Electronic voter registration urged in New Jersey

New Jersey lawmakers are pushing the state to bring voter registration into the digital age.

Sandra Matsen with the League of Women Voters of New Jersey said the update would make it more convenient for residents to register online. And she said security measures would ensure the integrity of the  new system.

“The bill still requires a county commissioner of registration to determine that an applicant is eligible to vote just as with a paper registration,” Matsen said Tuesday. “No states have reported any security breaches.”

About three dozen states already have online voter registration.

“It really has led to a reduction in errors,” Matsen said. “In every place where it has been implemented, there is an eventual cost savings over managing a paper registration.”

To prove their identity, applicants would be required to include their birth date, driver’s license number, and part of their Social Security number.

Online registration was included in a package of sweeping voting changes that Gov. Chris Christie vetoed last year. At the time, he said residents can easily obtain paper registration forms at government offices and libraries.