Overview of Voter RegistrationVoter Registration Resources

Voter Registration Guidebook

SVRS SOPs

SVRS Step-By-Step Instructions

Build Notes

Web Training

FAQs, Memos and other communications

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

Overview of Voter RegistrationProcessing 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”.

Overview of Voter Registration

When Voter 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.

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.

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.

Overview of Voter RegistrationActive 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

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.

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.

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).

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

Most provisions apply to the November 2010 election.

M.O.V.E.

Registration Changes

Transmit voter registration applications to military/ overseas voters by fax or email if requested 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

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.

M.O.V.E.

Changes to Absentee Application Deadline

Beginning July 1, 2010 state law changed the time voters may begin filing absentee ballot applications.

Prior law provided that absentee ballot applications could be filed no earlier than 90 days before the election (for example, August 4 this year)

New law permits absentee ballot applications to be submitted when registration opens after the primary.

M.O.V.E.Changes to Absentee Ballot Delivery Deadline

As a result of absentee ballot applications being filed earlier, voter registration officials will be asked to verify the voter registration status of absentee ballot applications sooner.

MOVE also requires that absentee ballots be delivered to the clerk and sent to pending absentee ballot applicants 5 days earlier than prior law.

Absentee ballots to be delivered to the clerk by September 13

Absentee ballots mailed to pending applicants by September 18

M.O.V.E.Continuing Absentee Ballot Applications

Beginning July 1, 2010 Military and Overseas absentee ballot applications are “continuing” applications for 12 months following the date filed

Absentee ballot applications filed no later than noon June 30, 2010 will be treated as continuing through the 2nd general election following the date filed

If an absentee ballot that was sent in response to any continuing absentee ballot application is returned as “undeliverable” then the application is no longer a continuing application

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Let’s Start with Definitions

Election Districts: Areas used to determine which offices a voter is entitled to vote for and candidate residence qualification Examples: State legislative district, county

council district or town council district

Precincts: Areas established for election purposes

Annexation: A legal process whereby a city or town expands its boundaries

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Who Establishes Election Districts?

General Assembly must establish new congressional districts and new state legislative districts (Indiana Senate and Indiana House) in 2011 when census figures are certified

County Commissioners establish districts for Commissioners and County Councils in 2011

Cities and towns must establish their own election districts in 2012

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

District Changes and Precincts Some changes to precincts may be

required by law if new election districts split precincts A precinct may not cross a congressional, state

senate or state house district boundary

If the 2011 redistricting of these boundaries split your precincts, then you will be required to establish new precinct to avoid the split

A county will be required to modify voter registrations to account for district & precinct changes

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

What is the Process for Establishing Precincts?

The County Commissioners propose a precinct establishment order

IED must approve precincts after staff and OCD review before the changes may become final

Indiana Election Commission (IEC) must approve the proposed precincts if a county voter files a timely objection after IED approval

IEC may approve precinct changes if not sufficient time remains for 10 day legal notice.

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Who Establishes Precincts Precincts may not be established by any

other people or by any other process

Precinct boundaries are not “automatically” altered when the General Assembly or a county, municipality, or school district establishes new election districts.

Precincts are not “automatically” altered when a city or town annexes new territory.

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Annexation

A city or town may annex at any time by adopting an ordinance

Annexation ordinances must be filed with the circuit court clerk and board of registration IC 36-4-3-22

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Annexation

Annexation ordinance must assign annexed area to council district in a city or town (if any)

Voters in annexed area are eligible to vote in city or town elections once the annexation is final IC 3-11-1.5-33

However, an annexation by a city or town does not “automatically” change any of your precinctsRemember- Only county commissioners and

IED or IEC can change precinct boundaries

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Impact of Municipal Annexation on Elections

Your county may consider changing precincts in response to an annexation to help with administering elections for annexed city or town but county is not required to change precincts.

Either way, an annexation will change the way a county administers the election for the city or town because the annexed voters are entitled to a city or town ballot.

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Districts, Precincts, and Annexation

Impact of Municipal Annexation on Elections

The registration record of annexed voters must be amended in SVRS when annexation is final to show that the voter is entitled to a city or town ballot

An alternative to changing precincts to match annexation boundaries is simply to indicate eligible municipal voters on the pollbook.

An example where this is routinely administered is a small town of 500 or less that sets within a precinct that is an entire township

FWAB

New Roles for Federal Write-in Ballot (FWAB)

FWAB May now be used in any election, starting with November 2, 2010 election, including:

Primary for nomination of candidatesAny general, municipal or special election

May vote for any candidate (federal, state or local), political party or public question

Law requiring state-provided ABS-3 to vote for statewide candidates and public questions was repealed

MOVE

FWAB

New Roles for Federal Write-in Ballot (FWAB)

New federal program will tie into state’s “Who’s on Your Ballot” so FWAB voters have access to candidate names to cut and paste into FWAB.