Overview of Voter Registration

1. Overview of Voter Registration Voter Registration Resources • Voter Registration Guidebook • SVRS SOPs (Most used VRG 1.3 and VRG 58.2) • SVRS Step-By-Step Instructions • Build Notes • Web Training • FAQs, Memos and other communications

2. Overview of Voter Registration • County Voter Registration office DECIDES: • Is voter eligible? 18 years of age, US citizen, resident of precinct? • Uniform standards must be applied • Is application on valid form and complete? • Is application timely received? • Special deadlines for postmarked applications

3. Overview of Voter Registration Processing a Voter Registration Application • County Voter Registration office can approve application, reject application, or determine that application is incomplete • If rejected, county mails notice to applicant • If incomplete, county contacts applicant to obtain necessary information. Special procedure for age, citizenship questions (SOP VRG 1.3) • If approved, county mails notice to applicant, whose application becomes “pending”

4. Overview of Voter Registration When Registration Applicant Becomes a Voter • Applicant becomes “active” voter at that address when voter receives acknowledgment notice in mail which is assumed by state law to have happened 7 days after notice mailed, or sooner if applicant presents mailed notice to voter registration office • If notice returned by USPS, then application is “rejected” and applicant was never a registered voter at that address

5. Overview of Voter Registration Keeping it Clean • Important “shorthand” to know: • NVRA (the National Voter Registration Act of 1993). • Note: NVRA requires registration services be provided by the BMV and other full service agencies that use the VRG-6 • HAVA (the Help America Vote Act of 2002). • Federal and state laws require voter lists to be kept current. • Federal and state laws restrict how and when voter lists are cleaned up.

6. Overview of Voter Registration WHEN CAN VOTER BE CANCELLED? • Authorized in writing by voter. • Reported deceased by state department of health. • Reported incarcerated by department of correction (or county sheriff) following conviction of crime and imprisonment. • Voter record is NEVER canceled JUST because of non-voting at that address.

7. Overview of Voter Registration Active and Inactive Voters • What if county voter registration office has information that voter no longer resides at address on registration record? • Mailing to voter that permits determination (from NCOA information) that voter no longer resides at address on registration record • Must be “uniform and nondiscriminatory” • Statewide mailing, countywide mailing, jury service notices, etc (See SOP VRG 58.2)

8. Overview of Voter Registration Fail-Safe Procedures • Fail-safe procedures permit a person to vote a regular ballot on election day even though there is an issue with respect to the voter’s registration record. • Certificate of error. When it’s “our bad”. • Cancellation but voter affirms continues to reside at old address. • Registration application receipt from BMV or other full-service registration agency.

9. Overview of Voter Registration VRG 4-12 • In certain cases, a voter can return ONE LAST TIME to the precinct where the voter formerly resided to vote at the polls for that precinct • In municipal election only applies to voter who move within a city or town and stays within the same county and congressional district • Does not apply to EVERY voter in every situation • Used to transfer registration record to new address in county (or to cancel record if voter moved to another county).

10. M.O.V.E. • What is it? • Federal “Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act” signed into law in 2009 and implemented by the Indiana General Assembly during its 2010 session • Overall purpose of MOVE: Help military serving overseas and citizens who live abroad vote in US elections • Affects deadline for transmitting absentee ballots to approved military/overseas voters: At least 45 DAYS before election day. May affect other election procedures in 2012.

11. M.O.V.E. • Registration Changes • Transmit voter registration applications to military/ overseas voters by email or fax if requested by voter to do so • If you are not provided with sufficient fax number or email address to transmit the application within one business day, then you must mail the application

12. M.O.V.E. • Common Sense Business Rules for FPCA • Where a county has a separate board of voter registration: • Where clerk receives a federal combined registration/ absentee ballot application (FPCA), the clerk shall: • Make a copy of the FPCA to attach to returned absentee ballot and record necessary information in SVRS for sending absentee ballot to the voter. • Forward the original FPCA to the board of registration to process the registration application portion of the combined form.

13. Statewide voter registration system • Required by Help America Vote Act: signed October 2002. • Designed and built in 2004-2005, with lots of input from county voter registration and election officers. • Maintained since January 1, 2006 to improve initial system, reflect changes in federal and state laws. • Quest Information Systems: the vendor. • Baker Tilly: the state’s project manager.

14. SVRS: Who’s Who • Quest is responsible under contract to 3 member SVRS “Core Team”: the Secretary of State; and the two Co-Directors of Election Division. • Baker Tilly is responsible to the Core Team for monitoring and managing Quest’s work. • HAVA office staff assists the Core Team in day-to-day operations, such as recordkeeping. • County Advisory Team (CAT) provides regular input on SVRS system operation by conference calls.

15. SVRS issues, questions, and suggestions • Can’t find a system feature, report, or don’t know how to use it? Contact Quest Help Desk. • To report a system problem: Contact Quest Help Desk first. • Have a question about SVRS and election law? Contact any Core Team member. • Have a suggestion to improve SVRS? Contact Baker Tilly or any Core Team member.