Transcript Rhode Island State Agency Based Voter Registration

Agency
Voter Registration
National Voter Registration Act of 1993
Help America Vote Act of 2002
Voter registration must be
offered to the following clients:
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New Clients.
Clients filing any recertification.
Clients re-applying for benefits.
Clients changing their address.
Requirements to register to vote
in Rhode Island
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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 10th 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.
Thanks
for attending!