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D.C. Municipal Regulations (Last Updated: September 13, 2017) |
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Title 3. ELECTIONS AND ETHICS |
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Chapter 3-5. VOTER REGISTRATION |
Section 3-518. SYSTEMATIC VOTER ROLL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM: BIENNIAL MAIL CANVASS
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518.1In January of each odd-numbered year, the Board shall confirm the residence address of each registered voter who did not confirm his or her address through the voting process or file a change of address at the polls in the preceding general election by mailing a first class non-forwardable canvass postcard to the residence address listed on the Board’s records.
518.2If the Postal Service returns the postcard and provides a new address for the registrant that is within the District of Columbia, the Board shall change the address on its records accordingly and then mail to both old and new addresses a forwardable notice advising the registrant that their address in the voter records has been changed to reflect the Postal Service information.
518.3If the Postal Service returns the postcard as undeliverable and provides a new address for the registrant outside the District of Columbia, the Board shall mail a forwardable notice to both the old and new address, informing the registrant how to register to vote in their new jurisdiction or correct the address information obtained from the Postal Service.
518.4If the Postal Service returns the postcard to the Board as undeliverable and indicates that no new address is available, the Board shall mail to the registrant at his or her last known address the forwardable notice specified in § 518.3.
518.5The forwardable notices issued to registrants whose initial non-forwardable mailings were returned by the Postal Service shall include a pre-addressed and postage- paid return notification postcard to enable the registrant to confirm or correct any address information obtained from the Postal Service.
518.6Upon mailing of the forwardable notice to any registrant whose initial mailing the Postal Service returned as undeliverable, either with a new address outside the District or an indication that no new address was available, the Board shall designate the registrant’s voter registration status as inactive on the voter roll, effective on the date of the mailing of the notice.
518.7Where a registered voter who has been designated inactive on the voter roll fails to respond to the forwardable notice and fails to vote during the period beginning on the date the notice was mailed and ending on the day after the second subsequent general election for federal office, the registrant’s name shall be removed from the voter roll.
518.8Where a registered voter who has been designated inactive on the voter roll provides the Board with a current residence address, or votes in any election, prior to the day following the second general election for federal office occurring thereafter, the inactive designation shall be removed from the registrant’s record.
518.9A registrant included in the group defined by § 518.1 who has requested a separate mailing address in their voter record shall be initially mailed a notification addressed to the mailing address, asking the registrant to confirm his or her residence address on the voter roll by not later than thirty (30) days of the date of the mailing of the notice.
518.10Where a registrant who has been mailed the notification in § 518.9 fails to confirm or correct their residence address, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the mailing of the notice, the Board shall issue a non-forwardable canvass postcard to the residence address as provided in § 518.1 of this chapter.
518.11In the event that the Biennial Mail Canvass is delayed, the Board shall conduct the canvass as soon as practicable thereafter.
518.12Consistent with procedures of the Biennial Mail Canvass, the Board shall issue the forwardable notices defined in § 518.5 whenever official mail sent to a registrant in the normal course of business is returned to the Board by the Postal Service.
518.13Consistent with procedures of the Biennial Mail Canvass, the Board shall update a registrant’s address or designate a registrant’s voter registration status as inactive based on the return to the Board by the Postal Service of official mail sent to a registrant in the normal course of business.
518.14Where the Board learns, or has reason to believe, that a registrant does not reside at the address listed on the voter registration application, the Board may issue the notice defined in § 518.1 to confirm the registrant’s address, and proceed accordingly.