Candelora: Risks of Fraud and Abuse Rife in Election Day Registration Bill

State Representative Vincent Candelora (R-86) 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.

“This bill has tremendous flaws and opens up an unacceptable level of increased risk for voter fraud,” said Rep. Candelora. “We are not requiring photo identification from registrants, we will have no way to catch a fraudulent registration until after they have voted, and it is a financial burden on municipalities who will be required to set up and staff a central location to process these new voters.”

Candelora also noted that there is inadequate assurance of United States citizenship for those who register to vote. While individuals may provide a birth certificate or a social security card, they aren’t required. Foreign students can obtain a student ID which is sufficient under provisions of the bill.

“The City of New Haven now provides identification cards to residents without certifying that they are in fact legal residents of the country,” said Candelora. “Such cards can be used in the voting process under this bill by individuals who are in this country illegally.”

With this in mind, Candelora introduced an amendment to the bill which requires municipalities that issue such cards to print on the face of the card that it does not serve as sufficient identification to register to vote.

The amendment failed on a party-line vote, 107-37. The bill passed the House by a vote of 81-65, and now moves on to the Senate for action there.