2023 District of Columbia Code › Title 24 - Prisoners and Their Treatment › Chapter 2 - Prisons and Prisoners › Subchapter II - Department of Corrections › Part A - General › § 24–211.08. Automatic voter registration and voter assistance and notification to incarcerated individuals in Department of Corrections custody

§ 24–211.08. Automatic voter registration and voter assistance and notification to incarcerated individuals in Department of Corrections custody.
(a) In addition to any obligations imposed upon the Department of Corrections ("Department") due to its designation as a voter registration agency by § 1-1001.07(d)(1)(B), the Department shall:
(1) Determine whether an incarcerated individual is a qualified elector, as that term is defined in § 1-1001.02(2);
(2) If the Department determines that an incarcerated individual is a qualified elector, as that term is defined in § 1-1001.02(2), automatically register that incarcerated individual to vote pursuant to § 1-1001.07(c)(1), unless the incarcerated individual indicates that they do not want to register; and
(3) Provide an oral and written notification to each incarcerated individual of the right of an incarcerated individual or with a criminal record to vote in the District.
(a-1)(1) The Department shall transmit to the District of Columbia Board of Elections the voter registration information of each applicant who did not decline to register to vote no later than 10 days after the date of its acceptance by the Department; except, that if an application is accepted within 5 days before the last day for registration to vote in an election, the application shall be transmitted to the Board not later than 5 days after the date of its acceptance.
(2) The information submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection shall contain the applicant's:
(A) Legal name;
(B) Date of birth;
(C) Residence;
(D) Mailing address;
(E) Previous voter registration address;
(F) DMV-issued identification number or social security number;
(G) Party affiliation (if any);
(H) Response as to whether the applicant would like information on serving as a poll worker in the next election; and
(I) Signature.
(b) The Department shall include information about the District voting rights of individuals currently incarcerated or with a criminal record in its Inmate Handbook or other similar resource provided to incarcerated individuals. Such information shall discuss the importance of and process for keeping voter registration information, including their residence address, current and up to date, including upon transfer or release from Department custody.
(c) Beginning on April 26, 2019, and every 6 months thereafter, the Department shall provide to the Office on Returning Citizen Affairs the names and contact information of incarcerated individuals released from its custody in the prior 6 months.
(June 27, 1946, ch. 507, § 8; as added Apr. 26, 2019, D.C. Law 22-309, § 3, 66 DCR 909; Apr. 27, 2021, D.C. Law 23-277, § 4(b), 67 DCR 13867; Apr. 6, 2023, D.C. Law 24-342, § 7, 69 DCR 14609.)
Applicability
Section 7211 of D.C. Law 24-45 repealed the applicability provision of section 5 of D.C. Law 23-277 that impacted this section. Therefore the amendment of this section by Law 23-277 has been implemented.
Section 7211 of D.C. Act 24-159 repealed the applicability provision of section 5 of D.C. Law 23-277 that impacted this section. Therefore the amendment of this section by Law 23-277 has been implemented.
Applicability of D.C. Law 23-277: § 5 of D.C. Law 23-277 provided that the change made to this section by § 4(b) of D.C. Law 23-277 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.
Emergency Legislation
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 202 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-437, Oct. 28, 2020, 67 DCR 12993).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 202 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-336, July 22, 2020, 67 DCR 9148).
Temporary Legislation
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 202 of Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Second Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-151, Dec. 3, 2020, 67 DCR 9920).