Virginia State Board of Elections : Voter Registration Drives Guidelines

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GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCTING

What can you or your organization do to have a successful drive?

NOTE: Effective July 1, 2008 – Under a new State Law, a receipt must be given to the applicant upon his/her completion of the form. The receipt shall be completed by the person or group receiving the form from the applicant and shall include the following information:

Ø the name of the group, or person receiving the registration application;

Ø the date that the group, or person received the registration application from the applicant; and

Ø the phone number of the general registrar or the toll-free phone number of the State Board of Elections that the applicant may call to confirm his registration.

The law provides for penalties if these guidelines are not followed. (§ 24.2-1002.01 Class 1 misdemeanor)

NOTE: Federal law (the Help America Vote Act) requires voters registering for the first time by mail to provide identification. To avoid delays at the polls when voting the first time, applicants can enclose a copy of one of the following documents that shows the applicant’s name and address with the application: (1) current and valid photo ID, (2) current utility bill, (3) bank statement, (4) government check, (5) paycheck, or (6) other government document. The voter can also present the required federal identification at the polls.

< Plan your voter to ensure that all applications are received by the voter registration office or State Board of Elections well in advance of the voter registration deadline—29 days before the general or primary election in which you plan to vote.

< Instruct staff to properly complete the voter registration applications correctly.

< Simply putting blank applications inside front doors could waste your time and energy, not to mention a lot of applications. Many of these people may already be registered to vote, or could be ineligible to vote.

< Assist an individual if they cannot complete out the application because of limitations. The applicant must personally sign the voter registration application, if able and a mark is sufficient. An assistant who signs must be identified on the form by name and address. A signature under a power of attorney is not permitted.

< Distribute voter registration applications anywhere or to anyone who is qualified to vote in Virginia. However, if you want to distribute on public or private property (e.g., school campuses, shopping malls or supermarkets) you must comply with applicable laws and regulations. First get written or oral permission from the property owner or manager before using their premises for voter registration drive purposes.

< Allow applicant to take a voter registration application and turn it in themselves.

< Pursuant to § 24.2-416.4 of the Code of Virginia, the coordinator of the voter registration drive has the responsibility for making sure all completed applications are turned in to ANY General Registrar or The State Board of Elections within 15 days or before the due date, whichever is sooner. (29 days before any general election day).

§ 24.2-1002.01 Destruction of, or failure to mail or deliver, voter registration application; penalty.

If any person (i) agrees to mail or deliver a signed voter registration application to the voter registrar or other appropriate person authorized to receive the application and (ii) intentionally interferes with the applicant's effort to register either by destroying the application or by failing to mail or deliver the application in a timely manner, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The mailing or delivery of an application shall be deemed timely for the purposes of this section if it is mailed or delivered within 15 days of the applicant's signature or in accordance with the provisions of § 24.2-416.4 for processing before the closing of the registration records for the pending election whichever comes first. This section shall not apply to any state or local government employee acting in his official capacity. If any person intentionally solicits multiple registrations from any one person or intentionally falsifies a registration application, he shall be guilty of a Class 5 felony.

For questions concerning deadlines, completion of the application and voting on election day, call your local voter registration office or the State Board of Elections (804) 864- 8901/(800)-552-9745.

What are the don’ts’ for conducting voter registration drives?

< Don’t complete or accept applications for anyone that you know does not exist or is not a real person or is not eligible to vote.

< Don’t refuse to give an application to anyone upon request.

For example: Your organization is interested in only registering citizen that are members of a particular political party. You meet someone who wants an application, but you know they are a member of a different political party. You must give that person a voter registration application unless you know that he or she is ineligible to vote.

< Don’t charge anyone for a voter registration application or for helping them to fill out the application.

< Don’t offer any enticements or incentives for completing the voter registration application.

< Don’t fill in a voter registration application for another person unless they ask for assistance.

< Don’t copy, disclose or make any use of the personal information of the applicant.

WARNING: UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURE OF ALL OR PART OF AN APPLICANT’S SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER IS A FELONY. UNAUTHORIZED USE OF ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION TO DEFRAUD ALSO IS A CRIME. VIOLATORS MAY BE SENTENCED UP TO 10 YEARS in

PRISON, OR UP TO 12 MONTHS IN JAIL AND/OR FINED UP TO $2,500.

< Don’t write, stick or otherwise attach anything to the voter registration application, especially material related to candidates or ballot measures.

< Don’t hold completed applications longer than fifteen days of the deadline for voter registration for the upcoming election and in no case until after the deadline.

Who may register to vote?

To be eligible to vote in Virginia, a person:

< Must be a citizen of the United States

< Must live in the state of Virginia

A person who has come to Virginia for temporary purposes and intends to return to another state is not considered a resident for voting purposes

< Must be at least 18 years old by the date of the next general election

< Must not claim the right to vote in any other state

Persons who legally reside in another state (for example, college students from out of state) should use the voter registration application for their home state, or the national application, not the Virginia application.

< Must have no felony conviction, nor been judged by a court to be mentally incapacitated;

unless your right to vote has been restored by the Governor or a court order has restored your capacity.

When is the deadline to register to vote?

class=Section3>

< For a general or primary election, the deadline is 29 days before the election.

< For a special election held at a time other than a general election, the deadline is 14 days before the election.

< If mailed, the application must be postmarked no later than the deadline.

< If delivered in person, either by the applicant or a third party, the application must be received by the deadline.

< Applications postmarked or received after the deadline will be held and processed after the election, and will not be valid.

What is required on the application?

< All information asked for on the application must be completed. If any information requested on the application does not apply to the voter, they should write “none” or place a dash in the appropriate space.

< The registrant must sign and date the application.

< Failure to complete the form properly will result in a denial of the application.

How will a person know if their registration was accepted?

< The local voter registration office will determine registration eligibility. A voter card will be mailed to eligible registrants.

< A denial letter will be mailed to any applicant determined not to be eligible.

< Any applicant who does not receive either a voter card or denial notice within 30 days should contact their local registration office.

< Any application received after the registration deadline will not be processed until after the election which follows the registration deadline. No voter cards or denial letters will be issued during this period.

What method can be used to return completed application(s)?

< Delivery through the postal system. The applicant can deliver the voter registration application through the postal system.
< Delivery in person. The applicant can deliver the voter registration application in person to ANY voter registration office.

< Delivery by a third party. All voter registrations applications turned in to a third party

must be given to a Local Voter Registration Office within fifteen days after the person completed the application or by the registration deadline, whichever is earlier. Because, individuals in the past did not always follow through and make sure the applications got turned in on time or at all; as of July 1, 2008, all Virginia Voter Registration Applications will have a receipt that shall be given to the applicant upon his completion of the form. The law does provide for penalties if these guidelines are not followed.

(§ 24.2-1002.01 Class 1 misdemeanor).

< Voter registration applications can be turned in to ANY Local Voter Registration Office or the State Board of Elections, 200 N. 9^th Street, Room 101, Richmond, VA 23219

Other Helpful Information

< Blank applications may be photocopied, but an original signature is required. A faxed copy of the voter registration application is only acceptable when reporting a change.

< People should fill out a new application to apply to register to vote or report a change to an existing voter registration record. State law requires people to notify the registrar if they move from one place to another.

< The Virginia Voter Registration Application is available on our website at www.sbe.state.va.us. The national application is available at www.eac.gov, and should be used for college students and others whose permanent residence is not in Virginia.

< The registrar must have a voter registration application containing a complete residential address. This is necessary to determine whom a person can vote for and the location of their polling place. Law enforcement officers and their families, persons under protective order, as well as those threatened or stalked, may request that the address that shows on the public voter registration records be a post office box. They can do this by checking the appropriate box on the application and writing the post office mailing address on the form. However, all registration applications must show a street address. If the registrant has any questions about this, they should contact their local Voter Registration Office.

< A homeless person can register to vote, if they intend to remain in a locality indefinitely and provide some residence address indicating the primary place where they spend each night. This is necessary to determine whom a person can vote for and the location of their polling place. A mailing address is required to ensure that the voter gets their registration card and to avoid cancellation of voting eligibility due to returned mail. Some homeless shelters allow people to have their voter registration cards delivered to them, to be picked up by the homeless person. Call the Local Voter Registration Office if you have questions about registering the homeless.

< If a person has been convicted of a felony, and wants to know the eligibility requirements for the restoration of their civil rights, they should contact:

Micah Womack, Restoration of Rights Director
Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Post Office Box 2454
Richmond, Virginia 23218-2454
(804) 692-2531

http://www.soc.state.va.us/JudicialSystem/Clemency/clemency.cfm

VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION REQUEST FORM

* Maximum number provided per request - 1500

How many Virginia Applications (500/box)?

How many National Applications (200/box)?

I will advise all applicants for registration that it is their option to hand-carry, mail, or to permit me to return, their voter application to ANY Virginia Voter Registration office or the State Board of Elections..

I will return all completed applications within fifteen (15) days of receipt as required by federal law or before the close of voter registration, whichever is sooner. I will also return any unused applications to ANY Virginia Voter Registration office or the State Board of Elections.

I will not mark, add, change, or delete any information on the voter application, nor will I destroy, or dispose of the application in any way.

I will not copy, duplicate, or distribute any social security information from any application.

Federal law (the Privacy Act and Help America Vote Act) and state law (the Virginia Constitution, Article II § 2, Title 24.2 of the Code of Virginia and the Government Data Collection and Dissemination Practices Act) authorize collecting this information and restricts its use to official purposes only.

Signature _____________________________________________________

Name _____________________________________________________

Organization _____________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________

City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________

Telephone Number __________________________________________________

Please return completed form to:

STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Registration Outreach Programs

200 N. 9th Street, Room 101

Richmond, VA 23219-3497

Fax # (804) 371-0194

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