HB1467: HB1467 Elections; motor-voter applications shall be opt-in instead of opt-out; provide

Currently, when eligible Georgians apply for, renew, or change information on a driver's license or ID card through the Department of Driver Services, that application also serves as a voter registration application unless the person specifically declines. This bill flips that default. Under the new language, the license or ID application would only count as a voter registration application if the person chooses to register, and the person would need to sign a voter registration application to register or update their address for voting purposes. The bill amends O.C.G.A. § 21-2-221, which governs how driver's license applications interact with voter registration under Georgia's motor-voter law. It does not create new penalties or funding, and it repeals any conflicting laws. No specific effective date is stated beyond the standard process for a signed act.

• Changes Georgia's motor-voter law so a driver's license or ID application no longer automatically registers an eligible applicant to vote by default.
• Requires applicants to affirmatively sign a voter registration application in order to register to vote or update their address for voting.
• Removes the prior opt-out structure where registration happened automatically unless the applicant declined or failed to sign.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new opt-in approach.

The change affects eligible Georgians who are within six months of turning 18 or older and who apply for, renew, or change a driver's license or state identification card through the Department of Driver Services, as well as county election officials who process voter registrations.

Under current law, many Georgians get registered to vote simply by handling their driver's license paperwork unless they say no. This bill would mean people must actively choose to register, which could reduce automatic registrations for those who do not take the extra step to sign up.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 21-2-221(a), changing the driver's license application from an automatic voter registration application to one that only applies if the applicant opts in.
• The revised text removes the prior rule that registration happens 'unless the applicant declines,' replacing it with a requirement that the applicant sign to register.
• Applicants can still sign the voter registration application to register or to update their address if they have moved.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-03-03House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-26House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-25House Hopper (House)

• Tim Fleming (R, HD-114)Primary sponsor
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Martin Momtahan (R, HD-017)
• Mitchell Scoggins (R, HD-014)
• Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)

• voter registration
• motor voter law
• election rules
• driver's license applications