By Edward Mason
Staff writer
February 26, 2008 09:27 am BOSTON — A bill that would allow people to register to vote the same day they go to the polls has cleared an important hurdle on Beacon Hill, but it also has city clerks worried they'll be overwhelmed on Election Day and more vulnerable to voter fraud. "I think it will be a very busy, hectic day, and on top of it they're going to throw in same-day registration?" Peabody City Clerk Tim Spanos said. The Legislature's Election Laws Committee on Thursday sent the bill to the Senate for a vote. If approved, it would allow people to register to vote on Election Day this November and in November 2010. It would also set up a study commission to consider whether the change should be made permanent by 2011. Sen. Edward Augustus, a Worcester Democrat and Election Laws Committee co-chairman, said the time has come for same-day voter registration. "It's a recognition that people live very busy and much more mobile lives," Augustus said. "The fact is that they didn't realize when registering their kid and closing on their new house that they need to register to vote. This reflects the reality of a lot of citizens." New Hampshire and six other states have same-day registration, Augustus said. In those states, voter turnout has increased by 5 percent to 10 percent, he said. "This is one way to make sure a voter who's interested in participating, is informed and shows up — but didn't realize the deadline passed — doesn't get turned away," Augustus said. Some local officials were not so enthusiastic. "Voting is probably the most important privilege you have as a citizen," said state Rep. John Keenan, D-Salem. "I don't think it's necessarily meant to be that convenient." Keenan said he consulted with Salem City Clerk Cheryl LaPointe, who told him her office is already understaffed on Election Day and that same-day registration would only make things more difficult. "If you're really going to go out and vote, I don't think it should be too much of a problem to prepare to do that a week or two ahead of time," Keenan said. "To leave it to the last minute is inexplicable to me." Besides, registering to vote is already a simple and convenient process, Beverly City Clerk Frances Mcdonald said. "There's not a need for it (same-day registration)," Mcdonald said. "Let's face it, you turn of age, you can register to vote. As long as you live in the city or you notify us of a change of address, you're still registered." Then there's the issue of fraud. "It sets yourself up to be open to it," LaPointe said. "Voter fraud could be in any election where people walk in and don't show ID. If people don't know Joe Smith and then the real one walks in, what do you do?" Spanos wondered what would stop a voter from registering and voting in multiple places. He would probably have to add poll workers at a separate registration station, and he's not sure how they would be able to verify a walk-in's residency. Locally, the bill is supported by Rep. Barbara A. L'Italien, D-Andover. It is also backed by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and the state's chief election officer, Secretary of State William Galvin. The bill would not affect primary, special or municipal elections. New Hampshire went to same-day registration in 1992. David Scanlan, New Hampshire deputy secretary of state, said same-day registration has gone "pretty well" in the Granite State, and cases of voter fraud because of same-day registration have been "few and far between." More problematic, Scanlan said, is dealing with long lines. Scanlan said long registration lines can blend into voter lines and dissuade people from voting. That can be alleviated, Scanlan said, by having people available to keep the voting and registration lines separate and moving. Augustus said he thinks it would take too much work to pull off an Election Day voter fraud. "The effort it would take to organize people to falsify under the pains and penalties of perjury to get enough people to change the outcome of an election, it's just not practical," Augustus said. And cities and towns shouldn't have to worry about the cost of adding workers to alleviate long lines, Augustus said. He said he expects federal funds would be available through the federal Help America Vote Act to help pay for same-day registration. Staff writers Chris Cassidy and Stacie N. Galang contributed to this report.
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