TITLE 15

Elections

Registration of Voters

CHAPTER 20. Registration Officers and Mobile Registration; Registration by Mail

Subchapter VIII. Registration by Governmental and Private Entities

§ 2060. Application.

Governmental and private entities may apply to the State Election Commissioner to register people to vote on a continuing basis or during an organized voter registration drive. Such entities must apply at least 30 days prior to the start of the voter registration activity or the drive. Voter registration under the provision of this subchapter may not be conducted during the period that voter registration is closed prior to a general election. The State Election Commissioner shall promulgate the application form that such entities shall use in applying for permission to register voters on a continuing basis or to conduct an organized voter registration drive. The application shall include as a minimum:

(1) Name and address of the governmental or private entity. In the case of a continuing activity the location or locations where the voter registration activity will take place.

(2) The name, address and telephone number of the chief official of the entity.

(3) The target audience and/or scope of the drive or continuing voter registration activity.

(4) The name, address and telephone number of the person responsible for the voter registration activity or drive.

(5) Attestations by the chief official of the entity that it has authorized the voter registration activity or drive, assumes responsibility for the voter registration activity or drive, shall insure that only individuals trained as prescribed by the State Election Commissioner shall serve as temporary registrars, and shall insure that all individuals involved in planning, organizing and conducting the voter registration drive shall adhere to this title and such regulations promulgated by the State Election Commissioner.

(6) The number of applications requested.

70 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  2277 Del. Laws, c. 227, §§  2, 33

§ 2061. Training.

The State Election Commissioner shall develop a program for training individuals as temporary registrars as well as those persons responsible for planning, organizing and operating a voter registration activity or drive. Training shall be conducted by personnel from the office of the State Election Commissioner. Individuals who complete the training required by the Commissioner shall be certified as a temporary registrar for a period of 2 years or for the duration of the proposed voter registration drive whichever is shorter.

70 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  2277 Del. Laws, c. 227, §§  2, 34-36

§ 2062. Approval.

The Commissioner shall approve all applications, under § 2060 of this title, provided:

(1) The requested training date is prior to the start of the proposed voter registration activity or drive.

(2) The applying entity has not violated the provisions of this subchapter, title or regulations promulgated by the State Election Commissioner for conducting voter registration on a continuing basis or during a previous organized voter registration drive.

70 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  2277 Del. Laws, c. 227, §§  2, 37

§ 2063. Pickup and return of materials.

(a) The entity shall pick-up the voter registration applications, forms and other required materials as directed by the State Election Commissioner.

(b) An entity conducting a voter registration drive shall deliver all completed applications, unused applications, voided or damaged applications, completed forms and all excess materials to the location directed by the State Election Commissioner within 5 days of the completion of the drive except as required elsewhere in this section.

(c) An entity operating a continuing voter registration activity shall deliver all completed applications and any voided or damaged applications at least once every 5 working days to the location directed by the State Election Commissioner except as required elsewhere in this section.

(d) The entity shall return any application completed prior to the close of eligibility for a primary election or prior to the close of voter registration before a general election no later than 4:30 p.m. on those respective days to the location or locations directed by the State Election Commissioner.

(e) The Commissioner may fine any entity that fails to comply with the requirements of this section up to $1,000 and deny them permission to conduct an organized voter registration drive or otherwise be involved in the voter registration process for a period of up to 5 years.

70 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  2277 Del. Laws, c. 227, §  2

§ 2064. Procedures.

(a) Entities conducting voter registration shall account for the disposition of every application provided by the Department of Elections or the office of the State Election Commissioner by application number. The State Election Commissioner shall promulgate procedures that entities shall use to document the disposition of voter registration applications.

(b) The temporary registrar shall sign each application the temporary registrar completes in the “agency representative” block.

(c) Application date shall be left blank. The application date shall be the date the applications are received in the Department of Elections or the office of the State Election Commissioner as required in this chapter.

(d) All applications completed or issued by the organization shall be annotated by the temporary registrar with the code provided by the State Election Commissioner.

(e) All applications shall be completed in block letters in blue or black ink.

(f) Unsigned applications shall be rejected as incomplete.

(g) The person applying to register to vote shall show the temporary registrar proof of address and identity as required by the State Election Commissioner.

(h) An entity, temporary registrar or other person involved in a voter registration activity or drive shall not:

(1) Seek to influence an applicant’s political preference or party registration;

(2) Make any statement to an applicant or take any action, the purpose or effect of which is to discourage the applicant from registering to vote;

(3) Offer, promise or pay any money or other valuable thing as compensation, inducement or reward to anyone eligible to register to vote for registering or abstaining from registering to vote;

(4) Deny anyone who is eligible to register to vote but refuses to register to vote any services available through the entity.

(i) The entity conducting the voter registration activity or drive must inform each person who applies to register to vote through their activity or drive that they are not registered to vote until the Department of Elections has verified and accepted the application.

70 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  2270 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  177 Del. Laws, c. 227, §  279 Del. Laws, c. 275, §  44

§ 2065. Application date.

Upon receipt of the applications at the Department of Elections or at the office of the State Election Commissioner, the applications shall be stamped by the agency’s time stamp. The date the applications are received in the office of the State Election Commissioner or at the Department of Elections is the date of the application.

70 Del. Laws, c. 188, §  2277 Del. Laws, c. 227, §  279 Del. Laws, c. 275, §  45