MODEL BILLS

Online Voter Registration Act

Summary: The Online Voter Registration Act allows qualified citizens to register to vote, change their address, and otherwise update voter information through an Internet website.

Source: Minnesota HF 2096 enacted 2014

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act shall be called the “Online Voter Registration Act.”

SECTION 2. PURPOSE

This law is enacted to make it more convenient for qualified citizens to register to vote and update their voter records, improve the quality of voter registration data, and lower the costs of election administration.

SECTION 3. ONLINE VOTER REGISTRATION

After section XXX, the following new section XXX shall be inserted:

1. In addition to registration in person or by mail pursuant to [citation], an eligible voter or any individual who will be an eligible voter at the time of the next election may register to vote, change party affiliation, or change a place of residence by completing an application form electronically through a secure website that shall be maintained by the Secretary of State for this purpose.

2. To register, change party affiliation, or change a place of residence through the website, the applicant must provide an e-mail address and the applicant’s verifiable [state] driver’s license number, [state] state identification card number, or the last four digits of the applicant’s Social Security number.

3. A voter application submitted electronically may only be transmitted to the [county board of elections] for processing if the Secretary of State has verified the application information matches the information in a government database associated with the applicant’s driver’s license number, state identification card number, or Social Security number. The Secretary of State must review all unverifiable voter registration applications submitted electronically for evidence of suspicious activity and must forward any such application to an appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation.

4. To maintain website security, the Secretary of State shall maintain a log of each Internet Protocol address used to submit a voter application electronically and must monitor the log, volume of website use, and other appropriate indicators for suspicious activity. Evidence of suspicious activity that cannot be resolved by the Secretary of State must be forwarded to an appropriate law enforcement agency for investigation. A copy of all data contained on a voter application submitted electronically through the secure website as well as the Internet Protocol address used to submit the data shall be maintained in a format that facilitates any such investigation.

SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE

This law shall become effective on July 1, 20XX.