Colorado WIC Program Policies and Procedures Section 8: Certification, Eligibility and Coordination Revised: 10/01/2023

Page 1 of 2 Voter Registration

Policy: Local WIC programs must provide potential voters with the opportunity to register to vote, assist those who request help in completing the paper or online form, send completed registration paper forms to local election offices, and document voter registration information in Compass.

Regulation: The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) of 1993 is a federal civil rights law that requires public assistance agencies including WIC to offer voter registration services to all persons applying for benefits, recertifying or renewing their eligibility, or whenever a client changes an address. The following services are required to be made available to WIC Program applicants who are not already registered to vote:  Offer the voter registration application forms.  Assis applicants in completing voter registration application forms (unless the applicant refuses such assistance).  Accept completed voter registration application forms and send to the appropriate county clerk and recorder within 5 days.

Procedure/Additional Requirements: At every certification, recertification and change of address, WIC staff members are required to ask all endorsers and adult participants, “If you are not already registered to vote where you live now, would you like to apply to register to vote here today?”  In Compass, endorsers must sign/verbally acknowledge the Rights and Responsibilities form that includes the statement, “I have been offered the opportunity to apply to register to vote.”  Staff must complete the Voter Registration panel in Compass, noting whether or not the endorser or adult participant is registered to vote where they currently live, and if a voter registration form was completed (whether paper or online).  If the client wishes to register to vote, staff must provide an Agency-Based Voter Registration Application (NVRA-1) form and instruct applicants to fill out all required information. o Clients may prefer registering to vote online. For those clients, please refer them to the Secretary of State’s website and click ‘Register to Vote’.  Agencies are required to offer each applicant with the same degree of assistance in completing the voter registration form unless the applicant refuses such assistance.  Assistance includes reviewing voter registration application for completeness, and providing bilingual assistance when necessary. Local agency staff must ensure that the following information is kept confidential: o Information relating to a declination to register to vote. o The identity of the voter registration agency through which any particular voter is registered.  In addition, local agency staff must not: o Seek to influence an applicant’s political preference or party registration. o Display any political preference or party allegiance. o 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. o Make any statement to an applicant or take any action, the purpose or effect of which is to lead the applicant to believe that a decision to register or not to register has any bearing on the availability of services or benefits.

Tracking of Voter Registration Activities Voter registration information tracked in Compass is tallied by the State WIC office and reported to the Secretary of State’s office. No separate reporting by local WIC agencies is required.

Ordering Voter Registration Forms and Posters Voter registration forms can be ordered from: http://www.sos.state.co.us/ccorner/NVRAAgencyOrderForms.do Please direct any questions to the secretary of state’s office at NVRA@coloradosos.gov. Note that with the added statement “I have been offered the opportunity to apply to register to vote” added to the Rights and Responsibilities form.

Colorado WIC Program Policies and Procedures Section 8: Certification, Eligibility and Coordination Revised: 10/01/2023

Page 2 of 2 Voter Registration Training The Secretary of State’s office is responsible for training local staff and providing voter registration forms. Questions regarding voter registration should be directed to the Secretary of State’s office at NVRA@coloradosos.gov

An optional on-line training for staff is available from the NVRA agency information web page at: https://www.coloradosos.gov/pubs/elections/NVRA/NVRAHome.html