State senators introduced a bill Tuesday enabling voters to register on Election Day in hopes of encouraging voter participation.

Iowa law requires citizens to register to vote 10 days before an election. Many auditors contend that this time period is necessary to ensure election integrity.

Most states require registration at least 20 days before elections, but six states allow same-day registration. Instead of registering voters, North Dakota relies on a dense network of precincts to make it likely that poll workers recognize voters to curb fraud.

Rep. Mary Mascher, D-Iowa City, introduced the original House bill, which is sitting in committee. She said she thinks the bill is important because it will aid the effort to increase the number of active voters.

“In terms of getting people involved in the political process, the more the better,” Mascher said. “If somebody gets motivated that day to go out and vote, I don’t see any reason to stop them.”

Mascher said she is concerned nothing will be done with it in the House because she is a Democrat.

“If a Democrat sponsors a bill, it gets assigned to a committee and nothing ever happens with it,” Mascher said. “The chair of the committee just lets it sit, which is really bothersome to me.”

Senate Republican Leader Stewart Iverson, R-Dows, said Republicans are not the only ones who play politics.

“I know all of the games that are played,” Iverson said. “I can say from my experience when I was in the House in the minority, I was treated the same way.”

Iverson said he does not support Mascher’s bill because of his concern for voter fraud. He also said voting “is a privilege” and registration is very easy.

Johnson County Auditor Tom Slockett said he favors the bill despite the possibility of more voter fraud. “Fraud is a huge concern, but I also want to provide voting services to the people of the county and break down barriers to encourage people to participate in the democratic process,” Slockett said. “I think the idea of disenfranchising thousands of voters because of a few bad apples is not a good tradeoff.”

Slockett said allowing voters to register on Election Day would create more work for poll workers, but that increase may be offset by a decrease in the number of provisional ballots, which are cast if a voter’s name does not appear on the precinct’s list.

Twenty-three senators, all Democrats, are sponsoring the Senate companion bill.

“I am personally not in favor of same-day registration,” said Mary Mosiman, Story County auditor. “Speaking on behalf of a majority of the auditors, we do not favor that, largely because of the time needed to verify the registration requirements.”

Mosiman said same-day registration could delay official results.

“I think that’s kind of a red herring in terms of people being concerned about that,” Mascher said. “I don’t see that as an enormous problem; it’s certainly not something that can’t be overcome.”

Mascher said she doesn’t understand the auditors’ rationale and is “amazed at their resistance to change.”

“County auditors are sometimes not our best friends in terms of ease of voting and making it more friendly, especially to young people,” Mascher said. “I don’t know that our auditors are ever going to be on board.”

Pat Jensen, president of the League of Women Voters of Iowa, said her organization has supported similar legislation in other states.

“We want the process to be as open and accessible to as many voters as possible,” Jensen said. “Anyone who is entitled to vote should be able to vote.”