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Voter Registration

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                    Procedures for Voter Registration in PINES Libraries

                                          September 2006

PINES libraries will keep records of voter registration and declination electronically within the PINES user record. Each time a user record is created or modified, a patron must be asked if he/she wishes to register to vote, and his/her decision must be recorded in the designated field.

Procedure

PINES libraries should include the following question on the PINES card application:

If you aren’t registered to vote, would you like to register to vote here today?

  • I am already registered to vote
  • I want to register to vote
  • I do not want to register to vote
  • I do not wish to register to vote, but will take a registration form home
  • I am not eligible to register to vote

When entering the user registration into PINES, the patron’s decision on voter registration should be entered on screen number 6 titled “Surveys.” Click on the drop down menu and choose the correct response for each patron.

Voter Registration Options

This information is stored and can be viewed in the “Information” section of the patron record under “Surveys."

Voter Registration Results

Updates or Changes to the User Record

If the patron subsequently returns to make changes in his/her user record, we are required to ask again about voter registration and to enter that decision into the record.

Reporting

All public libraries are required by the Georgia Secretary of State’s office to keep this information electronically or on paper for two (2) years. Georgia public libraries must continue to follow all rules and requirements of the Motor Voter Act as specified by the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office.

Libraries must continue to report to the Secretary of State’s Office regarding the numbers for those registering to vote and those declining; there are now two options for reporting this information.

  1. Libraries may continue to use the forms furnished by the Secretary of State’s Office; these must be mailed at least weekly except in the period beginning 15 days prior to the registration deadlines when they must be mailed daily; OR
  2. Libraries may e-mail the number of newly registered voters and those declining to register to vote to tcarter@sos.ga.gov. This information must be emailed at least weekly except in the period beginning 15 days prior to the registration deadlines when the numbers must be e-mailed daily and the completed voter registration forms must be mailed daily.

Forms not provided by the state can be found at The Secretary of State Voter Registration web site. The web address is: http://www.sos.ga.gov/electionconnection/libraries.htm.