Agency Voter

Registration

Programs

Agency Voter

Registration

Program

Author:

Margaret Rosenfield

1650 Ridgeway Place

Columbus, Ohio 43212

Managed and Edited by:

William C. Kimberling

National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

Published by:

National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

Washington, D.C. 20463

September 1992
Introduction by the

Clearinghouse

This report is another in the series on Innovations in Election Administration being published by the FEC's National Clearinghouse on

Election Administration.

The purpose of this series is to acquaint State

and local election officials with innovative election procedures and technologies that have been

successfully implemented by their colleagues

around the country.

Our reports on these innovations do not

necessarily constitute an endorsement by

the Federal Election Commission either of

the procedures described or of the vendors

or suppliers that might be listed within the

report. Moreover, the views and opinions

expressed in these reports are those of the

author and are not necessarily shared by

the Federal Election Commission or any

division thereof.

We welcome you comments on these reports as

well as any suggestions you may have for additional topics. You may mail these to us at:

The National Clearinghouse on

Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

999 E. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20463

or else call us

toll free on 800/424-9530 or

direct on 202/219-3670.

n
Agency Voter

Registration

Programs

Agency voter registration is a procedure

whereby opportunities to register to vote are

made available to membersof the public, to clients,

applicants, and recipients of services, and to

employees in government and quasi-government

agencies and in agencies that contract with government to provideservices to the public. There

are two primary types of agency voter registration.

• Active Agency Voter Registration means

that the agency staff members take an active role

in assisting citizens in becoming registered voters or updating their registration. The means by

which the agency does this can vary:

• a voter registration form can be integrated

into the agency's own intake forms;

• the agency's intake forms can include a written question asking whether the client wants

to register to vote, with the agency staff offering

assistance in completing the voter registration

form;

• the agency staff can orally ask each client the

same voter registration questions and offer

assistance.

Regardless of the means of assisting with registration, the agency assumes the responsibility

for transmitting the completed voter registration

forms to the appropriate election office at the

appropriate times.

This category also includes semi-active Agency

Voter Registration in which the agency staff

provides some assistance in helping citizens become registered to vote. This assistance may

include:

• pointing out the availability of voter registration forms at that site;

• offering to answer questions and help, if requested, in completing voter registration forms;

• offering to accept completed voter registration

forms for transmittal to the election office.

• Passive Agency Voter Registration means

the agency provides space for the display of voter

registration forms and information, but with little

or no direct involvement by agency personnel. It

usually consists of some kind of holder displaying

voter registration forms, which are readily available to the public.

Often there is also a poster announcing the

availability of the registration forms to the public

at that site. Agency personnel may or may not

answer questions or provide assistance upon request to members of the public who want to

register to vote. The agency may accept completed registration forms for transmittal to the

appropriate election office, or voters may be responsible for mailing completed forms.

History

Passive agency voter registration has been in

existence in some States since the mid 1970's,

such as Wisconsin (since 1973), California (1976),

and Pennsylvania (1976). Michigan introduced

active agency voter registration in 1975 with its
"motor voter" law, providing voter registration to

applicants for new orrenewed driver's licenses.

Similar motor voter laws were enacted by other

States in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

In 1984, the States of New Mexico, New York,

Ohio, and Texas expanded active agency voter

registration to other State agencies with a high

volume of direct public contact. Although the

legality of using State agencies to offer voter

registration if those agencies received part of

their funding from the federal government was

challenged, after considerable controversy this

use of State agencies was found to be appropriate.

Since then agency voter registration programs

have proliferated. Some States have mandated

passive voter registration in specific agencies,

some in all agencies. Some have statutes that

permit active or passive or both, but leave implementation to the discretion of local election officials. In some States where statutes are silent on

the subject, State and local election officials have

made effective use of mail registration, either on

their own initiative or with the aid of executive

orders. Recently, States have begun to enact

mandatory active agency voter registration:

Minnesota, enacted 1987, fully implemented 1989;

New Jersey, enacted 1991; Rhode Island, effective 1992.

In view of the experience in the various States,

it is useful to look at what elements State agency

voter registration programs contain, what they

recommend as successful, and what pitfalls they

warn against.

A survey of the States that reported having

agency voter registration reveals some Great

Truths about the characteristics of successful

programs. Some elements are absolutely essential, some are very helpful, and some may be

helpful in some jurisdictions.

Absolutely Essential

Enthusiasm. Every effective agency voter

registration program had one or more persons in

the State or local elections office or both who was

enthusiastically committed to making agencybased voter registration work. There must be

someone to initiate, plan, convince, instruct, and

follow through. Every successful program has at

least one person who made the effort to make it

work—who got the statutes enacted; who obtained

an executive order; who sweet-talked or coerced

(or both) agencies; who planned the procedures,

designed the materials, secured the funding; who

trained the participants; who made sure the

procedures were followed; who prodded, nagged,

cajoled, rewarded, threatened, and hounded everyone tirelessly until the program was so ingrained that it had to work.

Very Helpful

Flexible Statutes. Effective programs have

flexible voter registration statutes. Restrictive

State laws—that require in- person registration

at an election office; that require notarizing or

witnessing of the registration application; that

forbid or require third-person registration assistance; that make voter registration inaccessible

or that make the forms difficult to obtain, complete,

or return—make agency voter registration difficult, ineffective, or inefficient.

Statutory Mandate. State statutes that require agency voter registration give State and

local election officials leverage when they go to

those agencies with proposals for how that registration can best be instituted. A statutory

mandate also carries an official authorization to

spend public monies for materials and staff time

needed to implement voter registration in agencies and helps assure some uniformity throughout the State.

Mail Registration. States that allow unrestricted voter registration by mail and provide a

uniform statewide mail registration form find

these to be powerful tools. Several states (including some that adopted mail-in voter registration very reluctantly) commented that it had

greatly reduced the mad rush just before the
registration deadline preceding elections, because

it tended to spread the registrations more evenly

throughout the year. Mail-in can be used to

provide effective agency voter registration even

without a statutory mandate—it just takes more

effort. Creative, enthusiastic local officials in

several States are using their unrestricted mail

registration to institute agency voter registration

programs.

Without mail voter registration, it does not

make sense to have passive agency voter registration, because registrants have no way to return

their completed registration forms. The lack of

mail voter registration limits your options.

Uniform statewide mail-in forms that are

simple, that do not require notarization or witnesses, that can be distributed by anyone, anyplace, anytime, in any quantity, and that can be

photocopied offer an inexpensive way for public

and private agencies, groups, and individuals to

provide registration access to eligible citizens.

A number of election officials volunteered the

advice that registration forms should be simple.

They should require only the information that is

required to determine the eligibility of a person to

vote and to determine where that person votes.

They should be clearly designed, worded in plain

language, and short. There is no need to know the

last three places the applicant lived or to have a

detailed physical description or employment history. You need to know only the name and

address, the former voting address (so it can be

canceled), that the person is old enough to vote, is

a United States citizen, and is a resident under

that State's law. A clear simple form is much

more likely to be completed correctly.

Helpful

Nonpartisanship. Nonpartisan voter registration relieves much of the partisan anxiety

surrounding voter registration. In those States

(such as New York) where voter registration

includes a declaration of political party preference, there is concern that the registration for the

"other" party may not get to the proper election

authority. This concern vanishes in those States

(such as Ohio) where party affiliation is not part

of the voter registration application. If the person

accepting the voter registration form for transmittal to the election office does not know the

political affiliation of the applicant, there is no

concern that registrations in the "wrong" party

will be "lost".

This option is not, however, available in the 26

States that require party affiliation on the voter

registration form as a condition to participating

in closed primary elections.

Steps in Implementing an Agency

Voter Registration Program

For those jurisdictions interested in implementing an agency voter registration program,

this section identifies the questions you need to

answer—along with options and observations on

each question.

Which Kind of Agency Voter

Registration Do We Want:

Active or Passive?

This will not always be an either/or decision.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both.

Depending on agency procedures and the amount

of direct contact with the public, it may be appropriate to have staff-active voter registration

in some agencies and passive voter registration in

others.

Staff-Active Agency Voter Registration

• Advantages. Evidence shows that staff-active

agency voter registration in high-volume agencies having direct contact with members of the

public is very effective in getting large numbers of

people registered to vote.

Active agency voter registration helps election

officials maintain clean current lists of registered
voters, reducing the "deadwood", the costs of

mailings, and the possibility of voting fraud.

Active agency registration can be used in States

that require a notarization or witness on registrations, with the agency staff member serving as

witness.

Automatic inclusion of voter registration questions and assistance become incorporated into

the normal administrative procedures of the

agency and soon become part of the ordinary way

of conducting the agency's business.

Assisted voter registration is especially helpful

to those applicants with disabilities who need

assistance in filling out the voter registration

forms—those who have physical disabilities, those

who are among the 20 per cent of adults who are

illiterate, or those who find government forms

intimidating.

• Disadvantages. Staff-active agency voter registration does increase the workload of the agency

personnel. Assisting members of the public with

voter registration adds to the time required to

help each applicant complete the agency forms.

Assisting with voter registration requires that

agencies have procedures in place to assure that

they have a consistent supply of voter registration materials on hand, that procedures are followed for timely return of completed forms, and

that front-line personnel are familiar enough

with voter registration requirements to be able to

answer questions about eligibility and procedures.

An agency staff member needs to take responsibility for making voter registration work, by

seeing that procedures are followed and that

materials are available.

Involvement with other government agencies

requires election officials to provide materials

and services to help agencies perform their registration responsibilities efficiently and effectively.

Some States, where voters must indicate political party preference when they register to

vote, have concerns about the possibility that

agency staff will coerce clients to register, will be

partisan in their assistance, or will "lose" registrations that are for the "wrong" political party.

(There is no evidence of this happening however,

and the concern can be resolved by giving the

registrant a receipt.)

Passive Agency Voter Registration

• Advantages. It is usually easier to gain the

agreement of agencies to offer passive voter registration than to get them to do staff-active registration. Passive voter registration does not make

the demands on agency staff time that active

assistance does.

This easier access to agencies makes it possible

to get voter registration into more sites, making

it easier to give the public many opportunities to

find a place to pick up registration forms. The

more agencies that have forms on display, the

less critical it is to get the cooperation of any one

individual agency.

Passive voter registration requires little or no

training of agency personnel by election officials.

There is little or no concern about coercion or

partisanship because agency staff are not involved in the registration process.

• Disadvantages. Passive agency voter registration has generally been found to be less effective

in getting people registered than is active agency

voter registration. Most members of the public

just do not notice posters or the holders containing registration forms.

Members of the public often have questions or

need some assistance in filling out voter registration forms. Agencies that simply provide forms

usually have no one who can provide these answers or assistance.

States that require that voter registrations be

completed by deputy registrars cannot use passive

agency registration, because there is no way for
registrants to return completed registration forms

to the election office if the forms cannot be mailed.

Experience shows that passive agency voter

registration often is not fully implemented. It is

very difficult to get data on numbers of registrations from agencies that offer passive voter registration, so it is hard to know if agencies are

doing anything at all or which ones are effective

sites.

What Legal Authority Is Needed?

If you want to institute agency voter registration, it is important to find out what legal authority you have. You may need to lobby for the

authority you need; election officials have been

the initiators of a high percentage of mandates,

whether statutory or executive. Some States that

initiated agency voter registration with an executive order have later obtained a statutory mandate.

Many local officials have found a county or municipal order very helpful. In the meantime,

make full use of what you have. If it is not

expressly prohibited, active election officials assume it is allowed. For example, in California

and Virginia, local registrars have a great deal of

discretion, and some are doing effective agency

voter registration at the local level.

Statutory Mandate

Legislation that mandates agency-based voter

registration has been found to be the most effective

long-term way to assure a permanent commitment

to making voter registration available at government and quasi-government agencies

throughout the State.

• Ohio ran into a roadblock when voter registration was initiated in public libraries. Lacking a

statutory mandate, the State auditor ruled that it

was impermissible to use library funds to provide

voter registration. Therefore, each county election office must contract with the public libraries

in that county and must reimburse each library

for every registration the library processes. Some

counties in the State do contract with their libraries to provide voter registration and some do not,

so voters have more accessible voter registration

in some counties than in others.

• The Minnesota statute, along with its accompanying regulations, is excellent. It requires

staff-active voter registration in all agencies and

has included a mandatory voter registration

question on agency forms in two high-volume

agencies.

The legislative process of getting a statutory

mandate enacted helps assure that election officials and agencies get a process that is workable

and that there is a legislative consensus for full

implementation. It also puts everyone—election

officials, agencies, the public—on notice that this

mandate is now in the State statutes, giving

election officials both the authority and the responsibility for full implementation.

See Appendix 1 for examples of State statutory

language.

Executive Order

An executive order (from the governor, mayor,

or county executive) requiring or allowing agency

voter registration in specified or in all government agencies gives the election official almost,

but not quite, as much leverage as does a statutory requirement.

An executive order can often be obtained immediately, enabling election officials to put an

agency voter registration program into effect right

now, while legislative action can take months or

years. Many States with executive orders or

directives mandating agency voter registration

believe they have long-term assurance that agencies will offer voter registration to the public.

However, an executive order or directive can be

rescinded by a subsequent executive who disagrees with the order. In some jurisdictions, all

executive orders expire when the executive officer leaves office. Therefore, while an executive

order can be a quick and effective way to intro-
duce agency voter registration, it is a tenuous

solution.

The 1990 resolution of the Santa Clara (California) county board of supervisors demonstrates

effective use of a State statutory mandate for

voter outreach. See Appendix 2 for examples of

State and local executive orders.

Statutory Permission

As long as there is no constitutional or statutory prohibition against a government agency's

providing voter registration, election authorities

can negotiate with agencies to provide voter

registration as a service to the public. Some local

officials have made effective use of statutes that

are permissive or silent on voter registration

outreach through government agencies. For example, registering 18-year-olds under a very aggressive program in Dade County (Florida) high

schools; voter registration in libraries in Omaha

(Nebraska); passive voter registration in a variety of agencies in different counties in Oregon,

including post offices, libraries, welfare, health

and unemployment agencies.

Enforcement

Widespread difficulties with implementation

indicate that State statutes should include an

enforcement mechanism for agency voter registration mandates, as for all election requirements,

specifying a State official (usually the Secretary

of State or the State Board of Elections) who has

the authority and responsibility for overseeing

and compelling compliance statewide, and

specifying a local election official with the authority and responsibility for overseeing and

compelling compliance in local agencies.

This authority allows election officials to enforce

the mandate of the statute or executive order

without having to resort to court action in case an

agency just does not want to be bothered to

implement agency voter registration. It also

holds the State and local official responsible for

that enforcement.

Some State laws sound very good, but leave the

implementation of voter registration solely to the

discretion of local election officials. This leads to

uneven implementation in different local jurisdictions, dependent on the attitude and enthusiasm of individual election officials. While some

variation is appropriate in response to widely

varying local circumstances, some State office or

official should be accountable for compelling compliance with State voter registration requirements such as agency registration.

• Rhode Island demonstrates the problems when

a State restricts voter registration to specially

appointed registrars, then mandates agency registration but does not provide enforcement. Rhode

Island law requires that agencies provide staffactive voter registration starting in 1992, but

lack of funding, staffing, administrative planning, and agency staff cooperation has made

implementation problematic. Passive registration in agencies is not an option because they do

not allow mail-in registration.

• New York has a slightly different problem. Its

executive order has no enforcement provision and

no funding. The State has had difficulty enforcing the amending of agency intake forms to include voter registration questions and had to

discontinue the providing of postage-paid registration forms for lack of funds. (New York City

still provides prepaid forms.)

What Funding Is Needed;

What Is Available?

Agency voter registration need not be expensive, but it does involve some expenditure of staff

time and materials. Therefore, it needs to be

provided for in someone's budget. Staffing and

materials need to be budgeted at whatever level

the available funding will allow. The level of

funding available will often determine what kind

6
of program can be instituted and what materials

can be provided.

In these days of tight budgets, it may take some

creativity but elections officials have discovered

innovative ways to fund voter registration programs.

• Modification. Some of the materials, publicity, and distribution that are already in use by

election officials can be modified at little or no

additional cost for use with agencies. Existing

instructions for voter registrars and general voter

information pamphlets may need very little if any

change for use and distribution by agencies.

Modifications of agency forms involves a modest

one-time cost; thereafter, the agency's cost of

printing forms is unchanged. If the election office

is already required to advertise voter registration

deadlines, it can add a list of agencies where voter

registration is available.

• Businesses and labor unions will often contribute cash or in-kind services such as design,

paper, and printing for nonpartisan voter registration.

• Foundations. Community foundations have

helped fund start-up costs for voter registration

outreach programs, taking account of the in-kind

staff support provided by the election office.

Election offices can set up a separate 501(c)(3)

fund to accept contributions to be used exclusively for nonpartisan voter education materials.

If a local election office does not have such a fund,

the State election office might set up one that,

could act as fiscal agent for local offices; or an

existing fund such as a local or state League of

Women Voters Education Fund might be willing

to serve as such a fiscal agent.

• Volunteers. Advocacy groups will often help

design and help distribute voter registration

materials that will benefit their constituencies

and the public at large. Groups that work on

behalf of disabled voters, adult literacy groups,

and others are often willing to assist in preparing

materials that could be used in agency voter

registration.

How Do We Develop a Plan?

If the following questions can all be answered,

all participants should understand their responsibilities, so nothing should fall in the cracks.

Some programs have been successfully initiated

by just plunging in and solving problems as they

arose, but the more questions that can be answered ahead of time, the easier it will be to

implement a program smoothly.

A number of jurisdictions commented that they

wished they had done more planning; it would

have prevented their having to play catch up

later. The kinds of changes that were reported

included: producing better holders for voter

registration forms, preparing better written instructions, improving reporting, increasing the

number of voter registration locations, introducing

combined forms (motor voter), integrating a voter

registration question into agency intake forms,

improving coordination and reinforcement of the

agency voter registration program.

The plan will be preliminary and subject to

modification; it may be necessary to reconsider

decisions about passive or active, depending on

costs and legal authority; plans may differ for

different agencies; every situation really is unique.

Which Agencies Should We Use?

Few States gather statistics on how many

voter registrations can be attributed to specific

agencies; and several States commented that

their agency voter registration programs were

too new to evaluate. However several recommended motor voter, libraries, schools, human

services, unemployment, jury selection, post offices, and marriage license offices. Some innovative ways that government offices got voter

registration forms into the hands of citizens included deed transfers, State income tax booklets,

and telephone books.

• Libraries are effective in many States as semiactive or passive voter registration sites. People
know where to find them; librarians are experienced in helping people; libraries have convenient hours and parking; they are perceived as

friendly. In 1990, registration programs in libraries yielded 4,850 in Santa Clara County,

California, and 4,488 in Douglas County, Nebraska.

• Schools are effective as passive registration

sites for the general community, as semi-active

sites for parents of students. High schools are

widely regarded as the obvious sites for registering 18-year-olds, especially when combined with

classroom instruction on voting procedures and

on the importance of electoral participation. Elementary schools can be productive if the staff

actively solicits voter registration when parents

register their children for school.

• Human services agencies that deal with income assistance, health services, housing assistance, and worker's compensation got mixed reviews, very productive in some States, less so in

others. The success of voter registration in these

offices seems to be dependent on the planning and

persistence of the election office in getting active

or semi-active procedures incorporated into the

agency intake procedures, especially by incorporating a voter registration question into the agency

intake form, as in Minnesota.

• Unemployment offices yield voter registrations

when a voter registration question is incorporated into the agency application form, as in

Minnesota and Pennsylvania. They are somewhat less effective where dependent on the staff

to ask the client about registration.

• Public housing can provide effective voter registration by offering it as part of the process when

people move in to their apartments or houses.

• Jury selection and marriage license offices were

recommended by some States. Success with these

offices also seems to dependent on getting active

voter registration integrated into their procedures, as in San Diego County (California). Iowa

has also had some success with personnel offices,

state universities, and agricultural extension offices.

See revised agency forms incorporating a voter

registration question in Appendix 4.

• Post offices in at least five states offer passive

voter registration by allowing registration forms

to be displayed with post office change-of-address

forms. There are no statistics available on how

many registrations these yield because of their

use of passive mail-in forms completed and returned by the applicant. However, this is a very

convenient way to remind people who are using

the post office change-of-address forms that they

also need to update their voter registration. Local

election officials negotiated with local postmasters to allow this and keep the displays re-supplied with forms so there is no hassle for the post

offices.

• Innovations. Deed transfers in San Diego

County, CA, include a pre-addressed postcard for

requesting voter registration forms. These yielded

20,000 requests for voter registration forms in

1990. See postcard in Appendix 6.

State income tax booklets in Minnesota (in oddnumbered years only) and in Iowa contain voter

registration forms. Both found this an effective

and efficient way to get forms into the hands of

their citizens. In 1990 Iowa's yielded 11,830

registrations, Minnesota's 39,256. See sample

forms in Appendix 6.

Telephone books containing voter registration

forms yieldedl,401 registrations in Iowa in 1990.

Minnesota will begin doing the same in 1992.

Another State found inclusion of a form in phone

books was not productive without a notice on the

frontcover, because no one realized the form was

there. See sample in Appendix 1.

Ohio in 1990 included mail-in voter registration

forms with letters sent to recipients from State

Unclaimed Funds and with motor vehicle licenses

that were renewed by mail. No statistics were

collected on the number of registrations that

were completed and returned.

8
There is some consensus that agencies having

little direct contact with the general public or

dealing with the same small segment of the community repeatedly do not yield very many voter

registrations. Some of those mentioned probation,

coroner, a local housing office, small neighborhood

agencies, police stations.

How Can We Get Agency Cooperation?

Regardless of the level of legal authority that

election officials can invoke, effective implementation of voter registration in governmental

agencies requires negotiating skill and diplomacy.

Election officials throughout the country stress

over and over that agency personnel must be

convinced and supported if the program is to be

effective.

• Active. Local officials urge that the election

official meet with the agency director to explain

the goals of the program. If the agency is to offer

staff-active voter registration, it is important to

find out how agency intake procedures work so

training, instructions, forms, and procedures for

voter registration will mesh smoothly with agency

operations. It also helps assure cooperation to

explain and demonstrate the materials and support that will be provided by the election office.

• Passive. If the agency is to offer passive voter

registration, show the materials that will be

provided (forms, posters, display holders, and so

forth); discuss how they can be displayed effectively without interfering with the work of the

agency. Successful election officials work with

the agency to develop a plan that will meet the

needs of the agency and of the election office for

getting additional forms to the agency and clarify

what will be expected of the agency if people

request additional information or assistance.

• Recognition. Everyone needs recognition for a

job well done. It is well to plan how you can show

your appreciation to agencies for their cooperation. Some election officials give certificates of

appreciation to agencies that can be posted at the

agency (see example in Appendix 8.); some write

letters of commendation to the individual agency

and to the agency's boss. Be creative: for example, a local official sent a box of candy to each

local library around Christmas, at her own personal expense, to show her thanks for their help.

Who in the Election Office and in the Agency

Would Be Responsible for This Program?

All of the planning questions imply the additional question: Who, specifically, will be responsible for each aspect of the program? The

answers to that question will tell you whether the

available staffing is sufficient.

Most experience shows that little additional

staffing is required in either the agency or the

election office in order to provide agency voter

registration. Passive registration requires only

that the agency be supplied with materials; active

registration requires only a few minutes for

completing the voter registration form. The

election office is already processing voter registrations, so its procedures need only be expanded

to assure that agencies get the materials and

support that they need and that election office

staff is prepared to deal with an increased number of registrations.

One person in the election office needs to be in

charge of the agency voter registration program.

That person have other responsibilities, consult

with others, have assistants, have a committee,

report to a higher authority—but one person

should have the overall authority and responsibility for the program. That person will do the

planning, make the decisions, approve materials

and procedures, works with agencies, oversees

the project, follow up on problems—get the credit

and the blame. Needless to say, this person

should be experienced or at least be able and

willing to learn.

This supervisor, coordinator, or whatever will

need support and assistance from superiors and

co-workers, because this person will be respon-
sible for making sure the plans make sense, the

funding is secured, the designs and printing are

done, the materials are distributed, the election

and agency staff are trained, the program is

publicized, the registration forms are processed,

the records are kept, and the deadlines are met.

Each agency and site needs one person who is

designated as the contact person when there are

questions or problems to be resolved. This keeps

communication open between the agency and the

election office and prevents confusion. Who is the

contact person at this agency? This person needs

to be convinced that the voter registration program

is important, and should have the enthusiasm

and authority to see that there is follow through

at the agency.

An effective staff-active or semi-active agency

voter registration program needs well-informed

agency personnel who want to make it work. The

agency staff must believe that helping people

with voter registration is an important part of the

service they provide as public servants. Staff

members who deal directly with the public must

make the effort to learn how to help people complete the forms properly and to get the completed

forms to the right place at the right time.

Active agency voter registration works when

support and supervisory staff recognize the importance of the "front-line" staff in providing this

assistance to the public, and see to it that the

front-line staff is provided with appropriate forms,

instruction, and assistance, that voter registration is an integral part of the service the agency

provides.

What Materials Would Be Needed,

Available1?

Decisions about whether to offer active or passive programs; in which agencies; and available

funding will help determine what materials will

be needed. How will these materials be prepared;

how many of each will be printed; how will they be

funded?

Will one logo or slogan be used on all materials?

If so, it should be designed before other materials

so it can be incorporated wherever appropriate.

Following are, some materials provided by different State and local jurisdictions.

• Voter Registration Forms. This is the one thing

that every agency voter registration program

needs. Agencies may also need any other forms

required by State law, such as change-of-address,

change-of-name, and cancellation-of-previousregistration.

Mail-in voter registration forms necessitate a big

decision: whether mail-in registration forms will

be postage-paid or will require the registrant to

supply postage if he or she mails the form. There

is general agreement that postage-paid forms

yield a much greater return, but they also greatly

increase the cost to the election office. California,

the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania provide postage-paid forms; New York provided them

until the cost became too high, but New York City

still provides them. See example of a postagepaid California form in Appendix 7.

• Re-order Forms. Pre-addressed re-order cards

for agencies to send to the election office when

they need more materials are an efficient way to

get more forms and other supplies to agencies if

there is no regularly scheduled re-supply delivery

system. See California and Oregon examples in

Appendix 5.

• Agency Forms. If a voter registration question

is to be incorporated as an integral part of the

agency forms, the agency forms need to be redesigned and printed. Some inexpensive ways of

accomplishing this are discussed under "Who

should design and print the new agency forms

with mandatory voter registration question?"

below. See examples of forms with an integrated

voter registration question in Appendix 4.

• Holders. Most States and local jurisdictions

provide display holders that can be set on a

counter or hung on a wall if agencies are to

provide voter registration forms passively, staff

10
not providing assistance or providing it only if

requested. These holders for the forms must be

designed, produced, and distributed. A stack of

voter registration forms can just be piled on a

counter, but successful programs use a holder to

draw attention to the forms and keep them from

slopping all over theplace. A number of States

have designed sturdy, eye-catching holders. Iowa

has an inexpensive one that can be folded flat for

mailing, as did Ohio. Several California counties

have created striking, durable holders.

• Voter Information. Pamphlets containing

voter information are provided by most States.

and these can be made available through agencies. Will agency staff give them to the public

along with agency forms? Alternatively, if they

are to be displayed with voter registration forms,

the holder needs to be designed to hold both the

voter registration forms and the voter information pamphlets. Agency re-order forms will need

to have a space for re-ordering pamphlets as well

as voter registration forms.

• Posters. Many States provide attractive posters as an effective way to draw public attention to

the availability of voter registration forms at that

site. Does the State or local election office already

have a supply of posters that can be used for this

purpose, or must they be specially designed and

printed? Attractive posters can also be purchased from the Federal Voting Assistance Program and from some vendors of election supplies.

• Instructions. Written instructions for agency

personnel describing their responsibilities will

prevent much confusion. Can existing instructions be used or modified for use in agencies?

These instructions should include how to obtain

supplies, how to complete voter registration forms

(including noting which items are required and

which are optional), how to return completed

forms, how to get staff questions answered, pertinent deadlines.

Agency staff are not as familiar with voter

registration requirements as are the elections

staff, so written instructions should also include

voter eligibility rules; line-by-line explanations

and answers to frequently asked questions about

the voter registration forms; how to offer assistance to applicants; a phone number at the elections office to which members of the public can be

referred to get questions answered; what to do

with completed forms. (For example, may or

must voters mail their own forms? May they take

extra forms for family and friends?)

See Minnesota, Iowa, and Santa Clara County,

California, instructions in Appendix 3.

• Training. Written or audio-visual materials

for use in training workshops on procedures for

agency and election office personnel will enhance

training and allow the use of a larger pool of

knowledgeable persons as trainers.

• Envelopes. If completed voter registration

forms are to be returned by the agency to the

election office by mail or inter-office delivery,

providing envelopes that are large enough to hold

the forms and that are pre-addressed to the

election office will help assure timely return.

• Reports. If the election office wants or requires

any kind of report from the agencies, simple

report forms, making clear what information is

needed and where and when the report is to be

sent, should be supplied to the agencies. See Iowa

report form in Appendix 3.

• Publicity. Newspaper ads, radio and television public service advertisements, news releases,

bumper stickers, buttons, "slap-ons", campaigntype paraphernalia—all help publicize the

availability of voter registration in agencies so

the public will be aware of these opportunities.

Should We Incorporate a Mandatory

Voter Registration Question Into Agency

Intake Forms?

• Combined forms integrate the voter registration form into the agency intake form so that the

applicant who fills out the agency form automatically fills out a voter registration form at the same

11
time, unless the applicant specifies that he or she

does not wish to register to vote. So far this has

only been implemented in motor voter, but it

could also be done in other agencies. Much of the

information required for voter registration is already required on other government agency application forms. A redesign of the form to group

those questions that also apply to voter registration could enable a signed copy to serve for voter

registration. Combining forms requires close

cooperation between the election office and the

agency in re-designing the agency form to include

the voter registration form to fit the needs of both,

but they are considered the most productive way

of increasing voter registrations and the most

convenient for the agency clients.

• A mandatory question on voter registration that

i s incorporated into the agency intake forms means

that every client will answer "yes" or "no" to a

question such as:

If you are not registered to vote where

you live now, would you like to register

here today?

If the client answers "yes" to the question, he or

she is given a voter registration form to fill out

and, usually, to return to the agency for transmittal to the election office.

It is easier to incorporate mandatory questions

into existing agency forms than it is to combine

voter registration and agency forms. Mandatory

questions are generally regarded as less productive than the combined forms, but far more productive than the passive availability of registration forms. Incorporating the voter registration

questions into the agency forms has several advantages over having the staff ask the questions

orally. It institutionalizes the questions as a

permanent part of the agency application process.

It demonstrates to the client that voter registration

is an official function of the agency, not just the

hobby of some overzealous staff member. It

assures that every client is asked, not just those

for whom the staff have time and inclination.

A 1988 California evaluation of active agency

voter registration programs revealed that the

incorporation of a mandatory question on voter

registration into the agency intake forms was

necessary or the agency program was in reality

passive. If the agency depended on its staff to ask

clients orally about voter registration, the staff

simply did not do so. Ohio has had the same

experience with motor voter—staff does not ask

the voter registration questions, in spite of the

fact that they are statutorily mandated to ask

specific voter registration questions of every applicant. Minnesota addressed this problem by

printing a mandatory registration question on

welfare and unemployment intake forms.

The lack of an integrated voter registration

question printed on agency intake forms means

that election officials must constantly monitor

compliance and usually must re-initiate the

program before each election.

See Appendix 4 for examples of the California,

Minnesota, and Pennsylvania forms with a

mandatory voter registration questions printed

on them.

Who Would Design and Print the New

Agency Forms with a Mandatory Voter

Registration Question?

Election offices often have the technical capability to design printed material because of their

responsibilities for printing ballots, candidate

and voter information, instructions, and forms.

Some agencies also have these capabilities. How

it gets done is usually a matter for negotiation,

but there are some inexpensive approaches that

have been successful

One local election official wanted a voter registration question incorporated into the agency

voter registration form. The agency director did

not want to spend the money to redesign and

reprint forms. The election official agreed to pay

for and re-design (with agency approval) the

agency intake form. The agency director used the

new design when the forms were re-ordered.

Everyone won: the election office had in-house

12
capability to design forms at little or no cost; the

agency got a better-designed form at no cost.

If agency forms cannot be redesigned in the

near future to include a voter registration question, for about five dollars a rubber stamp can be

made containing both the question and the "Yes"

and "No" blanks. It can be used to stamp the

question on the agency forms until the redesigned

forms are available.

If you are not registered to vote where

you live now, would you like to register

here today? Yes No

How Would Voter Registration Forms

and Supplies Get to the Agency and to

the Public?

In most States, the local election office (county,

municipality) is responsible for keeping the agency

sites within its jurisdiction re-supplied. In a few

States, the State election office has this responsibility. In others, the State election office supplies

State agencies, and the local offices supply local

agencies; or the State agency supplies its local

agency offices.

The election office can take responsibility for

supplying forms to the agency, either on a regular

schedule or whenever the agency requests. Agency

requests can be made by phone, memo, or an

order form supplied by the election office. (See

examples of re-supply forms in Appendix 5.) The

election office resupplies the agency by mail, by

delivery via an election office staffer, or by thirdparty contractor or courier.

Sacramento County, California, came up with

an innovative way to supply agencies. Neither

the election office nor agencies had personnel

available to keep 400 agency voter registration

sites supplied with voter registration forms and

other materials and to assure timely delivery of

completed voter registration forms to election

office. The election office contracted with the

local League of Women Voters to pick up and

deliver forms and supplies to the 400 agency

offices on a regular schedule. (See Appendix 5 for

a copy of the contract.) No cost to agencies,

minimum cost to election office, source of income

to contracting organization. Bonus: the election

office had only one entity (LWV) to deal with after

the program was in place. Such an arrangement

could be worked out with any of a number of

community organizations.

Alternatively, the agency can take responsibility for picking up forms whenever the agency

supply is running low. In any case, the agency

should keep a sufficient supply of forms on hand

either to offer registration actively to the public or

to keep forms in passive display holders, refilling

the holders as needed.

How Would Completed Voter Registration

Forms Be Returned to the Election Office?

Completed voter registration forms can be put

in a convenient box or envelope, where the forms

are collected regularly to be forwarded to or

collected by the election office, in person or by

mail, on a regular, agreed schedule.

Alternatively, the election office can pick up

the completed forms on a regular, agreed schedule, either using its own personnel or a thirdperson contractor.

In some States, the applicant must mail the

form to the election office; in others, the applicant

can be given the choice of having the agency

return the completed voter registration form to

the election office or the applicant's mailing it.

How Could We Assure Timely Return of

Completed Voter Registration Forms from

Agencies to the Election Office?

Most citizens believe their voter registration is

effective when it is delivered to any government

agency; but most State laws require that a voter

registration is effective only when it is received by

13
the election office. Agency personnel are not as

knowledgeable or sensitive about voter registration deadlines as are the election office personnel

who work with those deadlines. Therefore, the

election office needs to take extra steps to assure

the timely transmittal of completed voter registration forms from agencies to the election office.

This is not a major problem in States such as

Minnesota and Wisconsin, where voters whose

registrations were received after the pre-registration deadline can register and vote on election

day. But other States wrestle with late registrations received from agencies in a variety of ways.

Some consider any late registrant strictly ineligible to vote in that election; others decide on a

case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances.

Some jurisdictions send regular reminders to

agencies of impending voter registration deadlines. Some agencies suspend taking of voter

registrations a few days before the deadline so

they can mail all of their completed registrations

to the election office in time to assure their delivery by the deadline.

An effective and widespread solution is for the

local election office to send couriers to every

agency site in the jurisdiction the day after each

voter registration deadline to collect all the completed registration forms, considering these as

timely filed. Even if agencies normally mail

completed forms, this last-minute pick-up prevents a lot of fuss.

If voter registration forms are returned after

the deadline, in most States the election office is

responsible for notifying applicants that their

voter registration forms were received too late to

be eligible to vote in that election. In a few States,

agencies that return forms after the voter registration deadline are responsible for notifying the

applicants.

How Would Agency Staff Be Trained?

Passive voter registration requires little or no

training of agency personnel because the whole

registration process is dependent on the voter's

completing the registration form and mailing it

or depositing it in the appropriate receptacle for

transmittal to the election office.

For active voter registration, the election office

should provide complete, easy-to-use written instructions and workshops for agency staff on how

to fill out forms and answer questions.

Effective active agency voter registration is

dependent on the agency personnel making it an

integral part of their procedures. This means it

needs to be mandated as a part of their regular

responsibilities; they need to be trained and provided with all the materials and information

necessary, there need to be enforcement procedures; voter registration needs to be part of their

performance reviews. There needs to be a voter

registration question as an integral part of the

agency intake form or the voter registration question must be asked orally of each applicant—and

this needs to be monitored to see that it is in fact

being done.

Oral instruction in a workshop for agency staff

is especially helpful when introducing a new

program. It is most useful if the election official

can train everyone in the agency who deals with

applicants and with forms, but it can be done by

training key agency personnel who in turn will

train the rest of the agency staff. A workshop

serves several purposes, providing an opportunity to: go through the written instructions,

explaining their use; answer questions; build

enthusiastic support. Election officials who are

initiating active voter registration in a large

number of agencies may want to contract with

well-trained third parties to do workshops. The

consensus is that election officials who do not

provide training will wish they had.

How Would the Election Office Deal with

Completed Voter Registration Forms That

Belong to Other Jurisdictions?

Agencies often serve members of the public

who are residents of more than one local jurisdic14
tion. The general public is often unaware that

one State or one local jurisdiction cannot process

a voter registration for another State or local

jurisdiction. How will you handle completed

voter registration forms whose address is outside

your jurisdiction?

In some states, local jurisdictions forward such

forms to the proper jurisdiction if it is within the

same state and forward out-of-state forms to the

proper State or to their own State election office

for forwarding. This is the most helpful for the

applicant. In some states, out-of-state forms are

returned to the applicant with a note that it must

be filed with the correct State. The procedure

should be clarified to minimize confusion for

election office staff, agency staff, and the public.

How Would We Evaluate Effectiveness?

When planning an agency voter registration

program, it seemsto make sense to include plans

for evaluating the program at regular intervals

(after the first major election, annually, every two

years?). What is working well? What is not?

Why? What are our criteria for success—the

number of agencies participating, the number of

voter registration forms distributed, the number

of completed voter registration forms returned?

How will we know which forms came from which

agencies?

Should we make changes? Will changes themselves create problems? Needed changes can

make real improvement. Unnecessary changes

can confuse and irritate both agencies and voters.

What Reports Should Be Required?

If evaluation is planned, it is easier to plan the

reporting system at the beginning. Do any of your

funding sources require reports?

What kinds of reports do you need—how many

voter registration forms were delivered to each

agency and when, how many completed voter

registration forms were returned from each agency

to the election office and when, which specific

forms were sent to and returned from each agency?

It is suggested that the numbers of applications

received and from which agencies they were received should be collected and tracked statewide.

This can occur either at the "front" end by the

agencies when completed registrations are collected, or by local election offices when the completed forms are received. These numbers should

be reported to a State office, where the numbers

can be recorded and maintained. See Iowa's

simple report form in Appendix 3.

A number of jurisdictions monitor the number

of forms sent to and received from agencies by

numbering the forms serially and recording the

numbers of the forms sent and the completed

forms received. Some jurisdictions require

agencies to report the total number of voter registrations completed every month or every quarter.

A few can keep track of numbers from specific

agencies because the voter registration forms

they use are unique (e.g., forms in income tax

booklets or phone books).

One of the advantages of reports is to enable

election officials to evaluate the effectiveness of

each agency or site to decide where to concentrate

limited resources. They also provide a means of

monitoring agency compliance so problems can

be worked out and remedied, and they provide

statistics to justify expenditure of funds and staff

time.

The more thorough the reporting that is required, the more complete the records that will be

available for evaluating the effectiveness of the

voter registration program in individual agencies

and locations.

The disadvantages of reports are that agencies

will be more resistent to the program is they have

to keep track and report on numbers, because it

increases their workload; agencies may not keep

complete records or may not send in reports,

increasing friction with the election office and

producing incomplete statistics that undermine

evaluation and justification of expenditures.

15
Endnote

As more States and local jurisdictions provide

voter registration through government agencies,

more innovative ideas will be tried. Further

experience will demonstrate the most effective

ways of making voter registration accessible to

all citizens.

16
Appendix 1

Sample State Statutes

17
Maryland Statute (passive)

Explicitly mandates passive voter registration in specific State agencies and permits the State

elections office to mandate it in others. The statute spells out the answers to a number of the planning

questions discussed in this report.

3-2. hours and places of registration; universal registration.

(e) "Agency" defined; duties of agency. —

(1) In this subsection, the term "agency" means:

(i) Any local health department;

(ii) Any local office of the State Social Services Administration;

(iii) The headquarters and any regional office of the State Motor Vehicle Administration;

(iv) Any public elementary or secondary school, community college, or State institution of higher education;

and

(v) Any other office of a department, administration, commission, board, or other entity of State

government that is identified by the State Administrative Board of Election Laws as having significant responsibilities for providing goods or services to the public and whose day-to-day activities involve significant contact with

the public in the office.

(2) Each agency shall provide, within its offices, space and appropriate shelf, rack, or similar facilities for the

display and dissemination to the public of voter registration forms and written instruction relating thereto.

(3) The display space and facilities required by this subsection shall be clearly identified and readily accessible

to the public.

(4) The State Administrative Board of Election Laws, after considering the geographic area to be served by

each agency subject to this subsection, shall ensure that voter registration forms appropriate to each agency are

made available to it in sufficient number from time to time.

(5) Each agency shall:

(i) Ensure that its voter registration display space and facilities are stocked with forms provided under

paragraph (4) of this subsection; and

(ii) Notify the appropriate elections board when additional forms are required.

(6) An agency is not required to staff the voter registration display space and facilities required under this

subsection.

(7) The instructions referred to in paragraph (2) of this subsection shall contain notice that the staff members

of the agency are not agents of an elections board or the State Administrative Board of Election Laws and that only

the following individuals are such agents:

(i) Officials or employees of a board or the State Administrative Board of Election Laws; and

(ii) Members of a board of registry, or supplementary board of registry, appointed under Section 3-10 of this

article.

(8) Regulations to carry out the requirements of this subsection, as this subsection relates to each of the

executive departments, shall be adopted jointly by the State Administrative Board of Election Laws and that

department.

18
Minnesota Statute (active)

Explicitly mandates staff-active voter registration in government agencies, detailing some of the

procedures and directing the Secretary of State to define the methods by which the statute will be

implemented.

201.1611 POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTION VOTER REGISTRATION.

Subdivision 1. Forms. All post-secondary institutions that enroll students accepting state or federal financial aid

shall provide voter registration forms to each student upon payment of tuition, fees, and activities funds at the

commencement of fall quarter. The forms must contain spaces for the information required in section 201.071,

subdivision 1, and applicable rules of the secretary of state. The institutions may request these forms from the

secretary of state.

Subd. 2. Student voter registration. Upon registration or receipt of payment of fees, students must be asked if

they want nto register to vote at the same time. A copy of each completed voter registration form, must be sent to

the county auditor of the county in which the voter maintains residence or to the secretary of state as soon as possible.

All completed voter registration forms must be forwarded to the county auditor within five days and in no case later

than 21 days before the general election.

201.162 DUTIES OF STATE AGENCIES.

The commissioner or chief administrative officer of each state agency or community-based public agency or

nonprofit corporation that contracts with the state agency to carry out obligations of the state agency shall provide

voter registration services for employees and the public. A person may complete a voter registration application or

apply to change a voter registration name or address if the person has the proper qualifications on the date of

application. Nonpartisan voter registration assistance, including routinely asking members of the public served by

the agency whether they would like to register to note and, if necessary, assisting them in preparing the registration

forms must be part of the job of appropriate agency employees.

256.925 OPTIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION FOR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE APPLICANTS AND RECIPIENTS.

A county agency shall provide voter registration cards to every individual eligible to vote who applies for a public

assistance program at the time application is made. The agency shall also make voter registration cards available

to a public assistance recipient upon the recipient's request or at the time of the recipient's eligibility redetermination.

The county agency shall assist applicants and recipients in completing the voter registration cards, as needed.

Applicants must be informed that completion of the cards is optional. Completed forms shall be collected by agency

employees and submitted to proper election officials.

289A.08 TAX ADMINISTRATION AND COMPLIANCE: FILING REQUIREMENTS.

Subd. 14. Voter registration form. The [tax] commissioner shall insert securely in the individual income tax

return form or instruction booklet distributed for an odd-numbered year a voter registration form, returnable to the

secretary of state. The form shall be designed according to rules adopted by the secretary of state. This requirement

applies to forms and booklets supplied to post offices, banks, and other outlets, as well as to those mailed directly

to taxpayers.

19
Ohio Statute (permissive)

Open wording that implicitly allows any kind of active or passive voter registration. Unrestricted

mail registration makes it possible to have passive; distribution and return through another person

authorizes active. An example of the kind of legislation that can be, and has been, used to initiate active

and passive registration in agencies.

3503.11(B)(l) Any person qualified to register may apply, by mail, by telephone, in person,

or through another person, for registration forms to the office of the board of elections of the

county in which he resides. Any qualified elector who completes the registration forms... may

return the forms to the board by mail, in person, or through another person. [Emphasis

added.]

(3) The board of election may designate any county office or school .. . to distribute

registration forms ... .

20
Appendix 2

Sample Executive Orders

21
STATE OF NEW JERSEY

Executive Department

WHEREAS, an individual's right to vote is a fundamental right that serves as the bulwark of our democracy;

and

WHEREAS, many individuals do not exercise their right to vote because they are unaware of registration

requirements or do not have access to voter registration applications; and

WHEREAS, the State is in a unique position to make voter registration applications available to its citizens

and thereby assure that they have the opportunity to exercise their fundamental right to vote;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, THOMAS H. KEAN, Governor of the State of New Jersey, by virtue of the authority

vested in me by the Constitution and by the Statutes of this State, do hereby DIRECT:

1. State departments shall make mail voter registration applications available to their employees. In addition,

State departments that have regular contact with the public in their daily administration of business, including,

but not limited to, the Department of Environmental Protection, the Department of Health, the Department of

Higher Education, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Labor, the Department of Law and

Public Safety and the Department of State, shall make mail voter registration applications available at their

public offices. These applications shall be placed in visible locations at these offices so as to be readily accessible to

members of the public. Signs clearly indicating that applications are available shall be posted at these offices.

2. State departments that have regular contact with the public are requested to assist persons in registering to

vote by:

a. Upon request, assisting persons in completing the registration forms, including witnessing those forms; and

b. Collecting completed forms and forwarding them to the proper election office.

3. Employees of the State departments that have regular contact with the public shall receive adequate training

to insure the proper completion of voter registration forms. This training shall include but not be limited to:

a. Proper completion of forms; and

b. Knowledge of basic registration information, including registration deadlines and when registration or reregistration is required.

4. State employees participating in this program shall adhere to strict neutrality with respect to a person's

political party enrollment. State employees shall make it clear whenever necessary that the receipt of State

services does not depend in any way on whether a person is registered to vote.

5. The Election Division of the Office of the Secretary of State shall supervise the implementation, administration

and effective operation of this program. The responsibilities of the Election Division shall include but not be

limited to:

a. Planning and coordinating State employees training sessions and the distribution of registration materials; and

b. Compiling and submitting a report to the Governor on the progress of the program and the number of

completed registration forms collected by each participating State department.

6. This Order shall supersede Executive Order No. 194 and shall become effective one month following signature.

GIVEN, under my hand and seal, this 25th day of May in the Year

of Our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and eighty-nine, and

of the Independence of the United States, the two hundred

and thirteenth.

22
State of Ohio

EXECUTIVE DEPAETMENT

Office of the Governor

Columbus

EXECUTIVE ORDER 84-33

VOTER REGISTRATION IN STATE AGENCIES

WHEREAS, nearly two million Ohioans of voting age remain unregistered to vote and nonparticipation in electoral

politics has reached epidemic proportions; and

WHEREAS, such high levels of nonparticipation in elections pose the most basic questions of legitimacy for all our

governmental institutions, and there is a need to restore confidence in those same institutions; and

WHEREAS, State agencies across the State conduct a variety of programs where employees of State government

come in contact with thousands of citizens eligible to vote if they become registered, and

WHEREAS, Ohio law already provides for voter registration to be conducted in public high schools (Section 3503.10),

through State of Ohio motor vehicle registrars (Section 3503.11(D)), through the Secretary of State and members

of the legislature (Section 3503.11(B)), and Ohio law (Section 3503.14) by content is nonpartisan in recording voter

information on the State or county registration forms; and

WHEREAS, the Office of the Secretary of State, in conjunction with the National Association of Secretaries of State,

has recognized the problem of nonparticipation in elections and has encouraged State governments to "deputize

State employees whose work brings them into frequent contact with the public" toward making registering to vote

among the most accessible services provided by State government to each citizen;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Richard F. Celeste, Governor of the State of Ohio, pursuant to Article III of the

Constitution of the State of Ohio, do hereby issue this Executive Order directing all State agencies and their

respective employees to offer nonpartisan voter registration at all times to their employees, clients, and the general

public, and to provide this service at no cost to the people of Ohio. In addition, I do hereby:

1. Instruct each agency to work with the Office of the Secretary of State to develop procedures to institutionalize

voter registration programs in a manner compatible with the ability of the agency to perform its duties to the public;

2. Instruct each agency to coordinate with the Office of the Secretary of State, and through the Secretary, its

respective county board of elections, training procedures for employees on the proper completion of the registration

process;

3. Instruct each agency to coordinate with the Office of the Secretary of State, or its county board of elections, the

process of deputizing employees and obtaining registration materials.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my

name and caused the Great Seal of the State of Ohio to be

affixed at Columbus, this 3rd day of July, in the year of our

Lord, one thousand, nine hundred eighty-four.

[In John A. Galbraith u. Richard F. Celeste, etal., in the Court of Common Pleas, Franklin County,

Ohio, the plaintiff challenged the right and authority of defendants to issue Executive Order 84-33 as

a function of the executive arm of the State government. In August 1986, the Court ruled that

"Executive Order 84-33 is found to be constitutional and valid."]

23
RESOLUTION No.

OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF

THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA [CA]

WHEREAS, voting is the most meaningful form of popular participation in

government's decision making process and is the foundation upon which our democracy

rests; and

WHEREAS, only by registering to vote may a citizen exercise the right and fulfill his

or her obligation to participate in the electoral process; and

WHEREAS, the Secretary of State reported that in 1988 over one-fourth of the

eligible residents of Santa Clara County were not registered to vote and this Board is

concerned about the alarming number of eligible citizens in the County who are not

registered; and

WHEREAS, the Board recognizes the need for active nonpartisan voter registration

services and that the ease of registration is directly related to voter turnout; and

WHEREAS, the State of California mandates counties to implement outreach

programs to register voters and authorizes the use of county facilities and personnel

during regular working hours for this purpose; and

WHEREAS, Santa Clara County conducts a variety of programs where departmental staff have request contact with thousands of citizens who may not be eligible to vote

because they are not registered;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED; that the Board of Supervisors of the County

of Santa Clara, State of California, hereby reaffirms its commitment to strengthening

the democratic process and broadening access to voter registration services by directing

County Employees, in their ongoing job activities, to provide nonpartisan voter registration opportunities and assistance to eligible clients, employees and the general

public, according to guidelines and instructions provided by the Registrar of Voters.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors of the County of Santa Clara,

State of California, this 6th day of March, 1990 by the following vote: . . .

24
Appendix 3

Sample Written Instructions

25
STATE OF MINNESOTA

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

INSTRUCTIONAL BULLETIN #88-22B May 9, 1988

TO: Chairperson, Board of County Commissioners

Attention: Director

Chairperson, Human Services Board

Attention: Director

SUBJECT: Voter Registration for Public Assistance Applicants and Recipients

I. PURPOSE

This bulletin informs local agencies of a new Minnesota law which requires local agencies to provide

public assistance applicants and recipients with voter registration cards.

II. BACKGROUND

The 1988 Legislature amended Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256, by adding section 925. This new section

reads:

A county agency shall provide voter registration cards to every individual eligible to vote who applies

for a public assistance program at the time application is made. The agency shall also make voter

registration cards available to a public assistance recipient upon the recipient's eligibility

redetermination. The county agency shall assist applicants and recipients in completing the voter

registration cards, as needed. Applicants must be informed that the completion of the cards is

optional. Completed forms shall be collected by agency employees and submitted to proper election

officials.

This law takes effect July 1, 1988.

III. LEGAL AUTHORITY

Minnesota Statutes, section 256.925.

IV. ACTION REQUIRED

1. Local agencies should order voter registration cards from the Secretary of State. To order cards, write

to the following address stating the number of cards needed and the address to which they should be sent:

Secretary of State

Reports, Renewals, and Registrations

205 Aurora Avenue

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55103

2. When people apply for public assistance, explain voting eligibility requirements. Local agency staff

may do this by pointing out the requirements printed on the voter registration card. To be eligible to vote,

a person must be:

a. A United States citizen;

b. 18 years or older at the time of the next election; and

c. A resident of Minnesota for at least 20 days at the time of the next election.

continued

26
A person is not eligible to vote if the person:

a. Has been convicted of a felony or treason, and whose civil rights have not been restored; or

b. Is under guardianship of another person; or

c. Has been found by a court to be legally incompetent, and whose civil rights have not been

restored.

3. Give a voter registration card to the applicant. Local agency staff must inform the applicant that

completion of the card is voluntary.

4. Make cards available to recipients upon their request or at the time of their eligibility redetermination.

This may be done by establishing a voter registration display in a public area of the office, where

recipients can pick up and complete voter registration cards.

5. Local agencies are required to help applicants and recipients fill out the cards. Local agencies are not

required to verify information on the card.

6. Local agencies must return the completed voter registration cards to their county auditor;s office.

V. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

If you have questions, please contact:

Income Maintenance Policy Center

Minnesota Department of Human Services

444 Lafayette Road

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155-3834

27
Minnesota Questions and Answers for Agencies

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION

This memo is intended to help state agencies respond to questions from voters

as the agency provides nonpartisan voter registration services to employees

and the public.

1. Wh o needs to register?

Any eligible person who wishes to vote in Minnesota and who has never

voted here or who has changed name or address since last registering needs

to register.

2. Ho w do I know if I'm eligible to vote?

You are eligible to vote if you:

will be at least 18 years old on election day;

are a citizen of the United States, and;

have resided in Minnesota for 20 days.

You are not eligible to vote if you:

are under guardianship of the person;

have been found incompetent to vote by a court of law, or;

have been convicted of treason or felony and have not had your

civil rights restored.

3. Once I register, do I need to register again for the next election?

Registration is permanent as long as you vote at least once every four

years and do not move. You need to re-register if you change your address

or name.

4. What does Address of Legal Residence mean?

You can register or vote only in the precinct where your residence is

located. Your residence is the place where your home 1s located, from

which you have no present intention of moving and, to which, whenever you

are absent, you intend to return.

5. Can 1 put down a mail drop or post office box as m y address?

No, the address must be the complete address of your residence. The

complete street name, and house number, and any apartment number are

needed. In rural areas, the route name or number plus the box number is

needed.

6. If I register will I end up on a lot of mailing lists or get a lot of sales calls?

Information from registration files cannot be used for commercial

purposes. The information is available only for election, political or

law enforcement purposes.

28
7. How will I know that you have sent back my card and I am registered?

You will receive a mailed notice from the county verifying your address

and telling you the precinct you vote in. If your registration is

incomplete or faulty in any way. you will receive a Notice of Ineffective

Registration.

8. Where do 1 go to vote?

You can call your county auditor or city clerk to find out the address of

the polling place for your precinct.

9. Do other people who want to register have to come to this office?

No. An eligible Minnesota voter can register at any state agency or at

the county auditor's office. An eligible Minnesota voter can also send in

the card by mail.

10. Can I register at the polls on election day instead of registering now?

You may register at the polls on election day by providing proper

identification; but you will save yourself time and trouble by

pre-registering. There will be fewer lines for you to wait in plus you

won't run the risk of being turned away because you don't have the proper

identification.

11. What identification do I need to register on election day?

You need one of the following proofs of residence:

• A valid Minnesota driver's license or receipt that contains the voter's

valid address in the precinct.

• A Minnesota learner's permit or receipt that contains the voter's valid

address in the precinct.

• A Minnesota identification card issued by the Minnesota Department of

Public Safety or a receipt that contains the voter's valid address in

the precinct.

• A current student identification card that contains the student's valid

address in the precinct.

• A current student fee statement that contains the student's valid

address the precinct.

• A copy of a current student registration card that contains the

student's valid address in the precinct.

• An "ineffective registration notice" mailed by the county auditor or

municipal clerk.

• The oath of a voter registered in your precinct who can attest to your

address.

- 2 -

29
Iowa Implementation of Statute and Report Form

IAC 1/24/90 Secretary of State[721] Ch 23, p.l

CHAPTER 23

VOTER REGISTRATION IN STATE OFFICES

721—23.1(48) Registration forms displayed. All offices maintained by state agencies shall

prominently display a supply of the registration forms provided in Iowa Code section 48.3.

721—23.2(48) Definition. As used in this chapter:

"Office" means the principal place in a location in which a state agency does business with

the public.

721—23.3(48) Registration opportunity offered. The officers and employees of all state agencies shall offer each person doing business in that office the opportunity to register, unless

the officer or employee is reasonably certain that a person doing business in the office has

already been offered a registration form within the previous 12-month period. The officer

or employee shall offer the opportunity to register by either of the following methods:

a. The officer or employee shall offer the opportunity to register by asking the following

question: "Are you registered to vote at your current address?" If the response is negative

the officer or employee shall ask: "Would you like to register?"

b. The officer or employee may offer the opportunity to register by some other method

that has been submitted to the state commissioner of elections in writing and has been approved

by the state commissioner of elections.

721—23.4(48) Forms submitted lo county commissioners. Completed registration forms shall

be mailed or delivered to the county auditor of the registrant's residence at least every other

working day. Records shall be kept of the number of registration forms completed in the office.

721—23.5(48) Quarterly reports. Each department shall compile the records of the number

of registrations from its various offices. On the first working day of January, April, July

and October, each state department shall report to the secretary of state the total number of

registrations completed by the department on the following form:

IOWA AGENCY VOTER REGISTRATION

QUARTERLY REPORT

Department name:

Reporting period (check one): January — March

April — June

July — September

October — December

Number of registrations mailed from your department during quarter:

Approximate number of registration cards taken from your office during quarter:

Signature of person reporting Print name and title

Date of report Address

Telephone number

These rules implement Iowa Code section 48.20.

[Filed emergency 7/8/88—published 7/27/88, effective 7/8/88)

[Filed 9/2/88, Notice 7/27/88—published 9/21/88, effective 10/26/88)

[Filed 1/4/90, Notice 11/15/89—published 1/24/90, effective 2/28/90)

30
Santa Clara County [CA] Employees Voter Registration Outreach Guidelines

A two-sided typed instruction sheet for employees in county agencies that offer voter registration

services.]

A. APPROACH (Counseling Service)

County employees who provide social, health, rehabilitation, or any counseling-type services to clients shall (unless to do so would be

clearly inappropriate) engage in a brief dialogue with clients along the following lines:

"Are you registered to vote?"

"If you would like to register, I can provide you with a voter registration card."

"Just fill out and sign the card. You may then mail it to the Registrar of Voters or I will take it for you."

"The decision to register or not register is COMPLETELY yours; it will not in any way affect the services you receive

from the County."

You must remain completely nonpartisan in this endeavor. Do not pressure a client to register and under no circumstances shall you

do or say anything to influence a client to register with a particular political party. If the question arises, clients should be told that

unless they check one of the five qualified parties listed on the card they will not be able to vote for the nomination of candidates for

partisan (federal and state) offices at primary elections; they will be permitted to vote for nonpartisan (local) offices and all measures

at primaries, and for all offices and measures at general elections.

If requested, and time permitting, you may assist a client in filling out the card. A friend or relative may also help. It is not necessary

that the person who assists be registered. Anyone who assists in completing a registration form, however, must sign in Box 13 of the

card, just under the voter's signature.

A. APPROACH. (Counter Service)

County employees who service business counters or reception desks shall place the registration form display box where it will be visible

and accessible to the public. Posters may be located where appropriate. Notify the Department coordinator when additional forms

are needed.

Whenever possible, call customers' attention to the availability of registration forms. If anyone asks questions which you can answer

from the information in these guidelines or on the form itself, feel free to do so. If you do not know the answer, refer the person to the

Registrar of Voters office, (408) 298-7400.

You must remain completely nonpartisan in this endeavor. Do not pressure anyone to register and under no circumstances shall you

do or say anything to influence a client to register with a particular political party. If the question arises, clients should be told that

unless they check one of the five qualified parties listed on the card they will not be able to vote for the nomination of candidates for

partisan (federal and state) offices at primary elections. They will be permitted to vote for nonpartisan (local) offices and all measures

at primaries, and for all offices and measures at general elections.

If requested, if you have time, and if your Department's policy permits, you may assist a client with filling out the card. A friend or

relative may also assist. It is not necessary that the person who provides assistance be registered. Anyone who assists in completing

a registration form, however, must sign in Box 13 of the card, just under the voter's signature.

[All of the following are the same for both Counseling and Counter Service employees]

B. ELIGIBILITY.

In order to be eligible to register to vote a person must be:

- A citizen of the United States

- A resident of California

- 18 years of age at the time of the next election;

and must not

- be in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony

- have been declared mentally incompetent for voting purposes by the Superior Court.

31
In addition the person must designate a specific residence which can be described in sufficient detail to permit locating the site on a

map and assigning the person to the appropriate voting precinct of the County. If mail cannot be delivered to the residence as described,

a separate mailing address must also be provided.

For voting purposes, "residence" means that place in which a person's habitation is fixed, where the person has the intention of

remaining, and to which the person intends to return after temporary absences. A residence does not necessarily have to be a

traditional "home" with a traditional street address, but it must meet the situs identification requirement stated above and there must

be provision for the person to receive mail.

C. CRITICAL DATES.

May 7, 1990 Last day to register for June 3, 1990 Primary Election. Cards postmarked by this date and received by mail no

later than May 11, 1990 will be accept for this election.

Oct. 8, 1990 Last day to register for November 6, 1990 General Election. Cards postmarked by this date and received by mail

by October 12, 1990 will be accepted for this election.

Oct. 9, 1990 Since Oct. 9 is a holiday, voters may register personally with you on Oct. 10. You must keep the registration form

and see that it is delivered to the Registrar not later than 5 pm, Wed., Oct. 10. DO NOT MAIL. Sign stub and

give to voter as described below.

D. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

WHO NEEDS TO REGISTER?

Any qualified person who has never registered in California, has moved since last registering, has changed his or her name, wants

to change political parties, has been released from parole or has been found by the court to have regained mental competence.

WILL REGISTRATION BE CANCELED IF A PERSON DOES NOT VOTE?

No. In general, registration is permanent unless a person moves.

HOW SHALL COMPLETED REGISTRATION CARDS BE RETURNED TO THE REGISTRAR OF VOTERS?

Voters themselves may mail the pre-addressed, postage paid cards to the Registrar. If that is not practical, or if requested, you may

mail the card for a client. This should be done immediately.

It is a misdemeanor to hold a card for more than three days without the voter's authorization. If you take a completed card from a

voter, you are required to enter your address, telephon number, the date and your signature on the stub at the bottom of the card and

give it to the voter.

HOW DOES A VOTER KNOW WHEN A REGISTRATION BECOMES EFFECTIVE?

Within three weeks after the card is received by the Registrar of Voters a "Voter Notification Card" will be mailed to the voter

confirming receipt and specifying the effective date.

WHAT IF A CLIENT IS UNABLE TO SIGN THE REGISTRATION CARD?

The person assisting should have the client hold or touch the pen while making an "X" in the signature space (Box 12). Print the words

"his (or her) mark" beside the "X" and enter the date. In the blank space in Boxes 10 and 13 print the words "witnesses by" followed

by the signatures of two witnesses over 18 years of age.

If qualified, the person assisting may sign as witness.

MAY PERSONS TAKE FORMS FOR UNREGISTERED FAMILY MEMBERS?

Yes, as long as they don't take excessive numbers.

32
Appendix 4

Sample Mandatory Voter

Registration Questions on

Agency Forms

33
San Diego County (CA) Marriage License Application (reduced in size)

Note voter registration question following Groom Personal Data and following Bride Personal Data.
Minnesota Public Assistance Application (reduced in size)

Note voter registration question outlined here in heavy black lines.
Minnesota Application for Unemployment Benefits (reduced in size)

Note voter registration question at top of form, outlined here in heavy black lines.
Pennsylvania Unemployment Benefits Application (reduced in size)

Note voter registration question outlined here in heavy black lines.

Appendix 5

Sample Agency

Re-supply Forms

39
San Diego County (CA) Order Form (reduced in size)

The original is on card stock and measures 8 inches wide by 12 1/2 inches high. It is perforated so

the reorder card can be detached and mailed.
CONNY McCORMACK

REGISTRAR OF VOTERS

POST OFFICE BOX 85093

SAN DIEGO, CA 92138-9910
Washington County (OR) Request for Voter Registration Cards (reduced in size)

New revised form

REQUEST FOR VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS

Direct all requests for less than 500 voter registration cards (SEL 500) to your county elections office.

All requests for 500 or more voter registration cards must be directed to the Elections Division,

Secretary of State's Office, 141 State Capitol, Salem, OR 97310, telephone 378-4144. Voter registration

card requests for 500 or more will require approximately five (5) business days to process. If you have

any questions or require any additional information, please call the Elections Division at 378-4144.
Old form

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE

ELECTIONS DIVISION

REQUEST FOR VOTER REGISTRATION CARDS

Date:

Person/Organization:

Mailing Address:

City/State/Zip:

Telephone Number:

1, Number of Forms Requested:

2. Method of Distribution:

3. Do you know of any person or organization distributing forms that may be

an overlap of your distribution? If so, who?

4. Have you requested forms before?

How many? _____^__

If so, when?

Signature of Requesting Person:

Direct all orders of 300 or less to your county elections department or the

Secretary of State. All orders of more than 300 must be directed to the

Secretary of State and must be received by the secretary not less than five

working days prior to delivery.

Order fi 1 led by:

Date:

No. of forms supplied:

Method of delivery:

SED Form 134R

Rev. 10/89

43
Sacramento County (CA) Contract with League of Women Voters

AGREEMENT

Iliis agreement is made and executed this day of , 1991, between the

League of Women Voters and Sacramento, hereinafter referred to as the "League"

and the County of Sacramento, hereinafter referred to as the "County."

WITNESSEIH:

WHEREAS, the County is responsible for promoting and encouraging voter registration and for maintaining registration at a high level in Sacramento County;

and

WHEREAS, the League is concerned that all qualified citizens of Sacramento

County be encouraged to register to vote.

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY MLFIUALLY AGREED AS FOLLOWS;

1. The County enlists the services of the League to seek out, service and

maintain distribution points in Sacramento County for Affidavits of Registration between April 1, 1991 and March 31, 1993;

2. The County will provide the League with Affidavits of Registration and

holders in sufficient quantities to service permanent and temporary distribution points;

3. The League will supply the County with a zip code order listing of all

permanent distribution points (both League supplied and County supplied

locations). Said list to be updated on a quarterly basis;

4. The League will appoint a Coordinator who will be responsible for the

fulfillment of these contracted services, and who will report directly to the

Registrar of Voters on a regular basis;

5. The League will seek out temporary distribution points and will provide

these temporary distribution points with Affidavits of Registration and

holders. The Affidavits and holders will be retrieved from the temporary

points no later than two weeks following the close of registration of an

election held during the term of this agreement;

6. The League agrees to contact all permanent distribution points monthly and

to replenish Affidavits of Registration as needed. This contact may be made

either in person or by telephone, at the discretion of the League Coordinator;

44
7. The League agrees to maintain current and accurate records on the cards

issued to permanent and temporary distribution points. The records will

indicate the number of cards issued to each point and the serial numbers of the

cards issued;

8. The County agrees to pay the League the sum of $2500.00 per year, for a

period of 2 years, for a total of $5000.00, for the above mentioned services.

Payments will be made on a quarterly basis;

9. The Oounty agrees to be responsible for all publicity connected with this

drive;

10. The County agrees to provide affidavits to Library ADministration for the

distribution to the various library distribution points.

Judith Hoefling, President Date

League of Women Voters of Sacramento

Ilia Collin, Chairman, Board of Supervisors Date

County of Sacramento

45

Appendix 6

Sample Agency Outreach Items

47
San Diego County (CA) Request Card for Voter Registration Forms

The San Diego County Recorder includes one of these cards with every transfer of deed in the county.

The original is on card stock and can be mailed.
Iowa Voter Registration Form in Telephone Books (reduced in size)

The completed form can be cut out and mailed in an envelope to the County Auditor. Note the banner

in the upper right corner of the cover of the phone book, pointing out what page contains the voter

registration form.
Des Moines

and surrounding communities

See second page for communities included in this directory

Area Code 515
Iowa Voter Registration Forms in State Income Tax (reduced in size)

The original is printed on buff-colored card stock and stapled into the centerfold in the State income

tax booklet.
Front
Minnesota Voter Registration Forms in State Income Tax (reduced in size)

The original is printed on card stock and wrapped around pages 5-16 and stapled into the State

income tax booklet, along with the tax return envelope.
Back
Appendix 7

Sample Postage-Prepaid

Mail-In Voter Registration Forms

55
San Diego County (CA) (reduced in size)

The original is printed on card stock and perforated so the registration card can be detached for

mailing.
Reverse side of San Diego Registration Form

Appendix 8

Sample Resolution

of Recognition

59
California Secretary of State (reduced in size)
Appendix 9

Planning Aids

61
A Checklist for Model Agency-Based Voter Registration Programs

[This outlines the kinds of questions that need to be addressed in planning a program.]

Agency-based voter registration is a year-round program to

enroll eligible citizens in which voter registration is offered in

high volume agencies.

Agency-based voter registration systems have slightly different designs within any jurisdiction to mesh smoothly with

agency operations. Nevertheless, several components are universal to the design and implementation of effective programs.

The most efficient system is designed to insure that as part

of the routine agency process each citizen simultaneously receives

the voter registration application, receives any necessary assistance in completing the application, and returns the completed

application to the agency personnel. A well designed program is

designed to minimize staff involvement while streamlining the

process for the applicant.

The necessary components of agency-based voter registration should be clearly enumerated in legislation, executive order

and/or regulations establishing these programs.

1. Who Shall Be Offered Voter Registration Services

Agencies: Voter registration services should be incorporated

into routine activity at social services, unemployment, offices

serving the disabled, and public housing.

Voter registration should be offered to:

* initial applicants

* recertifications

* changes of address

2. How to Offer Voter Registration

All front-line workers in public agencies shall offer voter

registration services. Employees should have the authority to

offer voter registration services to citizens from the entire state.

Amended forms are good for agency-based programs. Many

agencies use multiple forms, and the voter registration application

can easily become a part of the packet of forms.

An amended form adds a mandatory question about voter

egistration to the application for routine agency business. For

agencies using computers, computer screens may be amended

with a voter registration question, prompting employees to

inquire of applicants if they wish to register to vote. An amended

form must be accompanied by a voter registration application

form. Minnesota and Pennsylvania have amended State Social

Services and Unemployment applications to ask every applicant

whether he/she would like to register to vote. Voter registration

forms are provided.

3. Offering Assistance in Completing Voter Registration Forms

Voter registration applications shall be completed while the

citizen is in the agency. Employees should provide assistance in

completing voter registration forms, as needed.

4. Collecting Completed Voter Registration Application Forms

Completed voter registration application forms shall be collected by the agency personnel.

5. Forwarding Completed Forms

The agency must forward completed forms on a regular and

pre-determined basis (weekly is best) to the appropriate election

authority (usually the Secretary of State or county election

office).

6. Data Collection

The numbers of applications received and from which agencies they are received must be collected and tracked statewide.

This can occur either at the "front" end by the agencies when

completed voter registration forms are collected, or by local

election offices when the completed forms are received. These

numbers should be reported to a state office (Secretary of State

or State Board of Elections) monthly. The numbers will be

recorded and maintained there.

Categories to be tracked should include new voter registrations, changes of address, etc.

7. Central Monitoring Figure

A person/agency should be in charge of monitoring implementation and program administration. In most cases, the

Secretary of State is given such a role

*Source: Adapted from 100% VOTE/Human SERVE's "News on Agency- Based Voter Registration"

(February 15,1992). [It is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit voter registration advocacy organization

for registering people to vote in government agencies.]

62
County Department Voter Registration Outreach Program of Santa Clara County (California),

Prepared by the Registrar of Voters, October 1987

[This is an example of an actual outline developed by a county to initiate a program.]

1.0 Voter Registration Outreach Plan

On August 18, 1987, the Santa Clara County Board of

Supervisors passed a resolution declaring that "County departments in their ongoing job activities offer non-partisan voter

registration services to clients, County employees and the general public..." The Board directed the County Executive's Office

and the Registrar of Voters to work with department heads,

employee organizations, and the SCCo League of Women Voters

to implement an active voter registration plan.

1.1 Program Objectives

* to expand existing non-partisan voter registration

outreach efforts in County departments to include active

participation by County employees.

* to increase the number of registered voters in Santa

Clara County

The Voter Registration Outreach Program plan would be

implemented in three areas: Area 1, Active Non-Partisan Voter

Registration by employees of designated County Departments,

Area 2, Prominent Displays of Voter Registration forms at Public

Counters, Area 3, Program Reports and Statistics.

1.2.1. Area 1 (Active Voter Registration in Co Dept)

County departments identified as having heavy employee/client contact are to incorporate a brief dialogue

about voter registration when providing services to a client.

e.g. "Are you registered to vote?";

"If you would like to register, I can provide you with

a voter registration card";

"Please fill out and sign the card, then mail it to the

Registrar of Voters";

"The decision to register or not register is COMPLETELY yours. It will not in any way affect the

services you receive from this office"

If the client requests assistance completing the registration form, the employee would then provide the assistance.

Time allowed for assistance would be discretionary on the

part of the employee.

1.2.2 Area 2 (Display of Voter Registration Forms)

All targeted departments will prominently display

and make available to the public voter registration cards

and pamphlet information at public counters or areas

easily visible to the public.

1.2.3 Area 3 (Program Reports and Statistics

The Registrar of Voters Office will issue and monitor

the voter registration cards distributed to the County

departments as well as track the number of voter cards

returned from specific departments. Statistical progress

reports will be prepared for the voter outreach program.

2.0 Program Management

Once the program is implemented, it will be coordinated by

the Registrar of Voters Office in consultation with department

heads or their designees. The following departments have been

identified as working with a large volume of the general public:

Valley Medical

Public Health

Social Services

Adult Probation

Public Defender

Other County departments will participate in the voter

outreach program in Area 2 of implementation of the program.

In addition it is suggested that the Information Booth in front of

the Board of Supervisors Chambers participate in Area 2.

2.1 Time Schedule

Active voter registration outreach has been determined to be

the most effective during the 2 months prior to the closing date

of registration for the Primary and General Elections in 1988.

Active Registration Period 1988

Mar.l-May9, 1988

Aug.l-Oct. 10, 1988

Primary Election

General Election

June 7, 1988

November 8, 1988

2.2 Areas of Responsibility: Registrar of Voters

The Registrar of Voters will provide training on how to

register voters and answer questions to designated staff. "A

Guide to Voter Registration in California", published by the

Secretary of State, is available upon request from the Registrar's

office. All voter registration cards, counter displays, posters, and

voter information pamphlets will be provided by the Registrar's

office to each department. In addition, the Registrar's office will

monitor the issuance of all registration cards and periodically

report the return rate to the County Executive's Office and the

participating departments.

63
2.3 Areas of Responsibility: Participating Departments

Each department shall appoint a Voter Outreach Coordinator to be responsible for the internal distribution of voter registration cards and materials, monitoring adequate supplies of

voter registration cards at the work sites, contacting the Registrar

of Voters for supplies/assistance, and coordinating the outreach

plan within the department.

Staff designated to implement the plan directly with clients

orthe public shall offer the voter registration cards and assistance,

as well as other duties deemed appropriate to carry out the

program.

3.3 Bay Area Voter Outreach Committee

The Registrar of Voters is an active member of the Bay Area

Voter Outreach Committee composed of 10 Bay Area counties.

The purpose of the committee is to develop uniform outreach

programs and publicity which may be used by all the counties.

The committee is currently completing work on a voter information pamphlet and arranging for television publicity on the

major and local channels for the upcoming presidential year. In

Addition, the committee is developing a publicity design centered around the committee's slogan for posters and buses.

3.0 Summary of voter Outreach in Santa Clara County

3.1 Countvwide Distribution of Voter Registration Cards

The Registrar of Voters contracts with the League of Women

Voters for their services to distribute and maintain voter registration cards in all Federal, State, and Municipal offices, as well

as libraries, banks, and specific businesses throughout Santa

Clara County.

3.2 League of Women Voters at Naturalization Ceremonies

Twice a month, the League of Women Voters register approximately 400 newly naturalized citizens to vote at the naturalization ceremonies held at the Federal Courthouse in San

Jose. In support of this voter outreach by the League, the

Registrar provides and delivers the affidavits to the courthouse

for the League.

Recognizing that libraries are a vital source of reference

information to the community, the Registrar's office provides all

the libraries in Santa Clara County with updated information

regarding all elected officials in the County, a Street Guide

listing of Santa Clara County, and Precinct/District Report. The

Street Guide allows the librarian to correctly identify a patron's

precinct, and then uses the Precinct/District Guide to determine

within which district the patron resides.

3.5 Statewide Registration Drives

Participate in statewide registration drives coordinated by

the Secretary of State. The statewide drives include 7-11 stores,

MacDonalds, billboards, etc.

3.6 Ongoing Local Registration Drives

Issue registration forms to businesses, political, labor, and

service organizations, and to individuals who are interested in

registering voters.

64
Appendix 10

Sources

65
California

John Mott-Smith

Elections Specialist

Secretary of State, Elections Division

1230 J Street, Room 32

Sacramento, CA 95814

916/445-0820

Sacramento County

Ernie Hawkins

Registrar of Voters

3700 Branch Center Road

Sacramento, CA 95827

916/366-2658

Santa Clara County

George Mann

Registrar of Voters

P.O. Box 1147

San Jose, CA 95108

408/298-7400

San Diego County

Sally McKenna, Chief

Division of Voter Service

Registrar of Voters

P.O. Box 85093

5201 Ruffin Rd., Suite I

San Diego, CA 92186-5093

619/694-3410

Connecticut

Nancy M. Stoniewicz, Elections Officer

Office of the Secretary of State

30 Trinity Street

Hartford, CT 06106

203/566-3059

District of Columbia

Emmett H. Fremaux, Jr.

Executive Director

Board of Elections and Ethics

District Building, Room 4

1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20004

202/727-2525

Illinois

Jim Withers, Election Specialist

State Board of Elections

1020 S. Spring

Springfield, IL 62704

217/782-4141

Iowa

Sandra Steinbach

Director of Elections

Hoover State Office Bldg.

Des Moines, IA 50319

515/281-5823

Maryland

Marvin L. Meyn, Deputy Administrator

State Administrative Board of Election Laws

P.O. Box 231

Annapolis, MD 21404-0231

301/974-3711

Minnesota

Joseph Mansky, Director

Election Division

Office of Secretary of State

180 State Office Bldg.

St. Paul, MN 55155-1299

612/296-2805

66
Montana

Nancy Harte, Bureau Chief

Elections Bureau

Secretary of State

State Capitol

Helena, MT 59620

406/444-4732

Nebraska

Ralph Englert

Deputy Secretary of State and Director of

Elections

Office of Secretary of State

State Capitol, Suite 2300

Lincoln, NE 68509

402/471-2554

Oregon

Brenda Bayes

Secretary of State Election Division

141 State Capitol

Salem, OR 97310-0722

503/378-4144

Washington County

T. Larson

County Clerk, Elections

503/648-8670

Portland

Donna Knutson, Clerk

503/648-8670

Douglas County

Margaret A. Jurgensen

Chief Deputy Election Commissioner

Room 110, Hall of Justice

Omaha, NE 68183

/444-7200

Pennsylvania

Mark Lietzel

Election Bureau

305 North Office Bldg.

Harrisburg, PA 17120

717/787-5280

New Jersey

Gloria Jean Berry

Supervisor, Election Administration

Department of State

315 W. State St. CN 304

Trenton, NJ 08625-0304

609/292-7198

Rhode Island

Janet Armstrong, Executive Secretary

Board of Elections

50 Branch Avenue

Providence, RI 02904

401/277-2345

New York

David Flanagan

Public Relations Officer

State Board of Elections

P.O. Box 4

One Commerce Plaza

Albany, NY 12260

518/474-6220

South Carolina

James F. Hendrix, Deputy Director

South Carolina State Election Commission

P.O. Box 5987

Columbia, SC 29250

803/734-9060

67
Tennessee

Kathryn D. Crisp

Assistant Coordinator of Elections

Suite 500, James K. Polk Bldg.

Nashville, TN 37243-0309

615/741-7956

Washington

Carla Rutherford

Office of Secretary of State

Legislative Bldg.AS-22

Olympia, WA 98504-0422

206/753-2336

Davidson County

Kathy Summers

County Election Commission

Nashville, TN 37202-0650

615/862-8800

Knox County

Irene Lovely

County Election Commission

Courthouse, Room 218

Knoxville, TN 37902-5759

615/521-2480

Utah

Thayre Dennis

Lieutenant Governor's Office

Room 203, State Capitol

Salt Lake City, UT 84114

801/538-1524

Wisconsin

Barbara Hanson

Election Specialist

State Board of Election

132 East Wilson St., 3rd Fl.

Madison, WI 53702

608/267-0714

City of Milwaukee

Donna Skenadore

Chief Registration Clerk

200 E. Wells St., Room 501

Milwaukee, WI 53202

414/278-3491

Jo-Anne Chasnow

100% VOTE/Human SERVE

622 W. 113th Street, Suite 410

New York, NY 1002

212/854-4053

68



For information about other

Innovations in Election Administration

contact

National Clearinghouse on Election Administration

Federal Election Commission

999 E. Street, N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20463