Thanks to a law that allows people to cast a “special presidential ballot” right up until the polls close without having pre-registered, Connecticut election workers will be awash in chaos, even though the outcome of the state’s voting is virtually pre-determined.

Towns Bracing For Surge In Special Ballots (registration required)

As interest in this year’s presidential race soars, town clerks around the state are gearing up for an onslaught of unregistered voters on Election Day. The deadline for voter registration was Oct. 19.

Connecticut is the only state in the nation that allows people to cast a so-called presidential ballot on Election Day without first requiring them to register, said Leslie Reynolds, executive director of the National Association of Secretaries of State. Six states offer same-day registration; North Dakota does not require any voters to register.

The so-called presidential ballots have been around for decades, but because of a state law passed in 1997, the 2000 presidential election was the first in which unregistered voters in Connecticut could cast a ballot right up until the polls closed, said Michael Kozik of the secretary of the state’s office.

Before that, unregistered voters had to fill out the ballot - which allows votes only for president and vice president - ahead of time, said Kozik, a managing attorney with the legislative and elections administration division. The special ballots for 2004 have been available to residents since Sept. 18.

I think the nation should be thankful that Connecticut is not a swing state.

(Cross-posted to Right Thoughts)