CROWN POINT, Ind. (AP) — Local election officials around Indiana are preparing for a new voter registration form that state officials say is needed to halt attempts to register dead or fictitious voters.

Lake County's assistant director of voter registration, Pat Gabrione, says the new form taking effect Jan. 1 requires political action groups registering new voters to submit the forms within 10 days of obtaining them. She tells The Times some groups had previously held onto new registrations until just before the deadline, overwhelming local officials.

Lake County elections director Michelle Fajman says the change has no effect on people already registered to vote.

She's warning any politicians who have large numbers of current voter registration forms to throw them away and download new forms from the county or state elections websites.