IOWA FELONS NOT RUSHING TO VOTE

Tally Of Registrants Shows Little Interest In Vilsack's Order

DES MOINES - Iowa county auditors say there has been no flurry of
registration for convicted criminals whose voting rights were
automatically restored by the governor's Fourth of July executive order.

Instead, the commotion has been isolated to the political front, with
Republican leaders continuing to blast Gov. Tom Vilsack for signing
the order and Democrats praising the move.

In Scott County, Auditor Karen Fitzsimmons, a Democrat, has had an
easy time keeping a running tally of new registrants.

"We've had one person come in," she said.

"During the quiet times, we have just a few registrations per day.
And we haven't seen any boost to that," said Cerro Gordo County
Auditor Ken Kline, a Republican.

Kyle Jensson, the Black Hawk County elections manager, also reported
no hike in registrations. She works in a Waterloo office overseen by
Auditor Grant Veeder, a Democrat.

"I think people are kind of digesting it. Although, down the road, I
think you'll see people coming forward," she said.

Last month, the Iowa Secretary of State's office estimated that
58,000 people were banned from voting because of criminal
convictions. The office is compiling a new list that will reflect the
broader eligibility rules. Until that is complete, though, the office
does not know how many voters are eligible to register to vote
because of the order.

The order automatically restores voting rights for people who have
completed prison, parole or probation.

Previously, those people had to petition the governor to restore
their rights. Most applicants did not gain approval unless they had
completed their sentences and paid any fines or restitution.

Republican critics of the order say it takes away an incentive to pay
restitution and they accuse Vilsack of seeking to expand the ranks of
Democratic voters.

But Vilsack says the order puts Iowa in the nation's mainstream,
joining 44 other states that have an automatic mechanism for
restoring voting rights.

While the political debate rages, county auditors are content to stay
on the sidelines. Their position is an uncomfortable one because they
are partisan elected officials, but they have a job that asks them to
be nonpartisan.

"Our job is just to administer the law. If someone comes in and wants
to register to vote, we can't deny them that," said Woodbury County
Auditor and Recorder Patrick Gill, a Democrat.