Bills to improve voter access advanced in a state Senate committee, but their ultimate passage is uncertain.
The measures, which would allow same-day voter registration and early voting, were approved in the Senate Elections Committee and moved to a second committee.
Last year, the second committee, on local government, never met before the session ended, but advocates hope that 2017 is different.
Senate Republican Leader John Flanagan cast doubt on the measures, saying he has concerns about potential costs.
“How do you do that without costing astronomical amounts of money?” Flanagan asked. “I think we have a procedure that on the whole works very well.”
Flanagan said he does think it’s time for a “discussion” on voter access, and said some items he does support include having a larger font on ballots so they can be more easily read by voters.