Reply #5: Bill seeks end to Election Day registration

[MelissaB]

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

Bill seeks end to Election Day registration

By PAUL CARRIER, Portland Press Herald Writer


AUGUSTA — A state lawmaker wants Maine to scrap a 32-year-old law that allows voters to register on Election Day. But other lawmakers and election watchdog groups say the ban proposed by state Sen. Jonathan Courtney, R-Sanford, will be a hard sell in a state that traditionally has one of the highest voter turnouts in the country.

Courtney submitted his bill because he said he believes it would strengthen the integrity of the election process if the state sets a voter-registration deadline about two days before each election.

That way, he said, local officials will go into each election with a complete list of registered voters in their communities, avoiding the confusion that can occur when newcomers show up to register on Election Day.

Courtney offered no evidence of fraud under the existing system. But he said setting an earlier deadline would simplify the election process without disenfranchising voters, because his proposed registration cutoff would still be close to the election itself.


More: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/050118elections.shtml