A proposal to allow the governor to make an interim appointment to fill the late Edward Kennedy's Senate seat has divided Statehouse Democrats.

At a hearing Wednesday on the bill to change the succession process, the Joint Committee on Elections heard from hundreds of politicians, activists and voters, with Republicans against the change and the Democrats split.

Under the proposed change, a special election still would be held in about five months to fill Senate vacancies.

The change would come in allowing the governor to make an interim appointment to fill the seat until the special election is held.

Before he died, Kennedy wrote to Gov. Deval Patrick asking for the change, saying Massachusetts and the Senate needed full representation. U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., spoke in favor of the change.

"Big decisions are being made now - not in five months. And important votes are coming now - not in five months. Massachusetts cannot, and should not, be underrepresented," he said.

"It comes down to a simple question: At this historic moment, do you believe that Massachusetts should have two votes in the United States Senate, or just one?"

But, some Democrats and Republicans questioned the timing and the motivation.

State Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, who is expected to enter the Senate race, said Democrats want to make the change so they can get a political advantage.

A member of the elections committee, he said the interim appointee could throw his backing behind a candidate to sway the election.

Brown said he sees no problem with having an empty seat for a few months. Vacancies happen in the state Legislature and other lawmakers "step it up, and work to get everyone through it."

He said he does not agree with the contention that the seat has to be filled immediately to help pass health care reform because the reforms would be bad for Massachusetts.

About 94 percent of Massachusetts residents already have health care, he said.

"Why put our health care industry in jeopardy to lose jobs and our health insurance industry in jeopardy to lose jobs?" he said. He said Democrats changed the law when there was a Republican governor and now want to change it again in favor of a Democratic governor.

But, some supporters of the change are questioning the change of heart by Republicans.

John Walsh, chairman of the Democratic Party, noted that Brown and other Republican were co-sponsors of a bill filed by then state Rep. John Lepper, R-Attleboro, that would have created the interim appointment.

JIM HAND covers politics for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at 508-236-0399 or at jhand@thesunchronicle.com.