A key ally of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) is calling on the mayor to veto a D.C. Council bill approved Tuesday that would make it a local crime to pay someone to vote.



Ronald Moten, co-founder of Peaceoholics and an informal adviser to Fenty's reelection campaign, said he worries that the legislation will outlaw the go-go concerts he has been organizing to rally support for the mayor.


The council overwhelmingly approved the "Corrupt Elections Practices Act" as emergency legislation, meaning it will immediately become law if signed by the mayor.


The bill, sponsored by council member Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3), enshrines in the local code the federal prohibitions against paying someone to vote or register to vote, or accepting payment to vote or register to vote. It also makes it a local crime to use a false name to register to vote. Violators could be fined as much as $10,000 and face five years in prison.