A “best practice” among those who spread false information is sloshing it around with the tiniest bit of truth. Some, however, ignore this and go straight to peddling absolute falsehoods.
For example: “California will automatically register all illegal aliens to vote … democrat”
A website under the ironic name Truth Uncensored posted this ridiculous headline above a somewhat more accurate article.
Relying primarily on a report from World Net Daily, the article states that in April, California will start registering everyone with a driver’s license to vote. Truth Uncensored also mentions the lax laws on issuing driver’s licenses in the state and suggests that because California allows undocumented immigrants to receive driver’s licenses they will now automatically sign those individuals up as registered voters.
Several websites made similar claims, including WND, The New American, and Daily Mail.
Is there any truth to these claims?
California Assembly Bill 1461 (the New Motor Voter Act) was signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2015. Under this law, when eligible voters receive or renew their driver’s license the DMV will send the information to the secretary of state’s office (unless an individual decides to opt out). From there, the secretary’s office verifies the names and citizenship the registers those, who are confirmed as citizens, to vote.
The April 1 date mentioned in the article refers to a lawsuit settlement that allows “the more than 1 million Californians who renew their driver’s licenses by mail each year” to register to vote with one form, according to Courthouse News.
DMV spokeswoman Jessica Gonzalez told Courthouse News that the “lawsuit was settled last week in which the department agreed to continue implementing AB 1461 (The California New Motor Voter Program) according to our current schedule.”
Where do undocumented aliens come into play? Truth Uncensored cites Assembly Bill 60, “the law requiring applicants [for driver’s licenses] to prove only their identity and California residency” as the missing link. It is certainly true that AB 60 allows undocumented immigrants a special driver’s license if they provide certain proof of identity and California residency along with passing a written test, road test, and other similar requirements.
Does the New Motor Voter law, alongside AB 60, automatically register undocumented aliens to vote? No.
The Los Angeles Times predicted this question back in October of 2015, when the New Motor Voter Act was signed into law.
Additionally, Secretary of State Alex Padilla told the Los Angeles Times “We’ve built the protocols and the firewalls to not register people that aren’t eligible. …We’re going to keep those firewalls in place.”
The California’s secretary of state’s website maintains that in order to register to vote an individual must be a “United States citizen and a resident of California.”
Will those registered through the New Motor Voter Act be registered as Democrats, as the headline from Truth Uncensored suggests? No. There is zero evidence to support that ludicrous claim.
If you have questions about this fact check, or would like to submit a request for another fact check, email Holmes Lybrand at [email protected] or the Weekly Standard at [email protected]. For details on TWS Fact Check, see our explainer here.
