House Finance Committee hears bill to allow 16-year-old preregistration amid privacy and IT cost questions

Representative Andy Story introduced House Bill 21 to the House Finance Committee on Feb. 26, saying the measure would “allow 16 year olds to pre register to vote” as a tool to strengthen civics education and build voting habits.

Story told the committee that younger voters participate at much lower rates and that preregistration programs in about 20 other states have produced positive engagement: “When someone participates in their first eligible election, they are significantly more likely to continue voting throughout their life,” she said.

Committee members pressed the sponsor and agency officials on implementation, data security and costs. Carol Beecher, director of the Division of Elections, said preregistration records would be kept separate from publicly released lists and would be “completely confidential and would not be provided,” and that preregistration records would be stored in the voter registration system.

Beecher presented an updated fiscal note that reflects 2025 population estimates and recent postage changes and said the annual cost would be approximately $16,410 based on full participation. Brody Anderson, staff to Representative Foster, presented a separate fiscal note from the Department of Motor Vehicles that anticipates adding one full-time analyst and roughly $149,000 in annual personal services starting in FY27 to handle programming, interagency connectivity and ongoing maintenance.

Several members raised operational concerns. Representatives asked whether current voter forms and the registration workflow (including a notice sent before an applicant turns 18 to confirm address and intent) would need to be changed; Story and Beecher said the state would adapt forms to identify preregistrants as 16-year-olds and would send a prepaid, preaddressed return card to confirm registration three months before an applicant’s 18th birthday. Representatives also asked whether parental consent would be required; Story said the bill does not require parental permission.

Privacy and cybersecurity questions featured prominently. Representative Ballard cited a prior breach affecting voter-related records and asked for guarantees; Beecher said she could not guarantee absolute security but explained the preregistration list would be isolated behind state security measures and that the earlier breach involved absentee ballot application data rather than the voter registration system.

Legal and practical questions included whether the attestation language on the registration form would put minors under a criminal signature standard; committee members and agency staff noted existing statutes on registration attestations and that election-related offenses and perjury provisions would apply. Some legislators also cited a 2017 Fowler study and other evidence suggesting mixed impacts of preregistration on turnout.

Faced with differing fiscal estimates and several open implementation questions — including whether DMV IT capacity and backlog justify a permanent position and how preregistration would be managed in rural communities — the committee did not move the bill forward and voted to set HB21 aside for further work and clarification.

The committee scheduled follow-up work and will revisit fiscal-note details, implementation plans for forms and IT, and privacy safeguards before any recommendation is made.