Bill Text: GA SB325 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Elections; provide for online voter registration; conditions and requirements

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-01-24 - Senate Read and Referred [SB325 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2011-SB325-Introduced.html

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12 LC 28 5866

Senate Bill 325

By: Senators Fort of the 39th, Henson of the 41st, Harbison of the 15th, Jones of the 10th, Jackson of the 2nd and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and elections generally, so as to provide for online voter registration; to provide for certain conditions and requirements; to provide for the manner of such registration; to authorize the State Election Board and the Department of Driver Services to promulgate rules and regulations to effectuate such registration program; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to primaries and elections generally, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 21-2-220, relating to application for registration, identification requirement, rejection for failure to provide required information or for submission of false information, and aid to disabled or illiterate, as follows:

"(a) Any person desiring to register as an elector shall apply to do so by making application to a registrar or deputy registrar of such person's county of residence in person, by submission of the federal post card application form as authorized under Code Section 21-2-219, by making application through the Department of Driver Services as provided in Code Section 21-2-221, by making application through the Department of Natural Resources as provided in Code Section 21-2-221.1, by making application through designated offices as provided in Code Section 21-2-222, or by making application by mail as provided in Code Section 21-2-223, or by making application online as provided in Code Section 21-2-223.1."

SECTION 2.

Said chapter is further amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"21-2-223.1.

(a) Not later than January 1, 2013, the Secretary of State shall implement a program by which any person who is qualified to register to vote in this state and who has a valid Georgia driver's license or personal identification card issued pursuant to Article 5 of Chapter 5 of Title 40 shall be able to submit an application for voter registration electronically on the Internet website of the Secretary of State.

(b) An application submitted pursuant to this Code section shall be effective upon receipt of the application by the Secretary of State.

(c) The person submitting such application shall affirmatively attest to the truth of the information provided in the application.

(d) For voter registration purposes, the applicant shall affirmatively assent to the use by the Secretary of State of his or her signature from his or her driver's license or personal identification card contained on the data base of the Department of Driver Services.

(e) For each electronic application, the Secretary of State shall obtain an electronic copy of the applicant's signature from his or her driver's license or personal identification card contained on the data base of the Department of Driver Services directly from the Department of Driver Services and shall cause such signature to be placed on such person's voter registration application which shall be printed by the Secretary of State.

(f) The Secretary of State shall require a person who submits an application pursuant to this Code section to submit all of the following:

(1) The number from the applicant's Georgia driver's license or personal identification card;

(2) The applicant's date of birth; and

(3) Any other information the Secretary of State deems necessary to establish the identity of the applicant.

(g) Upon submission of an application pursuant to this Code section, the Secretary of State shall provide for immediate verification of both of the following:

(1) That the applicant has a Georgia driver's license or personal identification card and that the number for that driver's license or identification card provided by the applicant matches the number for that person's driver's license or identification card that is on file with the Department of Driver Services; and

(2) That the date of birth provided by the applicant matches the date of birth for that person that is on file with the Department of Driver Services.

(h) The Secretary of State shall employ security measures to ensure the accuracy and integrity of voter registration applications submitted electronically pursuant to this Code section.

(i) The Department of Driver Services and the Secretary of State shall develop a process and the infrastructure to allow the electronic copy of the applicant's signature and other information required under this Code section that is in the possession of the Department of Driver Services to be transferred to the Secretary of State to allow a person who is qualified to register to vote in Georgia to register to vote under this Code section.

(j) If, by January 1, 2013, it is not technically feasible for an applicant to electronically submit a voter registration application through the Secretary of State's website as provided in this Code section or for the Secretary of State to obtain the applicant's signature electronically and to verify the information in the application with the information in the data base of the Department of Driver Services, the Secretary of State by such date shall provide for a person who is qualified to vote in Georgia to complete an application for voter registration electronically on the Secretary of State's website, print a hard copy of the completed application, and mail or deliver the hard copy of the completed application to the Secretary of State or the appropriate county registrar. The Secretary of State shall then implement this Code section as soon as practicable thereafter.

(k) The State Election Board and the Department of Driver Services are authorized to promulgate such rules and regulations as necessary in order to fully implement the provisions of this Code section."

SECTION 3.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.