2026, plus additional funds annually, to help states comply. This money, administered by the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), is specifically earmarked for technology upgrades, electronic signature collection, and setting up new online registration systems. This is a crucial incentive for states, especially those that might otherwise balk at the federal mandate or the administrative burden placed on their motor vehicle agencies. States that fail to certify compliance with the new NIST security standards, however, risk losing this federal funding.

The Fine Print: What’s Not Covered

While the privacy protections are strong, they aren't absolute. Section 6 clarifies that the use of voter information for political activities, such as supporting campaigns or political committees under existing federal law, is still allowed. Additionally, while the bill sets clear standards for states, it relies heavily on NIST to define the technical specifics of data matching and security. That means a non-elected federal agency holds significant power over the technical details of how states manage voter information, which is a structural detail worth noting. Finally, states have until January 1, 2026, to implement the changes, but they can apply for a two-year extension if they certify that meeting the deadline is impractical, pushing the start date back to January 1, 2028, for some.