New legislation has been introduced by State Senator Vincent Hughes to automatically register all eligible citizens to vote, a bill that promises to dramatically increase voter rolls in Pennsylvania.

SB 806 would change the current voter registration process from an “opt-in” system to an “opt-out” system, automatically registering eligible individuals to vote unless they decline to participate.

“Under my proposal, a state agency would automatically collect an individual’s relevant voting-related information with the application and send it electronically to the Department of State and to the counties for purposes of registering the voter,” Hughes said.

The legislation is based on a similar law in Oregon, a state that on Monday became the first to adopt automatic voter registration.

“It is estimated that Oregon will add more than 300,000 new voters to its rolls in just a single year by implementing this system. This is something that Pennsylvania should be looking to copy and expand upon,” Hughes said.

How likely it is that the bill will passed the GOP controlled General Assembly? Let’s just say it might face some challenges.

“Increasing voter participation should not be a Republican issue or a Democratic issue, but an American issue. We must honor the memory of those who died at Selma and for the right to vote by passing this legislation,” Hughes said.