Although a House committee on Thursday recommended a bill that would allow New Mexico voters to register to vote on Election Day, several lawmakers including the bill's sponsor are already talking about amending it.

Rep. Jim Trujillo, D-Santa Fe, said he believes his Same-Day Registration Act (House Bill 52) would have a better chance of passing if the bill wouldn't allow registration on the day of the election itself, but would allow voters to register at early voting locations. Early voting begins in mid-October before a general election and lands on the Saturday before the election.

Under current law, the voter registration deadline ceases 28 days before an election.

Advocates of same-day voting say it increases voter participation and makes it easier for those who have moved from another state. William Mee of Voter Services Coalition told the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee that many people are disenfranchised by failing to register in time.

Several other states already have same-day registration. Patty O'Connor, a elections director in Blue Earth County, Minn., told the committee that it has worked well in her state. Even though Minnesota's close U.S. Senate race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken still is in the courts after a lengthy recount, O'Connor said same-day voting registration was never an issue in that battle.

But Republicans bitterly oppose the idea. Nina Martinez, the first vice chairwoman of the state GOP, told the committee that same-day registration would lead to voter fraud and cause stress and confusion for poll workers.

Martinez said that none of the states with same-day registration are border states. She said it would be easy for illegal immigrants to cast ballots if the bill is passed.

But committee chairwoman Rep. Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, pointed out that despite investigations of claims of mass voter fraud by Republicans, no case of actual voter fraud ever has been proven.

Republicans, however, were not alone in voting against the bill. Democratic Rep. Bill O'Neill of Albuquerque joined the committee's two Republicans, Reps. Tom Anderson of Albuquerque and Zach Cook of Ruidoso, in voting against it.

"I disagree with about 95 percent of what (Martinez) said, but New Mexico has a less-than-stellar reputation. I share Rep. Anderson's concerns whether we have the ability to go from 28 days out to same-day registration."

Daniel Ivey-Soto, a lobbyist for the state County Clerks Association, told the committee that his organization — which in past years has opposed same-day registration — will support the bill if the registration is limited to early voting. County clerks have the technology to deal with registrations at early voting sites, he said.

Trujillo, who has sponsored similar bills twice before, said he'd go along with that idea.

Chasey, however, urged him to keep Election Day registration in the bill.

The bill goes on to the House Voters and Elections Committee.

Contact Steve Terrell at 986-3037 or sterrell@sfnewmexican.com. Read his political blog at roundhouseroundup.com.