LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — With just seven weeks to go before the 2012 general election, the state of California Tuesday launched the California Online Voter Registration.

The online registration portal, which can be accessed at www.lavote.net or at www.sos.ca.gov, matches the user’s California Driver’s License or Identification number to DMV records to verify the voter’s identity.

The registration process asks for a voter’s License or Identification number, last four digits of Social Security number and date of birth. The process also asks the user’s permission to send the signature on file at the DMV as verification of the voter’s registration.

The general election is on Nov. 6, but the deadline to register to vote is by midnight on Oct. 22.

State officials believe the new system will help save taxpayers’ money by reducing the need to process paper forms and improve the quality and accuracy of county voter files.

Eleven states currently or will soon offer online voter registration, including Arizona – which has had its system in place for the past 10 years – North Carolina, Washington, Oregon and Colorado.