Photo by Jacques Arsenault.

The D.C. Council unanimously passed a bill that would automatically register residents to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

This was the final reading for the Automatic Voter Registration Amendment Act, which needs to be signed by Mayor Muriel Bowser and sent to Capitol Hill for a 30-day Congressional review before it becomes the law of the land. That means it won’t affect this current election.

“At a time when many jurisdictions seem more interested in finding ways to block people from voting, I am proud that the District is moving in the opposite direction,” said Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen. “Between automatic voter registration, online voter registration, and the District’s membership in the Electronic Registration Information Center, D.C. could soon have some of the most accurate voter rolls in the nation.”

Under the legislation, the DMV becomes a two-for-one deal for residents getting IDs, because they can also register to vote, as well as choose or change their party affiliation. The DMV would pass along the information to the D.C. Board of Elections, which would then add it to the voter rolls.

The bill doesn’t require people to vote, but instead makes the registration system opt-out rather than opt-in.

“The agencies involved are capable and prepared to enact it,” says Laura Marks, spokesperson for Allen. “Any issues that were raised in terms of technical ability were worked out before the markup.”

Allen introduced the bill in May 2015, along with Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans, Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh, At-large Councilmembers Elissa Silverman and Anita Bonds, and former At-large Councilmember Vincent Orange, and co-sponsored by At-large Councilmember David Grosso.

Oregon, California, Connecticut, Vermont, and West Virginia all already have automatic voter registration.

The mayor’s office has not responded to a request for comment. Marks says that she assumes “they are supportive,” given that DCBOE “testified in support of the Automatic Voter Registration Act at its hearing in January.”

Plus, here’s your reminder that early voting in D.C. is ongoing through November 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. People can register at the nine early voting centers (check for lines at the DCBOE website). Here’s where they’re located:

• One Judiciary Square (441 4th Street NW)
• Columbia Heights Community Center (1480 Girard Street NW)
• Takoma Community Center (300 Van Buren Street NW)
• Chevy Chase Community Center (5601 Connecticut Avenue NW)
• Turkey Thicket Recreation Center (1100 Michigan Avenue NE)
• King Greenleaf Recreation Center (201 N Street SW)
• Dorothy Height/Benning Library (3935 Benning Road NE)
• Sherwood Recreation Center (640 10th St NE)
• Malcolm X Elementary School (1351 Alabama Ave SE)

As of Monday evening, 42,310 District residents voted early.

Updated to reflect DCBOE testified in support of the Automatic Voter Registration Act in January.