Good thing counties across Utah offer a slew of voter-registration sites to make sure you're ready for the 2008 election.

Uh, check that.

A bill passed in the waning moments of the 2007 Legislature eliminated satellite voter-registration locations, including in the state's most populous county. The measure was backed by rural county clerks - the majority of whom are Republicans - who argue the additional registration spots are a waste of resources.

On Tuesday, Salt Lake County Councilman Randy Horiuchi called those same clerks "a bunch of knuckleheads" and the new law "heinous" and "horrible."

"What a bunch of bone-headed public policy," Horiuchi said during a discussion of bills approved on the session's final day. "The rural clerks railroaded the rest of the [counties]."

SB211, sponsored by Sen. Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, was substituted twice before breezing through the Senate and clearing the House. The measure would require residents to register to vote in person at the County Clerk's Office or by mail 30 days before the election. Until now, voters could register at multiple locations on two "satellite" days, including one within 15 days of casting their ballot. The bill would not affect early voting.

Jason Yocom, chief deputy clerk in Salt Lake County, notes the majority of nonregistered voters tend to wait until the last minute. And many move between elections.

Yocom worries the crush of general-election voters - 15,000 Salt Lake County residents registered on satellite days in 2004 - could more than double the number of provisional ballots.

"The close races will not be decided on election night," said Yocom, who pushed unsuccessfully to make the measure optional. "We were pretty much blindsided by the bill."

In Capitol Hill circles, SB211 was considered a blow to Democratic Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen, who won a fifth term in November.

Lobbyists insist provisions exist to allow Salt Lake County to continue its satellite practice, but the measure doesn't contain such language.

County officials argue the biggest impact will be felt in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley - the largest number of satellite registrations came from high-growth areas such as Herriman and Draper - whose residents must now travel to the County Government Center at 2001 S. State in Salt Lake City if they miss the mail deadline.

But if Horiuchi gets his way, there may be a shortcut.

"If we can't get the legislation overturned or changed somehow," he said, "we'll have to rely on trickery."

djensen@sltrib.com