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S N A P M A N U A L

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3 . 1 0 V O T E R R E G I S T R A T I O N R E Q U I R E M E N T S The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) requires that voter registration services be provided to all SNAP applicants and recipients at application, recertification, and when a change of address is reported. These services include: • Distributing voter registration forms; • Providing assistance in completing voter registration forms; • Accepting completed voter registration application forms and sending them to the county board of voter registration and elections; and/or • Providing State of South Carolina Voter Registration By Mail Applications to clients who specifically request a mail-in application.

NOTE: These applications are not DSS forms; therefore, they must be downloaded from the South Carolina Election Commission’s Website at http://www.scvotes.org

Local county DSS offices will send any paper registration forms received weekly (or as scheduled) to the local Election Commission. When providing voter registration services, the Agency must not: • Seek to influence an individual’s political preference or party registration; • Express or display any political or party allegiance; • Discourage the individual in any manner from registering to vote; or • Indicate or imply that registration or non-registration will influence the availability or amount of Agency assistance or SNAP benefits.

PROCEDURE:

At initial application and recertification (annual), the interviewer should ask the client if he/she is registered to vote and record the answer in the appropriate field on the documentation tool. If the client is not registered to vote, the following should occur: 1. The interviewer should ask the client if he/she wants to register to vote.

2. If the PI indicates that he/she does not wish to register, CHIP ADDR screen should be coded “D” (declined to register) in the PI Voter Status field.

3. If the PI indicates that he/she does wish to register, the interviewer will inform the client that:

• An Agency-based Application for Voter Registration (Form 210) will be mailed to the client; or