By Gintautas Dumcius
Reporter Correspondent

Advocates pushing for a bill that would allow individuals to register to vote the same day as a presidential election are optimistic they can get the legislation passed before the end of the month, even as the House's top lawmaker has called its chances "very cloudy."

The bill, aimed at upping voter turnout, would go into effect for this year's election, the 2010 general election, with municipal, off-year or special elections immune from the change. Future years would require legislative reauthorization.

Asked about the bill's chances, Avi Green of MassVOTE, a voting rights organization, said, "We don't know but we're very hopeful." The bill (S 2514) could come up for a vote in the Senate on Thursday, he said.

But prospects could be dimmer in the House. House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi told reporters in early July that the bill's prospects appeared "very cloudy." Opponents of the bill say the bill could lead to voter fraud and be difficult to implement.

But Green noted the concept has worked well in Maine and Wisconsin.

"It never had any major cases of fraud," he said.

Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray, at a hearing on the bill last year, testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Patrick administration, as did Cam Kerry, U.S. Sen. John Kerry's brother.

Less than two weeks remain for lawmakers to take up controversial bills in formal sessions, before legislators return to their districts to prepare for fall election campaigns.

"We have two weeks left and we're going to go as far as we can," Green said.

Lawmakers have already acted on a bill allowing Massachusetts to circumvent the Electoral College, known as the National Popular Vote bill. The bill, if passed by other states that make up a majority of the votes to the Electoral College, would hand the electors of those states over to the winner of the national popular vote.

"I think it takes out the quirkiness and nuances that are so unfamiliar to many of the voters in this country," DiMasi told reporters.

The House voted 119-36 on Thursday to send the bill to the Senate over the objects of some lawmakers who said the change should be made through the U.S. Constitution instead of the states.

Most of Dorchester's House delegation voted in favor of the bill, though state Rep. Marie St. Fleur was not present for the vote, according to the roll call. Lawmakers are also considering reforms to campaign finance regulations. The package includes raising the cap on individual donations to $750 from $500.

Material from State House News Service was used in this report.