Agency Voter Registration National Voter Registration Act of

Agency Voter Registration National Voter Registration Act of 1993 Help America Vote Act of 2002

Voter registration must be offered to the following clients: • • New Clients filing any recertification. Clients re-applying for benefits. Clients changing their address.

Requirements to register to vote in Rhode Island • • Resident of Rhode Island. U. S. Citizen. At least 16 -years-old. Must not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction.

You must ask even if: Examples: • You know or believe the client is not a U. S. Citizen. • You don’t think the client cares about voting. • You think the client is incompetent to vote (only a court can determine competency). CLIENT SHOULD READ THE VOTER REGISTRATION FORM AND DETERMINE IF THEY ARE ELIGIBLE TO REGISTER TO VOTE. YOU MAY GIVE THEM ASSISTANCE IF NECESSARY.

You may not • Seek to influence the applicant’s political preference or party registration. • Display any such political preference of party allegiance. • Make any statement to an applicant or take any action to discourage them from registering to vote. • Make any statement or take any action to lead the applicant to believe that registering to vote or not has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits.

Voter Registration Coordinator (Board of Elections) Tabulates Monthly Activity Reports for all agencies. Processes completed voter registration forms. Supplies blank voter registration forms to agencies upon request. Agency Coordinator Completes Monthly Activity Report that includes data from all sites in the agency, and transmits to the Board of Elections. Responsible for training of agency employees. Site Coordinator Collects certification forms and registration forms from site employees. Sends registration forms directly to Board of Elections. Completes Monthly Activity report and sends to the Agency Coordinator.

Site Staff Site Coordinator • Completed VR Forms (daily!) • Certification forms (weekly or monthly)

Completed Voter Registration Forms Board of Elections Site Coordinator • Completed VR Forms (within 10 days of signature!)

Site Monthly Reports Site Coordinator Agency Coordinator • Monthly Activity Report (5 days after end of month)

Agency Overall Monthly Reports (tally of all site reports) Board of Elections Agency Coordinator • Compiled Monthly Activity Reports (10 days after end of each month!)

Spanish language forms must also be made available

Agency Voter Registration Certification Form

Each employee should have 3 active files Site Employee “Registered” Certification Forms Will be collected weekly or monthly by your Site Coordinator “Refused” Certification Forms Completed Registration forms Will be collected daily by your Site Coordinator

Interacting with clients Person wants to register • Check “Yes” on certification form. • Have the client sign certification form. • Have your client complete the voter registration form. • Place certification in “Registered” folder. • Place the completed voter registration form in the “Completed Registrations Forms” folder.

Processing forms Client wants to take the form • Client checks “No” on the certification form and signs and dates it. • Place it in your “Refused” folder. • Tell your client they must mail or deliver the form to their local Board of Canvassers.

Processing forms Client refuses to register • Client checks “No” on certification form and signs the form and signs and dates it. • Place it in your “Refused” folder.

Processing forms Client refuses to register or sign • Check “No” on certification form. • Write the client’s name on the appropriate line. • Check the “Refused to sign” box. • Place it in your “Refused” folder.

Completed Voter Reg. Forms • Site coordinator must transmit to the BOE with packing slip within 10 days of completion by your client. • If within 5 days of a deadline to register to vote for a statewide election, must be transmitted to the BOE within 5 days of completion by your client. *Note for State Agencies: Placing forms in inter-office mail by the required day is sufficient.

Voter Registration Packing Slip

BOE processing of registration forms • BOE forwards forms to the 39 cities/towns. • Applicant will receive confirmation notice from their local Board of Canvassers within 3 weeks. • Applicant should call Board of Canvassers in local community if they do not receive a confirmation notice.

Completed Voter Reg. Forms 2012 Statewide Elections (deadline is 30 days prior) March 6, 2012 (Presidential Primary) September 11, 2012 (Primary) November 6, 2012 (General Election)

Monthly Activity Report • Site Coordinator must transmit to the Agency Coordinator with all site data. • Agency Coordinator must transmit to the BOE by the 10 th day after the end of each month. • Sign and have notarized.

Monthly Activity Report • Back of page must contain registration activity detail for each employee. • A fillable version of this form is available at http: //elections. ri. gov/agencies

Contact Us! • If you need more forms (forms may be photocopied) • If you have any questions. Steve Quirk (401) 222 -1904

Audits • In order to ensure compliance, we will request original certification forms from select timeframes from random agencies. • Our staff will periodically schedule a visit to your office to review your procedures. • We will conduct random exit polling of clients outside your offices.

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