1 SB200
2 209347-2
3 By Senator Butler
4 RFD: Governmental Affairs
5 First Read: 09-FEB-21
Page 0
1 SB200
2
3
4 ENGROSSED
5
6
7 A BILL
8 TO BE ENTITLED
9 AN ACT
10
11 Relating to voter registration lists; to amend
12 Sections 17-4-30 and 17-4-31, Code of Alabama 1975; to revise
13 the process used by the Secretary of State and boards of
14 registrars to periodically update the statewide voter
15 registration database; to authorize the Secretary of State to
16 adopt rules; and to revise the publication reimbursement rate
17 to counties relating to revising the statewide voter
18 registration database.
19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
20 Section 1. Sections 17-4-30 and 17-4-31, Code of
21 Alabama 1975, are amended to read as follows:
22 "17-4-30.
23 "(a) Beginning in January 1997 February 2025, and in
24 January February of every fourth year thereafter, the boards
25 of registrars shall mail a nonforwardable notice to all
26 registered voters in the county. The notice shall be designed
27 and provided for the boards of registrars by the Secretary of
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1 State. The notice shall be sent on a postcard providing
2 general information on elections. The notice shall be mailed
3 to the last known address of the voter appearing on the voter
4 registration list. If the notice is returned to the boards of
5 registrars indicating that the voter may have relocated, the
6 board shall send a forwardable notice to the registered voter
7 on which the voter may confirm his or her current address. The
8 forwardable notice shall be mailed no later than 90 days after
9 receipt of the returned nonforwardable notice. The boards
10 board of registrars, or the Secretary of State, if acting as
11 the board's agent pursuant to subsection (h), shall use
12 change-of-address information supplied by the United States
13 Postal Service through the National Change of Address database
14 and by at least one other voter registration database,
15 including, but not limited to, the Electronic Registration
16 Information Center or NVRA designated agency, to identify
17 registered voters whose addresses may have changed.
18 "(b)(1) If the board of registrars or Secretary of
19 State determines from the change-of-address information that a
20 registered voter has moved to a different residence address
21 that is under the jurisdiction of the same board of
22 registrars, the board of registrars shall change the
23 registration records of that voter to show the new address,
24 and the board of registrars or Secretary of State, within 90
25 days after identifying the potential change, shall send the
26 voter a notice of the change by forwardable mail along with a
27 postage prepaid, pre-addressed return card on which the
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1 registered voter may correct his or her current address
2 information. The notice shall inform the voter that if the
3 voter did not change his or her residence, he or she is
4 required to return the pre-addressed card no later than the
5 last day to register to vote before an election.
6 "(2) If the board of registrars or Secretary of
7 State determines from the change-of-address information that a
8 registered voter has moved to a different residence address
9 that is under the jurisdiction of a different board of
10 registrars or to a residence address outside of the state, the
11 board of registrars or Secretary of State, within 90 days
12 after identifying the potential change, shall send the voter a
13 notice of the change by forwardable mail along with a postage
14 prepaid, pre-addressed return card on which the registered
15 voter may verify or correct his or her current address
16 information. The notice shall include both of the following:
17 "a. A statement informing the voter that if the
18 pre-addressed card is not returned within the time specified
19 in the notice, the voter will be permitted to vote in that
20 same jurisdiction during the period from the date the notice
21 was mailed and ending on the day after the date of the second
22 general election for federal office, provided the voter
23 completes a voter registration update form. If the voter does
24 not update his or her voter registration record or vote during
25 the period ending on the day after the date of the second
26 general election for federal office, the voter's name shall be
27 removed from the list of eligible voters.
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1 "b. Information concerning how the voter may
2 continue his or her eligibility to vote in another
3 jurisdiction if the voter has changed his or her residence to
4 an address outside of the jurisdiction of the board of
5 registrars under which he or she is then registered.
6 "(c) The board of registrars or Secretary of State
7 shall record and maintain in the statewide voter registration
8 database the dates on which the nonforwardable notice was is
9 mailed to a registered voter and the card is subsequently
10 returned to the board and the date on which the forwardable
11 notice was mailed to by the registered voter.
12 "(b)(d) The boards board of registrars shall update
13 the voter list for the county statewide voter registration
14 database using the information reported to the board by the
15 registered voters on the address confirmation prepaid,
16 pre-addressed return cards provided for in subsection (a) this
17 section.
18 "(e) If the registered voter does not respond to the
19 forwardable notice on which the registered voter may confirm
20 his or her address provided in this section within 90 days of
21 the date on which the notice was mailed or if the forwardable
22 notice is returned to the board of registrars as
23 undeliverable, the boards board of registrars or its agent
24 shall place the name of the registered voter on the inactive
25 list of registered voters and in a suspense file in the office
26 of the board. The suspense file shall contain all of the
27 following information: change the status of the voter to
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1 inactive and indicate in the statewide voter registration
2 database the date the change is recorded and that the voter
3 did not respond to the mailing or that the mailing was
4 returned as undeliverable, in a manner provided by rule by the
5 Secretary of State.
6 "(1) The name of the registered voter.
7 "(2) The last known address of the registered voter.
8 "(3) At least the last four digits of the Social
9 Security number or other personal identification number of the
10 registered voter.
11 "(4) The date on which the name of the registered
12 voter was placed in the suspense file.
13 "(c) The name of a registered voter who does not
14 vote or appear to vote in one of the next two federal
15 elections held after his or her name is placed in the suspense
16 file shall be removed from the voter list.
17 "(d)(f) The names of persons to be removed from the
18 list of registered voters pursuant to this section shall be
19 published in accordance with Section 17-4-10.
20 "(g) The Secretary of State may adopt rules as
21 necessary to implement this section.
22 "(h) The Secretary of State may act as an agent for
23 a board of registrars, only upon receiving the written consent
24 of the county commission, in implementing this section.
25 "17-4-31.
26 "The state shall reimburse each county commission
27 for all the postage costs associated with voter lists
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1 maintenance activities provided for in Section 17-4-30 and
2 one-fourth one-half of the cost of the publication of the
3 names of persons individuals to be removed from the list of
4 registered voters as required in Section 17-4-10. The
5 reimbursement shall be made from the Election Expenses Account
6 in the State Treasury upon approval by the Secretary of State
7 on warrants drawn by the state Comptroller."
8 Section 2. This act shall become effective
9 immediately following its passage and approval by the
10 Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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1
2
3 Senate
4 Read for the first time and referred to the Senate
5 committee on Governmental Affairs................. 0.9-FEB-21
6
7 Read for the second time and placed on the calen-
8 dar 1 amendment.................................. 0.9-MAR-21
9
10 Read for the third time and passed as amended .... 0.9-MAR-21
11
12 Patrick Harris,
13 Secretary.
14
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Statutes affected: Introduced: 17-4-30, 17-4-31
Engrossed: 17-4-30, 17-4-31