Labriola & Rebimbas: Risks of Fraud and Abuse Rife in Election Day Registration Bill

State Representatives David Labriola (R-131) and Rosa Rebimbas (R-70) today opposed legislation that would allow individuals to register and vote on the same day a state or municipal election is held. The bill was debated today in the State House of Representatives. Current state law requires that those wishing to vote in an upcoming municipal or state election register no later than seven days prior to the election.Under provisions of the legislation after an individual registers and votes a registration confirmation is sent to the address supplied by the registrant. If it is returned or the individual misrepresented themselves, there would be no way to remove the fraudulent vote.

“The proponents of this bill are equating this bill to the momentous steps taken to enfranchise women and minorities in the electoral process,” said Rep. Labriola. “That is completely absurd. There is no oppressed group that needs the right to register and vote on the very same day. Yet allowing this bill to pass opens the electoral process to greater incidents of fraud and abuse. Should fraud be discovered under this bill, it will be too late to reverse the impact of improper votes and they will stand.”

“This bill creates a mandate on towns and cities to create a central location where individuals can register and vote on the same day, and then staff it,” said Rep. Rebimbas. “Yet, no one has any idea how much this will cost. It’s completely irresponsible to pass a mandate like this on our municipalities with no idea what it might cost. This measure also demeans the integrity of the electoral process by creating a set of circumstances where voter registration information cannot be confirmed until after the individual has already cast a ballot.”

The bill passed the House by a vote of 81-65, and now moves on to the Senate for action there.