Program Description

  Voter Registration Services

The Voter Registration Services program provides clerical and administrative support to register new voters, maintains the currency of information in the official registry, and provides clerical and administrative support to process requests for absentee ballots. The Federal Help America Vote Act mandated the establishment of a statewide voter registration database (MDVOTERS) that occurred in 2006, moving the County voter registration database to a statewide platform under the aegis of the State Board of Elections. In addition, this program processes all changes of name, address, and party affiliation, and maintains a delete file, removing voters for reasons of death, felony conviction, ineligibility for jury duty, moving out of the jurisdiction, and other valid legal reasons. The program provides legally-required training for volunteer registrars; responds to various voter and candidate requests for voter registration applications, listings, and CD's of registered voters; verifies nominating or referenda petitions submitted; and issues and canvasses absentee and provisional ballots. Implementation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires all motor vehicle and State social service agencies to solicit voter registration applications and information changes from every client or customer resulting in an increase in the number of applications and changes received for processing, many of which require research to clarify inaccurate or incomplete information. The program also tracks returned mail and sends a second mailing in order to accurately maintain the database.