ELECTION OFFICIALS CONCERNED ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION OF MOTOR VOTER BILL IN STATE

JACKSON -- Election officials in Missouri are concerned about implementing the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which will open up the registration process but could force county officials to keep two sets of records for a while.

"To say we are apprehensive about it would be an understatement," said Cape County Clerk Rodney Miller, who recently attended the spring Urban Election Board Conference conducted by the secretary of state's office.

"There are a lot of questions that need to be addressed and a lot of confusion right now," Miller said.

The law, also known as the Motor Voter Bill, is designed to improve registration opportunities for citizens. States must implement provisions of the act by Jan. 1, 1995.

"Most of the election officials are quite apprehensive about it, and see it as an opportunity to help with registration," Miller said. "But the logistics of dealing with all the different agencies is going to be real difficult."

The act requires voter registration to be offered in state license bureaus, recruiting offices, all public assistance agencies that are state funded, and at the office of one other state agency.

It will be the responsibility of election authorities to train people in those offices to take and collect registrations.

The Missouri General Assembly is considering enabling legislation for Missouri to comply with the federal act. Miller said the bill is tied up by other issues and might fail. If that happens, the differences in the state and federal laws will be enough to require election authorities to keep two sets of books.

If the state fails to act, registrations made at the various agency offices starting next year will be good only for federal offices. In order to vote in state and local elections, another registration form would have to be filled out that complies with state law.

"From the standpoint of county clerks, we are concerned that people will think they are registered for everything, but in fact they would only be registered to vote for federal offices," said Miller. "That is a serious problem.

"Even if the enabling legislation passes, there is a lot of concern whether all the registrations will get turned in."

Miller said the federal voting bill is a mandate that will put increased work on election authorities, and, in some larger areas, could lead to additional staff.