Senate Bill S3371

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S3371

 TITLE OF BILL :

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION OF THE SENATE AND ASSEMBLY proposing an
amendment to section 5 of article 2 of the constitution, in relation
to the ten day advance registration requirement


 PURPOSE :

The bill allows any qualified person who is not registered to vote to
register and vote on election day.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1: Amends section 5 of article II of the constitution to
delete the requirement that a qualified person's registration must be
completed at least ten days before an election.

Section 2: Provides that the amendment be referred to the first
regular legislative session after the next general election of members
of the assembly and be published for three months prior to the date of
such election.

 EXISTING LAW :
              

Section 5 of article II of the constitution, requires that voter
registrations be completed no later than ten days prior to an
election. It also requires pursuant to section 1 of article XIX that
if a majority of both houses of the succeeding legislature pass the
amendment, then it be submitted for approval and ratification by a
majority of the people voting thereon. The amendment will become
effective on the first day of January of the year subsequent to such
ratification.

 JUSTIFICATION :

Voters often do not start paying attention to an election, become
engaged in it or get inspired to vote until a short time prior to
election day, especially where only local contests are involved.  But,
by that time it may be too late to register to vote. This leaves the
unregistered voter feeling disenfranchised and that his vote doesn't
matter. Allowing voters to register and vote on the day of an election
will encourage more people to participate in the democratic process.
Because the ten day deadline is in section 5 of article II, a
constitutional amendment is required to remove it.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 LOCAL FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This amendment takes effect on the first day of January of the year
after its approval and ratification by the people.