2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 1 - Government Organization › Chapter 10 - Elections › Subchapter I - Regulation of Elections › § 1–1001.07b. Automatic voter registration expansion

§ 1–1001.07b. Automatic voter registration expansion.
(a) The DMV shall provide to the Board the following electronic records for any person who applies for a driver's license (including a renewal or correction) or nondriver's identification card, has provided documentation demonstrating United States citizenship, is of sufficient age to register to vote or to preregister to vote, is not already registered to vote in the District, and for whom the DMV does not submit an application for voter registration to the Board pursuant to § 1-1001.07(c)(1):
(1) Legal name;
(2) Date of birth;
(3) Residence;
(4) Mailing address;
(5) DMV-issued identification number or social security number;
(6) Citizenship information; and
(7) Electronic signature, if available.
(b) Subject to compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations, the Department of Health Care Finance shall provide to the Board the following electronic records for all applicants contained on each application for the District medical assistance program (including any recertification), such as Medicaid, who are of sufficient age to register to vote or preregister to vote and who are externally verified as a United States citizen as part of the medical assistance application:
(1) Legal name;
(2) Date of birth;
(3) Residence;
(4) Mailing address;
(5) DMV-issued identification number or social security number;
(6) Citizenship information; and
(7) Electronic signature, if available.
(c) Upon a determination by the Board that an agency, designated by the Board, can confirm an applicant's citizenship through documentation or external verification in the regular course of its business, the Board shall establish a schedule by which the agency shall begin providing electronic records regarding applicants who are of sufficient age to register to vote or preregister to vote and who are verified as United States citizens, subject to any modifications necessary to comply with federal law. An agency designated by the Board pursuant to this subsection may include an agency of the federal government, subject to the agreement of such agency.
(d)(1) Unless the Board has information indicating that a person is ineligible to register to vote or is already registered to vote in the District, upon receiving information from the DMV pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Department of Health Care Finance pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, or an agency designated by the Board pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, the Board shall add the person to a computerized preapproved for registration list of individuals maintained by the Board who are not registered to vote in the District but are preapproved for registration based on information presented during an agency transaction.
(2) Within 14 calendar days after the receipt of information pursuant to this section, the Board shall mail a non-forwardable notification to any person added to the preapproved for registration list, including any voter education materials it considers appropriate. The notifications shall include:
(A) Notice that the person has been added to the preapproved for registration list;
(B) Instructions on how the person may activate their registration and become a registered voter in the District;
(C) Instructions on how to affiliate with a political party and an explanation of the closed primary election system in the District;
(D) The person's ward, precinct, single-member district, and Advisory Neighborhood Commission;
(E) Instructions on how the person can request to be removed from the preapproved for registration list;
(F) Instructions on how the person can request that their information on the preapproved for registration list be designated as confidential and not subject to public disclosure; and
(G) A form and postage-paid return envelope by which the person may activate their registration, which shall also provide the option to affiliate with a political party.
(3)(A) Eligible persons on the preapproved for registration list shall be automatically sent a mail-in ballot in general elections for 4 years after they are added to the preapproved for registration list and remain on the list.
(B) Mail-in ballots sent pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall include an opportunity to request activation of the person's registration pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection.
(4) Notwithstanding any other law, individuals on the preapproved for registration list may request activation of their registration and become registered voters in the District by any of the following methods:
(A) Returning the notification described in paragraph (2) of this subsection;
(B) Accessing the digital voter service system provided by the Board;
(C) Appearing in person at the Board's office;
(D) Appearing in person at a Vote Center; or
(E) Returning a mail ballot sent pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(5) Qualified electors on the preapproved for registration list shall be ineligible to sign nominating petitions in support of a candidate or petitions for an initiative, referendum, or recall. Signing such a petition shall not activate a qualified elector's registration.
(e) The Board shall adopt regulations to update the preapproved for registration list. The regulations shall utilize address and name information obtained from the United States Postal Service, the National Change of Address System, the DMV, the Department of Health Care Finance (subject to compliance with all applicable federal laws and regulations), and any other government agency designated by the Board to identify individuals who have moved from the addresses listed in the Board's records or updated their name. A government agency designated under this subsection may include an agency of the federal government, subject to the agreement of such agency. The regulations shall also utilize any available records to identify individuals who are deceased.
(f) The Board, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, may issue rules to implement the provisions of this section.
(Aug. 12, 1955, 69 Stat. 700, ch. 862, § 7b; as added Feb. 23, 2023, D.C. Law 24-265, § 2(b), 70 DCR 198.)
Applicability
Section 7087 of D.C. Law 25-50 repealed section 3 of D.C. Law 24-265 removing the applicability provision impacting this section. Therefore the creation of this section by section 2(b) of Law 24-265 has been implemented.
Applicability of D.C. Law 24-265: § 3 of D.C. Law 24-265 provided that the creation of this section by § 2(b) of D.C. Law 24-265 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.