§ 3-403. Municipal registration procedure

   (a) In general. -- A voter residing in a municipal corporation is considered to be registered for elections in that municipal corporation if the voter is included on the statewide voter registration list at an address within the municipal corporation.

(b) Request for development of universal registration plan. --

   (1) Not less than 6 months prior to its municipal election, each municipal corporation shall submit a request to the appropriate local board for the development of a plan and a schedule to implement universal registration.

   (2) The application shall include the name of the individual designated as the municipal corporation liaison who is responsible for working with the local board in the development of the plan and the schedule for implementation of the plan.

(c) Duty of local board to respond. -- Within 10 days after receipt of the application, the local board shall respond to the municipal corporation liaison and shall designate a local board liaison.

(d) Initial meeting. -- At a mutually agreed upon time, the local board liaison and the municipal corporation liaison shall conduct meetings with other appropriate individuals, if required, for the purpose of developing a schedule and plan for implementing registration under this title.

(e) The plan. -- The plan shall include:

   (1) procedures for identifying by geographical reference the municipal boundaries, precincts, wards, or districts and the methods for including this information in the statewide voter registration database;

   (2) information on whether the municipal corporation wants the exclusion or inclusion of political party affiliation on the voter registry, and whether the local board can provide the exclusion or inclusion;

   (3) the format of the voter registry, and whether it is to be divided according to a registrant's municipal polling place;

   (4) information on whether:

      (i) the dates of birth are to be printed on the voter registry;

      (ii) the names of registrants under the age of 18 years are to be included on the voter registry; and

      (iii) the board can provide these exclusions or inclusions;

   (5) the timing for furnishing the voter registry for use in the municipal elections, including the deadline for accepting voter registration applications of those individuals residing in the municipal corporation prior to the municipal elections;

   (6) procedures for obtaining, updating, and maintaining in the statewide voter registration list the voter history of registrants who vote in municipal elections; and

   (7) procedures for obtaining, updating, and maintaining changes to the boundaries of the municipal corporation, the precincts, the wards, or the districts that result from annexations, subdivision development, street name changes, or street abandonments.

(f) Certified list of registered voters. --

   (1) The local board shall provide to a municipal corporation at no cost a certified list of registered voters residing within the boundaries of the municipal corporation in compliance with the plan established pursuant to subsection (e) of this section.

   (2) (i) On request by a municipal corporation, the local board shall also provide at no cost a certified list of registered voters who reside within the boundaries of the municipal corporation 90 days prior to the municipal election. The request for this preliminary list of voters shall be made to the board before or during the negotiations authorized in subsection (d) of this section.

      (ii) Within 20 days after receiving the preliminary list of registered voters, a municipal corporation shall notify the local board of any potential errors in the list of registered voters, including errors in the residency of registered voters.

      (iii) If the actual residency of any individual listed on the voter registry is in doubt, the local board shall notify the individual in accordance with § 3-502 of this title within 10 days after receiving notification from the municipal corporation.

(g) Supplemental list maintained by municipal corporation. -- This section may not be construed to prohibit a municipal corporation from administering and maintaining a supplemental list of those individuals who are not on the statewide voter registration list but who may otherwise be qualified to register to vote with the municipal corporation.

(h) Removal of voter from supplemental voter registry. --

   (1) Whenever the registration of any voter is removed for any reason from the supplemental voter registry maintained by the municipal corporation, the municipal corporation shall send a notice of this action and the reason for the action to the last known address of the voter.

   (2) The voter shall be given at least 15 days to respond to indicate whether the voter wishes to remain on the municipal corporation's voter registry.

   (3) If the voter wishes to remain on the list and continues to be qualified under the municipal corporation's voter registration requirements, the voter's name shall be reinstated to the municipal corporation's supplemental voter registry upon written request of the voter.

(i) Reimbursement of local board. --

   (1) The State shall reimburse a local board or a county government for reasonable initial set-up costs of implementing the plan for universal registration, including the costs associated with:

      (i) the identification of the appropriate boundaries; and

      (ii) the identification of voters who are to be included in the voter registry.

   (2) The local board shall request and, subject to the approval of the State Board, receive a reimbursement for these costs from a fund administered by the State Board. The initial set-up costs incurred directly by a municipal corporation may be reimbursed for circumstances authorized by the State Board.

(j) Voter registration forms. -- Upon request by the municipal corporation, the local board shall provide voter registration forms to the municipal corporation.

(k) Duty of State Board to cooperate. -- The State Board shall cooperate with the local boards and municipal election officials to effectuate the provisions of this section.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 33, § 3-403; 2002, ch. 291, § 2, 4; 2005, ch. 25, § 12; ch. 572, § 1.