REGISTRATION OF THIRD-PARTY VOTER REGISTRATION ORGANIZATIONS
This bill requires, before engaging in a voter registration event or program, a third-party voter registration organization to register and provide to the coordinator of elections, in an electronic format, the following information:
(1) The names of the officers of the organization and the name and permanent address of the organization;
(2) The name and address of the organization's registered agent in this state;
(3) The names, permanent addresses, and temporary addresses, if any, of each registration agent registering persons to vote in this state on behalf of the organization. However, this does not apply to persons who only solicit applications and do not collect or handle voter registration applications;
(4) The specific general election cycle for which the third-party voter registration organization is registering persons to vote; and
(5) An affirmation that each person collecting or handling voter registration applications on behalf of the third-party voter registration organization has not been convicted of a felony violation under the law regarding elections, the law regarding offenses of financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable person, or aggravated perjury.
This bill provides that the registration of a third-party voter registration organization automatically expires at the conclusion of the specific general election cycle for which the third-party voter registration organization is registered.
This bill requires the county election commissions to make voter registration forms available to third-party voter registration organizations. All such forms must contain information identifying the organization to which the forms are provided. Each county election commission must provide to the coordinator of elections information on voter registration forms assigned to and received from third-party voter registration organizations. The coordinator must maintain a database of all third-party voter registration organizations and the voter registration forms assigned to the third-party voter registration organization. The information must be provided in a format, and at times, as required by the coordinator by rule. The coordinator must update information on third-party voter registrations daily and make the information publicly available.
This bill requires a third-party voter registration organization that collects voter registration applications to provide a receipt to an applicant upon accepting possession of the applicant's application. The coordinator of elections must adopt by rule a uniform format for the receipt. The format must include the name of the applicant, the date the application is received, the name of the third-party voter registration organization, the name of the registration agent, and the county in which the applicant resides.
This bill requires the coordinator of elections to adopt by rule a form to elicit specific information concerning the facts and circumstances from a person who claims to have been registered to vote by a third-party voter registration organization but who does not appear as an active voter on the voter registration rolls. The coordinator of elections must also adopt rules to ensure the integrity of the registration process, including controls to ensure that all completed forms are promptly delivered to the county election commission in the county in which the applicant resides.
VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE
Present law requires any person or organization collecting a voter registration form submitted by an applicant during a voter registration drive must, within 15 calendar days of receipt of the form, deliver or mail the form to the county election commission in which the applicant resides according to the address on the application or to the state election commission. However, if the date of the receipt of the form is within 15 calendar days of the voter registration deadline, the submitted forms must be delivered or mailed no later than the voter registration deadline. For the purposes of this provision, a form is considered mailed on the date of the postmark stamped on the cover in which such document was mailed.
This bill adds to the present law by providing that the date on which an applicant signs a voter registration application is presumed to be the date on which the third-party voter registration organization received or collected the voter registration application.
This bill prohibits a person or organization collecting voter registrations mail or otherwise from providing a voter registration application upon which any information about an applicant has been filled in before it is provided to the applicant. However, this provision does not apply to government agencies providing voter registration as authorized under this chapter. The state election commission may impose a maximum civil penalty up to $50 for each violation of this provision.
This bill prohibits a person or organization collecting voter registrations mail or otherwise from allowing an individual convicted of a felony violation under the law regarding elections, the law regarding offenses of financial exploitation of elderly or vulnerable person, or aggravated perjury to collect or handle a voter registration application from another person. This bill also prohibits a person or organization collecting voter registrations mail or otherwise from altering the voter registration form of any person without the person's knowledge and consent. The state election commission may impose a maximum civil penalty up to $5,000 for each violation of this provision.
APPLICABILITY
This bill takes effect November 6, 2024.
ON APRIL 9, 2024, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2586, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, do the following:
(1) Require a person or organization collecting a voter registration form submitted by an applicant during a voter registration drive to, within 15 calendar days of receipt of the form, deliver or mail the form to the county election commission in which the applicant resides. The date on which an applicant signs a voter registration application is presumed to be the date on which the person or organization received or collected the voter registration application;
(2) Prohibit a person or organization from (i) mailing or otherwise providing a voter registration application upon which any information about an applicant has been filled in before it is provided to the applicant. This (2) does not apply to government agencies providing voter registration as authorized under state law relative to voter registration; or (ii) allow an individual convicted of a felony violation relative to state election law, an offense of financial exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable person, or aggravated perjury to collect or handle a voter registration application from another person;
(3) Prohibit a person or organization collecting voter registrations from altering the voter registration form of any person without the person's knowledge and consent;
(4) Authorize the state election commission to impose a maximum civil penalty up to $50 for each violation of various offenses relative to voter registration, and up to $5,000 for a violation of (2)(ii) or (3) above;
(5) For any violation or violations, require the state election commission to send, by return mail, receipt requested, an assessment letter to the person or organization in a form sufficient to advise the person or organization of the factual basis of the violation or violations, the total civil penalty, and the date a response to the letter must be filed. Refusal of or failure to timely claim an assessment letter sent by return mail, receipt requested, constitutes acceptance of the assessment letter for purposes of service; and
(6) To request a waiver of reduction in, or to contest, a penalty imposed by the state election commission, require a person or organization to file a petition with the state election commission. Such petition may be considered as commencing a contested case proceeding under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act.
ON APRIL 16, 2024, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2586, ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2586, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 changes the effective date to upon becoming a law.
AMENDMENT #2 adds a severability clause to the bill.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2-2-142(e), 2-2-142