118            VOTER REGISTRATION

Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRANational Voter Registration Act) requires all agencies that administer public assistance programs to offer voter registration services. To meet this requirement, DPADivision of Public Assistance offices must do the following:

1. Distribute a voter preference form (GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference) and voter registration application with each:

• Application for any program administered by DPADivision of Public Assistance (these forms are already included in the GEN 50CApplication for Services),
• Recertification for any program administered by DPADivision of Public Assistance,
• In-State report of address change received from a DPADivision of Public Assistance program recipient, and
• Public Assistance recipients adding a new program that are not required to complete a GEN 50CApplication for Services.

Note:

The voter registration application is available online at https://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/forms/C03-Fill-In.pdf and the voter preference form (GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference) is available under e-Forms on DPAweb.

2. Offer assistance in completing the voter registration form. For phone transactions, staff should advise applicants of the opportunity to register to vote and have the voter registration form mailed to them.
3. Accept completed voter registration applications and forward the forms to the Division of Elections.

Note:

DPADivision of Public Assistance staff are not required to document in CANOCase Notes (Case Note Screen) that a voter registration application or the GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference form was distributed, that assistance to complete the form was offered to the client, or that a completed form was received and mailed to the Division of Elections.

118 A.        INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFERING VOTER REGISTRATION TO DPA APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS

To offer voter registration services, all DPADivision of Public Assistance offices must follow the instructions below:

1. Offices must put up posters provided by Division of Elections indicating that DPADivision of Public Assistance accepts voter registration forms and provide information on the voter registration process.
2. Distribute the voter preference form (GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference) and voter registration application to all households reporting an in-state address change.
3. Ask recipients at recertification if they want to register to vote. The question is also included in the Eligibility Review Form (GEN 72Eligibility Review Form). The voter preference form (GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference) and voter registration application must be sent to each recipient when a review form is received.
4. Inform applicants and recipients that they may submit their completed voter registration application to any DPADivision of Public Assistance office or they can mail them directly to Division of Elections. DPADivision of Public Assistance cannot require the applicant or recipient to mail the voter registration form themselves or discourage them from submitting the form to DPADivision of Public Assistance.
5. Mail each completed voter registration application to the appropriate Division of Elections office within 10 business days. If DPADivision of Public Assistance receives a completed voter registration application within five days before the last day to register to vote in an election, we must send it to the Division of Elections immediately.

118 B.        INSTRUCTIONS FOR ASSISTING APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS IN COMPLETING THEIR VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION

1. DPADivision of Public Assistance must provide applicants and recipients with assistance in completing the voter registration application, unless they decline to register to vote or decline such assistance.
2. A DPADivision of Public Assistance employee who provides an applicant or recipient with an opportunity to vote must not:

• Seek to influence an applicant or recipient's political preference or party registration.
• Display such political preference or party allegiance.
• Taking any action or making any statement to an applicant or recipient that would discourage them from registering to vote.
• Taking any action or making any statement to an applicant or recipient that may lead them to believe that a decision to register or not to register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits.
• Use the information provided by the applicant or recipient on the voter preference form (GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference) or voter registration application for any reason other than for voter registration.
• Disclose publicly the applicant or recipient's decision to register to vote or not.

118 C.        INSTRUCTIONS FOR HANDLING VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATIONS AND VOTER PREFERENCE FORMS (GEN 10)

1. All voter preference forms (GEN 10NVRA Voter Preference), including blank ones, received by DPADivision of Public Assistance must be date stamped on the date they are received and saved in ILINX. This includes page 25 of the GEN 50CApplication for Services.
2. The voter registration application must be date stamped with a stamp that does not include the agency or office name and be mailed to the appropriate Division of Elections office (Addendum 118A) after it is received and within the specified time frame outlined in Admin MS 118(A).

Note:

Voter registration forms are confidential and are not public records, even with a FOIAFreedom of Information Act request. Therefore, DPADivision of Public Assistance cannot keep a copy of the voter registration application in the case file.

The identity of the agency where the voter registered is also confidential. This means that we cannot date stamp the form with a stamp that indicates the office or agency name, nor can we send the voter registration forms to the Division of Elections in envelopes that indicate they are coming from DPADivision of Public Assistance.

3. Each DPADivision of Public Assistance office must designate an employee to handle all completed voter registration applications.