The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has announced an audit of its motor voter registration process in light of concerns regarding noncitizen voter registration. This comes after Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro initiated automatic voter registration for individuals applying for driver’s licenses or IDs through PennDOT.

Under the new system, individuals are automatically registered unless they choose to opt out. This change has prompted fears that noncitizens could be registered unintentionally, especially given that a recent report indicated over 628,000 noncitizens in Pennsylvania hold driver’s licenses or state ID cards.

Auditor General Timothy DeFoor has stated that the audit will examine the automatic registration system covering the period from January 1 to June 30. The audit will determine whether the system complies with federal regulations and if PennDOT’s voter registration processes effectively exclude noncitizens.

Despite the importance of the audit, its findings are unlikely to influence the 2024 election timeline. DeFoor has set a deadline for PennDOT to meet regarding the audit, and the department will have 120 business days to provide a response to the findings.

The registration process has raised issues of potential confusion, particularly for individuals with language barriers. Applicants are prompted to confirm their citizenship status, and those who indicate they are not citizens face a cancellation option for voter registration. This could lead to misunderstandings about their eligibility to vote.

While the Federalist reached out for comments regarding the audit, PennDOT has yet to respond. As the state prepares for the upcoming election, ensuring the integrity of voter registration remains a critical concern.