Americans enrolling in Obamacare may be prompted to register to vote, the MacIver Institute found on Monday while comparing premium rates on the Wisconsin exchange.
The website, of course, crashed shortly after, but not before analyst Nick Novak grabbed a screenshot of the page. (RELATED: So, the Obamacare website sure is a disaster, huh?)
“[P]rior to the website crashing, which was not the first time during the application process, it was discovered that the Obamacare website actually tries to register individuals to vote,” Novak wrote. “The link is optional, but the question remains, what does registering to vote have to do with signing up for Obamacare?”
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, also known as the “Motor Voter law” since it allowed people to register to vote while renewing their driver’s licenses, requires government agencies offering social services must also offer a chance to register to vote.
“Section 7 of the Act requires states to offer voter registration opportunities at all offices that provide public assistance and all offices that provide state-funded programs primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities,” according to the Department of Justice website.
But conservatives worry that Obamacare and its voter registration offer are meant to build a voting bloc off Americans dependent on government handouts.
“The purpose of Obamacare got nothing to do with your health, and nothing to do with your insurance,” conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh said on his program. “It’s about building a permanent, undefeatable, always-funded Democrat majority.”
Thirty-six states currently enroll individuals for health insurance through the Obamacare exchange website. At least four additional states — California, Connecticut, New York, and Vermont — ask or intend to ask users if they wish to register to vote.
“The launch, the website and the enrollment process all have been a complete disaster for Obamacare,” said Brett Healy, president of the MacIver Institute. “Why doesn’t the federal government wait until they successfully sign some people up for the program before they complicate things even further?”