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Lawmakers consider same-day voter registration

 By SUSAN HAIGH
Associated Press Writer

December 8, 2004, 5:55 PM EST


HARTFORD, Conn. State legislators were asked Wednesday to consider resurrecting a bill that would allow people to register to vote on Election Day.

The request comes as several government reform groups are suing the state in federal court, claiming Connecticut's deadline for registering to vote is unconstitutional. The groups believe allowing people to register on Election Day would open the process.

Arguments in the case are expected to begin in February.

"This session presents an opportunity for the legislature to deal with these issues before the court does," said Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, who testified before the legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee.

The committee held an informational hearing to review any successes and pitfalls with this year's presidential election, and to hear suggestions about new legislation. The new legislative session begins Jan. 5.

Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said she believes that any lingering problems from this year's election _ which she maintains went smoothly _ could be solved by enacting same-day registration. For instance, she said the use of presidential and provisional ballots _ which sometimes create some confusion for poll workers and voters _ would likely decline with same-day registration.

This year about 32,000 unregistered voters cast presidential ballots that allowed them to vote only for president. There were 1,573 provisional ballots requested by voters who thought they were registered but weren't on the rolls. Local election officials later verified the voters' claims and included 498 in the final count.

Under Connecticut law, people can only use provisional ballots to vote for federal offices, not state offices.

In 2003, then-Gov. John G. Rowland vetoed a bill that would have allowed same-day registration. He said the legislation could open up the system to fraud.

Richard J. Abbate, president of the Registrar of Voters Association of Connecticut and the Republican registrar in Cheshire, said his fellow registrars don't like the idea of same-day registration. Abbate said there are some problems with the state's computerized voting list, a need for training for poll workers and a lack of personnel.

"From a practical standpoint, we have problems that are going to cause serious difficulties for us," Abbate said.

Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford, a proponent of same-day registration, said Connecticut should use some of the federal money it is receiving from the federal Help America Vote Act to improve voting _ such as buying new machines _ and help the registrars to register people on Election Day.



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