2021 Code of Alabama
Title 17 - Elections.
Chapter 4 - Voter Registration Lists.
Article 2 - Statewide Voter Registration File, Voter Registration Advisory Board, and Director of Voter Registration
Section 17-4-30 - Notice to Registered Voters; Updating Voter Lists; Suspense File; Publication of Names to Be Struck From List.
Section 17-4-30
Notice to registered voters; updating voter lists; suspense file; publication of names to be struck from list.
THIS SECTION WAS AMENDED BY ACT 2021-534 IN THE 2021 REGULAR SESSION, EFFECTIVE MAY 26, 2021. THIS IS NOT IN THE CURRENT CODE SUPPLEMENT.
(a) Beginning in February 2025, and in February of every fourth year thereafter, the board of registrars, or the Secretary of State, if acting as the board's agent pursuant to subsection (h), shall use change-of-address information supplied by the United States Postal Service through the National Change of Address database and by at least one other voter registration database, including, but not limited to, the Electronic Registration Information Center or NVRA designated agency, to identify registered voters whose addresses may have changed.
(b)(1) If the board of registrars or Secretary of State determines from the change-of-address information that a registered voter has moved to a different residence address that is under the jurisdiction of the same board of registrars, the board of registrars shall change the registration records of that voter to show the new address, and the board of registrars or Secretary of State , within 90 days after identifying the potential change, shall send the voter a notice of the change by forwardable mail along with a postage prepaid, pre-addressed return card on which the registered voter may correct his or her current address information. The notice shall inform the voter that if the voter did not change his or her residence, he or she is required to return the pre-addressed card no later than the last day to register to vote before an election.
(2) If the board of registrars or Secretary of State determines from the change-of-address information that a registered voter has moved to a different residence address that is under the jurisdiction of a different board of registrars or to a residence address outside of the state, the board of registrars or Secretary of State, within 90 days after identifying the potential change, shall send the voter a notice of the change by forwardable mail along with a postage prepaid, pre-addressed return card on which the registered voter may verify or correct his or her current address information. The notice shall include both of the following:
a. A statement informing the voter that if the pre-addressed card is not returned within the time specified in the notice, the voter will be permitted to vote in that same jurisdiction during the period from the date the notice was mailed and ending on the day after the date of the second general election for federal office, provided the voter completes a voter registration update form. If the voter does not update his or her voter registration record or vote during the period ending on the day after the date of the second general election for federal office, the voter's name shall be removed from the list of eligible voters.
b. Information concerning how the voter may continue his or her eligibility to vote in another jurisdiction if the voter has changed his or her residence to an address outside of the jurisdiction of the board of registrars under which he or she is then registered.
(c) The board of registrars or Secretary of State shall record and maintain in the statewide voter registration database the dates on which the notice is mailed to a registered voter and the card is subsequently returned to the board by the registered voter.
(d) The board of registrars shall update the statewide voter registration database using the information reported to the board by the registered voters on the prepaid, pre-addressed return cards provided for in this section.
(e) If the registered voter does not respond to the notice provided in this section within 90 days of the date on which the notice was mailed or if the notice is returned to the board of registrars as undeliverable, the board of registrars or its agent shall change the status of the voter to inactive and indicate in the statewide voter registration database the date the change is recorded and that the voter did not respond to the mailing or that the mailing was returned as undeliverable, in a manner provided by rule by the Secretary of State.
(f) The names of persons to be removed from the list of registered voters pursuant to this section shall be published in accordance with Section 17-4-10.
(g) The Secretary of State may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.
(h) The Secretary of State may act as an agent for a board of registrars, only upon receiving the written consent of the county commission, in implementing this section.
(Acts 1995, No. 95-769, p. 1816, §2; §17-4-201; amended and renumbered by Act 2006-570, p. 1331, §18; Act 2021-534, §1.)
