118              VOTER REGISTRATION

Section 7 of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) requires all agencies that provide public assistance to offer voter registration opportunities to its applicants and recipients.  To meet this requirement, DPA Division of Public Assistance offices must do the following:

1. Distribute a voter registration application and the NVRA National Voter Registration Act Voter Preference (GEN 10) form with each:

• • Application for any program administered by DPA Division of Public Assistance

  • Recertification for any program administered by DPA Division of Public Assistance

  • Report of address change received from a DPA Division of Public Assistance program recipient

2. Offer assistance in completing the voter registration form

3. Accept completed voter registration applications and forward the forms to Division of Elections.

Note:

DPA staff are not required to document in CANO (Case Note Screen) that a voter registration application or the GEN 10 NVRA 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.

1. INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFERING VOTER REGISTRATION TO DPA Division of Public Assistance APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS

To offer voter registration to DPA Division of Public Assistance applicants and recipients, and provide assistance in completing the form, all DPA Division of Public Assistance offices must follow the instructions below:

1. Offices must put up posters provided by Division of Elections indicating that DPA Division of Public Assistance accepts voter registration forms.

2. Insert a voter registration application and GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference form in all DPA Division of Public Assistance application forms sent to applicants and made available at the front lobby. Offices in Kodiak must maintain the English and Filipino (Tagalog) version of the voter registration application.

3. Ask recipients at recertification if they want to register to vote. The question is also included in the Eligibility Review Form (GEN 72).

4. Recipients who report a change of address must be offered a voter registration application and GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference form. EIS Eligibility Information System has been programmed to automatically mail out a notice of voter registration and the corresponding forms any time there is a change of address for the household.
   
   

5. Attached is a link to the Alaska voter registration application.  Staff may request voter registration forms from a local Division of Elections office or download the form from this link and make copies: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/forms/C03.pdf. The GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference form is also available under e-forms on DPAweb.
   
   

6. Inform applicants and recipients that they may submit their completed voter registration application to any DPA Division of Public Assistance office. d is a link to the Alaska voter registration application.  Staff may request voter registration forms from a local Division of Elections office or download the form from this link and make copies:...
   
   
   
   

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

1. If requested, DPA Division of Public Assistance must AssistancD{ recipients any assistance in completing the voter registration application.
   
   

2. Advise applicants and recipients as to what fields must be completed.
   
   

3. An employee who provides an applicant with an opportunity to vote must not:
   
   

• Seek to influence an applicant’s political preference or party registration.
  
  

• Display such political preference or party allegiance.
  
  

• Make any statement to an applicant or take any action that would discourage the applicant from registering to vote.
  
  

• Make any statement to an applicant or take any action that would lead the applicant to believe that a decision not to register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits.
  
  

• Use, for any purpose, the information on the application or GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference form other than for voter registration.
  
  

• Disclose publicly the applicant’s voter registration.
  
  
  
  

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

1. All voter registration applications and GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference forms received in DPA must be date stamped the date of receipt.
   
   

2. Each DPA Division of Public Assistance office must designate an employee to compile all completed voter registration applications and GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference forms.

a)    Eligibility Review Forms (GEN 72) – when a GEN 72 Eligibility Review Form is received in the office, the clerical staff that registers the GEN 72 Eligibility Review Form must review the voter registration question on the form (question 16). The clerical staff will take necessary action as requested by the client:

• If the client wants to register to vote, the clerical staff will mail a copy of the voter registration application to the client.
  

• If the client declines or did not check a box, the clerical staff will complete the GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference form and keep it on file for 22 months. Refer to step 5 for more instructions on filing GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference forms.

3.   The designated employee must complete the NVRA Voter Registration. Application Transmittal form when submitting the voter registration forms.

Note:

Offices are not required to keep a copy of the completed voter registration application.

4.    Each DPA Division of Public Assistance office is assigned to a Division of Elections Regional Office. The appropriate Division of Elections office is listed on the registration transmittal form (Addendum 118A).

5.    Each DPA office will keep the GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference forms for 22 months. The forms must be kept in the local office in a file drawer – not the applicant or recipient’s case file. The designated employee must track the timeframe and shred the forms at the end of the required time period.

Note:  

GEN 10 NVRA Voter Preference forms that are left blank by the applicant or recipient must also be kept and tracked by the local office.

http://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/forms/C03.pdf.