House Panel OKs Same-Day Registration, VotingRALEIGH, N.C. -- A House committee split along party lines agreed
Wednesday to allow voters to cast ballots the same day that they
register during the early voting period for elections.
State law now requires that a person must be registered 25 days before a primary or an election in order to cast a ballot.
The proposal is seen as a way to encourage more people to vote, especially college students, by creating an incentive to register. The bill also jumps on the success of in-person early voting, which was used by more than 983,000 voters in the 2004 election.
"It's hard for us to get registered to vote," said Forrest Hinton, an incoming junior at North Carolina State University and vice president of student government. "It's a complicated system."
The bill, which would take effect with the 2006 elections if it became law, would require a person arriving at a one-stop site to show a picture ID or other proof of identity. The person would complete a registration form attesting as a U.S. citizen living in the county for at least 30 days. The person could vote immediately by early absentee ballot, but only on that day. Otherwise, the registration would be voided.
Many young people apparently don't know the voter registration rules, according to a report being released Thursday by the voting reform group Democracy North Carolina.
Just 2 percent of more than 500 young people that group members interviewed this summer knew of the 25-day registration deadline.
Only 38 percent of North Carolinians ages 18-24 voted in the last election, below the national average of 42 percent.
The bill passed by a vote of 9-7, thanks in part to three Democratic "floaters" -- House members allowed to vote on any committee. The bill now heads to the House Appropriations Committee.
Republican committee members complained the bill could make voting more complicated, burden overworked county election officials and loosen voting restrictions.
"We're not opposed to high turnout," said Phil Strach, a state Republican Party attorney who spoke to the committee.
State Board of Elections director Gary Bartlett said federal election money is available to help counties with accessing state voter databases to ensure that same-day registrants aren't already able to vote elsewhere. Bartlett said, however, that counties may have to hire to more people to help with additional registrations.
It also could worsen the electorate's already blemished view of the voting system, one GOP legislator said. Last November's election was marked by 4,438 lost ballots in Carteret County and the unresolved election for state school superintendent.
"The public is questioning the integrity of the process," said Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford, a member of the House election law committee.
But Democrats, such as bill co-sponsor Rep. Deborah Ross of Wake County, countered that the bill actually has safeguards to ensure a potential voter's identity.
The measure also asks the State Board of Elections to study the feasibility of expanding same-day registration to all voting places on the day of an election.
State law now requires that a person must be registered 25 days before a primary or an election in order to cast a ballot.
The proposal is seen as a way to encourage more people to vote, especially college students, by creating an incentive to register. The bill also jumps on the success of in-person early voting, which was used by more than 983,000 voters in the 2004 election.
"It's hard for us to get registered to vote," said Forrest Hinton, an incoming junior at North Carolina State University and vice president of student government. "It's a complicated system."
The bill, which would take effect with the 2006 elections if it became law, would require a person arriving at a one-stop site to show a picture ID or other proof of identity. The person would complete a registration form attesting as a U.S. citizen living in the county for at least 30 days. The person could vote immediately by early absentee ballot, but only on that day. Otherwise, the registration would be voided.
Many young people apparently don't know the voter registration rules, according to a report being released Thursday by the voting reform group Democracy North Carolina.
Just 2 percent of more than 500 young people that group members interviewed this summer knew of the 25-day registration deadline.
Only 38 percent of North Carolinians ages 18-24 voted in the last election, below the national average of 42 percent.
The bill passed by a vote of 9-7, thanks in part to three Democratic "floaters" -- House members allowed to vote on any committee. The bill now heads to the House Appropriations Committee.
Republican committee members complained the bill could make voting more complicated, burden overworked county election officials and loosen voting restrictions.
"We're not opposed to high turnout," said Phil Strach, a state Republican Party attorney who spoke to the committee.
State Board of Elections director Gary Bartlett said federal election money is available to help counties with accessing state voter databases to ensure that same-day registrants aren't already able to vote elsewhere. Bartlett said, however, that counties may have to hire to more people to help with additional registrations.
It also could worsen the electorate's already blemished view of the voting system, one GOP legislator said. Last November's election was marked by 4,438 lost ballots in Carteret County and the unresolved election for state school superintendent.
"The public is questioning the integrity of the process," said Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford, a member of the House election law committee.
But Democrats, such as bill co-sponsor Rep. Deborah Ross of Wake County, countered that the bill actually has safeguards to ensure a potential voter's identity.
The measure also asks the State Board of Elections to study the feasibility of expanding same-day registration to all voting places on the day of an election.