Covered California to send out 3.8 million voter registration forms in settlement

@johnmyers @AmyOtto8 @CoveredCA uh….what?

— eric (@eriContrarian) March 24, 2014

In a settlement reached with the ACLU of California and other groups, the state will mail 3.8 million voter registration cards to those who have signed up for insurance through the state’s insurance marketplace, Covered California.

Progressive Groups Take Obama to Task for Violating Voting Rights Law http://t.co/ZTgrB4kjq3

— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) March 20, 2014

The ACLU had threatened legal action, claiming that the National Voter Registration Act, more commonly known as the Motor Voter Bill, requires the offer of voter registration forms at all offices that provide public services, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles and the state health exchanges.

Dale Ho, director of the ACLU’s national Voting Rights Project, said the settlement should serve as a warning to other states that have not been offering voter registration through their health insurance marketplaces. These include Nevada, Hawaii, Washington, and Washington D.C.

In addition, Covered California will be required to offer voter registration online, by phone and in person with the next round of Obamacare signups.

“Many young adults are obtaining health insurance for the first time,” said Tamika Butler, California director of Young Invincibles, “and this is a great opportunity to both insure young Americans and create a young generation of registered voters.”