UPDATED Monday, February 18, 2013 --- 9:15 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A new report says eliminating voter registration at the polls on election day would cost Wisconsin up to $14.5 million, nearly three times as much as initially estimated.

The new total is included in a report released Monday by the state Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in Wisconsin.

It is up from its first estimate of a $5 million. That included only estimated expenses by the elections board. The new cost includes estimated expenses from four state agencies affected by doing away with same-day registration, which would trigger implementation of federal voter registration requirements.

Gov. Scott Walker supports ending same-day registration but has said he wouldn't sign a bill costing $5 million.

Copyright 2013: Associated Press
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UPDATED Monday, January 14, 2013 --- 10:56 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A final report on how much it would cost Wisconsin to do away with same-day voter registration has been delayed.

The state Government Accountability Board in December issued a preliminary report saying doing away with allowing voters to register at the polls on election day would cost $5 million initially and about $1 million annually after that.

The board which oversees elections had hoped to have a final report done by the end of December. But at its meeting Monday, elections division administrator Mike Haas said the board was still waiting on cost estimates from two or three other state agencies.

Haas says a final report will be done as soon as possible.

Gov. Scott Walker supports ending same-day registration but says he won't sign a bill costing $5 million.

Copyright 2013: Associated Press

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UPDATED Tuesday, December 18, 2012 --- 11:20 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The president of a group representing municipal clerks and the head of the Wisconsin chapter of the League of Women Voters say allowing voters to register at the polls on election day has served the state well and should not be eliminated.

They and others spoke about the issue at a Tuesday meeting of the Government Accountability Board, which oversees elections in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Municipal Clerks Association president Vikki Zuehlke says the association has signed a resolution opposing the elimination of election day registration, in part over concerns of the $5.2 million cost outlined in a GAB report.

League of Women Voters of Wisconsin executive director Andrea Kaminski says there is no evidence that same-day registration has caused significant problems.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press
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UPDATED: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 --- 8:45 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin election officials are scheduled to talk about the ramifications of eliminating same-day voter registration, a move supported by Gov. Scott Walker and other Republicans.

Walker has long been for not allowing voters to register at the polls on election day. But his support weakened in the face of the Government Accountability Board report that put the price tag on eliminating same-day registration at more than $5 million.

Walker says he would not sign a bill that costs that much money.

The board was to discuss that report at its Tuesday meeting.

It was also scheduled to discuss a report about the costs and complications of accessing a federal database to weed out illegal immigrants who may be voting.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press
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UPDATED: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 -- 10:05 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's elections board says preliminary estimates show it will cost at least $5 million initially if same-day voter registration was eliminated.

The Government Accountability Board compiled the estimate in anticipation that the issue may come up next year in the Legislature. Gov. Scott Walker has said he would sign a bill that eliminates same-day registration, although he says it is not a priority of his.

The report dated Friday says in addition to the one-time cost tied to a law change, there would be an additional $1.9 million expense every two years associated with implementing two federal laws that would take effect if same-day registration goes away.

Wisconsin is currently exempt from the National Voter Registration and Help America Vote acts because it allows same-day registration.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press
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UPDATED Wednesday, December 5, 2012 --- 4:49 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker says the debate over ending same-day voter registration is a ridiculous issue even as GOP lawmakers announced they're working on a bill.

Republican Rep. Joel Kleefisch announced Wednesday he's drafting legislation to end same-day registration. The announcement came shortly after Walker told reporters during a question-and-answer period the issue is ridiculous and it's not one of his legislative priorities. He says lawmakers should be focused on jobs.

The governor said last week, though, that he would sign legislation doing away with the practice. He told reporters on Wednesday same-day registration has been fraught with problems for years but didn't go into specifics.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a Democrat, says Republicans are trying to change the rules because they didn't do well on Election Day.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press

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UPDATED Monday, November 26, 2012 --- 10:54 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker says he would sign a bill that ends same-day voter registration in Wisconsin, but he won't make doing away with it a priority.

Walker told The Associated Press in a Monday interview that his longstanding opposition to same-day registration stands, but seeking a bill next year in the Legislature to do that is "certainly not a priority."

The issue has gotten more attention recently after Walker said in a speech earlier this month in California that he thinks it would be easier on election clerks of voters could not register at the polls.

Walker says his comments have gotten a disproportionate amount of attention. He says he is focused on his economic agenda in the Legislature next year, which includes passing a new two-year budget.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press

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POSTED: Monday, November 19, 2012 -- 2:55 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Gov. Scott Walker says he thinks that it would be "much better" if Wisconsin did not have same-day voter registration.

Walker made the comments during a speech Friday night in California.

Walker's spokesman Cullen Werwie had nothing to add Monday to what Walker said.

Walker says in the speech that "It would be much better if registration was done in advance of Election Day, easier for our clerks to handle that."

Incoming Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has supported doing away with same-day voter registration in the past and sponsored a bill to do that when Democrat Jim Doyle was governor.

Vos said Monday he was open to the idea, but he did not know of anyone who planned to propose it and he had not spoken with Walker about it.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press