Senate approves same-day voter registration bill

RALEIGH (AP) — The Senate has agreed to allow residents to register to vote and cast a ballot immediately before an election.

The Senate voted 33-to-15 for the same-day registration bill, which supporters said would boost voter turnout and encourage participation in the democratic process.

The bill passed the House in March.

Residents could go to one-stop voting sites, register and vote right away in the final two-and-half weeks before an election. State law now ends voter registration 25 days before an election.