Pennsylvania Code
Title 4 - ADMINISTRATION
Part VIII - BUREAU OF COMMISSIONS, ELECTIONS AND LEGISLATION
Subpart E - STATEWIDE UNIFORM REGISTRY OF ELECTORS
Chapter 183 - ESTABLISHMENT, IMPLEMENTATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATEWIDE UNIFORM REGISTRY OF ELECTORS
Section 183.6 - Uniform procedures for the commissions relating to the process for identifying and removing duplicate records in the SURE system

(i) The unique identifier.

(ii) The last four digits of an applicant's or registrant's Social Security number.

(iii) The driver's license number of an applicant or registrant.

(i) The records are within a commission's jurisdiction.

(ii) A record match is identified under the criteria of paragraph (1).

(iii) The criteria under paragraph (2) are unavailable or incomplete.

(iv) The criteria in paragraph (3) are not determined to be a match.

(i) If the records are within a commission's jurisdiction, the record shall be deemed a duplicate and the commission shall update its registration records to reflect information on the most recent application. If one of the records is a new application, the commission shall send a voter identification card to the applicant in accordance with section 1328(c) of the act (relating to approval of registration applications).

(ii) If the record is not within a commission's jurisdiction, the commission shall notify the commission in the other county of the potential duplicate registration record. The commission in the former county shall cancel the registrant's registration record and notify the registrant by nonforwardable mail on a form approved by the Department that the registrant's registration is a duplicate and has been cancelled.

(i) If the records are within a commission's jurisdiction, the record shall be deemed a duplicate and the commission shall update its registration records to reflect information on the most recent application. If one of the records is a new application, the commission shall send a voter identification card to the applicant in accordance with section 1328(c) of the act.

(ii) If the records are outside a commission's jurisdiction, the commission shall notify the commission in the registrant's former county of residence that the registrant's registration record may be a duplicate. The commission shall notify the registrant by nonforwardable mail on a form approved by the Department that the registrant's registration appears to be a duplicate. If this notice is returned by the postmaster or not returned by the registrant 30 days prior to the next election, the commission shall cancel the registrant's registration and notify the registrant by forwardable mail. In accordance with sections 1501(b)(1) and 1901(d)(1)(i) of the act (relating to removal notices; and removal of electors), the acceptance of a subsequent application for voter registration in another county shall serve as confirmation in writing that the registrant has changed residence to a location outside the county in which the registrant was registered and thereby loses voter registration status in the former county of residence. If the registrant returns the notice and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, no further action is required by the commission.

(i) If the records are within a commission's jurisdiction, the commission shall update its registration records to reflect information on the most recent application. If one of the records is a new application, the commission shall send a voter identification card to the applicant in accordance with section 1328(c) of the act.

(ii) If the records are outside a commission's jurisdiction, the commission shall notify the commission in the registrant's former county of residence that the registrant's registration record is a duplicate and should be cancelled. The commission in the former county shall cancel the registrant's registration record and notify the registrant by nonforwardable mail on a form approved by the Department that the registrant's registration is a duplicate and has been cancelled.

(i) A registration record match is identified under the criteria of paragraph (1).

(ii) The criteria under paragraph (2) are unavailable or incomplete.

(iii) The criteria under paragraph (3) are not determined to be a match.

(i) The unique identifier.

(ii) The last four digits of a registrant's Social Security number.

(iii) The driver's license number of a registrant.

(i) If the records are within a commission's jurisdiction, the record shall be deemed a duplicate and the commission shall update its registration records to reflect information on the most recent application.

(ii) If the records are outside a commission's jurisdiction, the commission shall notify the commission in the registrant's former county of residence that the registrant's registration record may be a duplicate. The commission shall notify the registrant by nonforwardable mail on a form approved by the Department that the registrant's registration appears to be a duplicate. If this notice is returned by the postmaster or not returned by the registrant 30 days prior to the next election, the commission shall cancel the registrant's registration and notify the registrant by forwardable mail. In accordance with sections 1501(b)(1) and 1901(d)(1)(i) of the act, the acceptance of a subsequent application for voter registration in another county shall serve as confirmation in writing that the registrant has changed residence to a location outside the county in which the registrant was registered and thereby loses voter registration status in the former county of residence. If the registrant returns the notice and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, no further action is required by the commission.

(i) A registration record match is identified under the criteria of paragraph (1).

(ii) The criteria under paragraph (2) are unavailable or incomplete.

(iii) The criteria under paragraph (3) are not determined to be a match.

(i) The Department will transmit the Deceased Voters List to the county of residence on the SURE system.

(ii) If the record matches the first and last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of the registrant's Social Security number, the commission shall cancel the registrant's registration record. If the record matches at least the first and last name and date of birth, the commission shall investigate. In its investigation, the commission may utilize the other sources available at section 1505(b) of the act to determine if the record should be cancelled.

(iii) Once a month, the commission shall run a check against the SURE system to determine if the Department of Health Deceased Voter's List contains information on voters registered in its county.

(iv) The commission shall process the Deceased Voter's List within 10 days of its receipt and cancel the registration of those registrants that it determines are deceased in accordance with section 1505 of the act.

(v) Except as provided at section 1505(b) of the act, a commission cannot remove a registrant simply because an individual, other than an employee of the office of the register of wills, claims that the registrant has moved or died. The commission shall have the documentation listed in section 1505(b) of the act before removing any name from the voter registration list.

(i) The commission shall compare the records to its registration records on the SURE system.

(ii) The commission shall determine if the individual is a registrant in its county.

(iii) The commission shall determine from the SURE system if the change of address is within the jurisdiction of the commission or outside the jurisdiction of the commission.

(iv) If the voter identification card in subparagraph (iii)(A) is returned by the postmaster, the commission shall use the following procedures:

(v) If the commission determines that a registrant listed on the PENNDOT Change of Address report has changed his address to another county and is a registered elector in the county, the commission shall use the following procedures:

(vi) If the commission determines that registrants identified on the PENNDOT Change of Address Report have changed their residence to another state and are registered voters in the county, the commission shall implement the following procedures:

(i) Within 1 year of certification by the Secretary that all counties have been connected to the SURE system, and at least once per year thereafter, the Department will purchase the NCOA list.

(ii) The Department will compare the list to the SURE system database.

(iii) The SURE system will determine if the data contains a registered voter, and, if so, in what county.

(iv) The Department will notify the commission of the address change.

(v) The commission shall send appropriate mailings in accordance with section 1901(b)(1) of the act.

(vi) The commission shall maintain the status of the mailing and response, including the dates, on the SURE system.

(vii) The commission, if it chooses, may purchase the NCOA list for processing this voter removal program.

(i) The commission shall update the registrant's voter registration records to indicate the new address. The commission shall complete a NCA and send it to the registrant's prior address by forwardable mail with a postage prepaid preaddressed return form.

(ii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, verifying the change of address, the commission is not required to take any further action because the registrant's voter registration records have already been updated.

(iii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission shall correct the voter registration records accordingly.

(iv) If the postmaster returns the NCA or if the registrant does not return the NCA, the commission shall complete, mark and mail an AVN to the registrant's former address in accordance with section 1901(d)(2) of the act.

(v) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, confirming the change of address, the commission is not required to take any further action because the registrant's voter registration records have already been updated.

(vi) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission shall correct the voter registration records accordingly.

(vii) If the registrant does not return the AVN 30 days before the election or if it is returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable, the commission shall mark as inactive the registrant's voter registration card or mark the individual's record on the SURE system as inactive. The cards and records marked as inactive shall constitute the inactive file of registered voters for the county. The commission shall include these cards with the other registration cards sent to the precincts on election day.

(viii) The commission shall require a written affirmation before it permits an inactive registrant to vote in an election during the time beginning with the date the AVN is mailed and ending on the day after the date of the second General Election for Federal office that occurs after the date of the notice. If the registrant does not vote in an election during that period, the commission shall cancel the registrant's registration.

(i) The commission shall complete the applicable information on the NCA and send it to the registrant's prior address by forwardable mail with a postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the registrant may verify or correct the address information as required by section 1901(b)(1)(ii) of the act.

(ii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, verifying the change of address, the commission shall cancel the registrant's voter registration.

(iii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission may not change the registrant's voter registration.

(iv) If the postmaster returns the NCA or if the registrant does not return the NCA, the commission shall complete, mark and mail an AVN, to the registrant's former address in accordance with section 1901(d) of the act.

(v) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, confirming the change of address, the commission shall cancel the registrant's voter registration.

(vi) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission may not change the address.

(vii) If the registrant does not return the AVN 30 days before the election or if it is returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable, the commission shall mark as inactive the registrant's voter registration card. The commission shall include the cards with the other registration cards sent to the precincts on election day.

(viii) The commission shall require a written affirmation before it permits an inactive registrant to vote in an election during the time beginning with the date the AVN is mailed and ending on the day after the date of the second General Election for Federal office that occurs after the date of the notice. If the registrant does not vote in an election during that period, the commission shall cancel the registrant's registration.

(i) The commission shall update the registrant's voter registration records to indicate the new address. The commission shall complete the applicable information on the NCA and send it to the registrant's prior address by forwardable mail with a postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the registrant may verify or correct the address information, as required by section 1901(b)(1) of the act.

(ii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, verifying the change of address, the commission is not required to take any further action because the registrant's voter registration records have already been updated.

(iii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission shall correct the voter registration records accordingly.

(iv) If the postmaster returns the NCA or if the registrant does not return the NCA, the commission shall complete, mark and mail an AVN to the registrant's former address in accordance with section 1901(d) of the act.

(v) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, confirming the change of address, the commission is not required to take any further action because the registrant's voter registration records have already been updated.

(vi) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission shall correct the voter registration records accordingly.

(vii) If the registrant does not return the AVN 30 days before the election or if it is returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable, the commission shall mark the record as inactive on the registrant's voter registration card. The cards marked as inactive shall constitute the inactive file of registered voters for the county. The commission shall include these cards with the other registration cards sent to the precincts on election day.

(viii) The commission shall require a written affirmation before it permits an inactive registrant to vote in an election during the time period beginning with the date the AVN is mailed and ending on the day after the date of the second General Election for Federal office that occurs after the date of the notice. If the registrant does not vote in an election during that period, the commission shall cancel the registrant's voter registration

(i) The commission shall complete the applicable information on the NCA and send it to the registrant's prior address by forwardable mail with a postage prepaid preaddressed return form by which the registrant may verify or correct the address information as required by section 1901(b)(1) of the act.

(ii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, verifying the change of address, the commission shall cancel the registrant's voter registration.

(iii) If the registrant returns the NCA, signed and dated, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission may not change the registrant's voter registration.

(iv) If the postmaster returns the NCA or if the registrant does not return the NCA, the commission shall complete and mail an AVN to the registrant's former address in accordance with section 1901(d) of the act.

(v) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, confirming the change of address, the commission shall cancel the registrant's voter registration.

(vi) If the registrant returns the AVN, signed and dated, 30 days before the election, with an explanation of why the registrant's address should not be changed for voter registration purposes and the commission is satisfied with the explanation, the commission may not change the address.

(vii) If the registrant does not return the AVN 30 days before the election or if it is returned by the Postal Service as undeliverable, the commission shall mark inactive the registrant's voter registration card. The commission shall include these cards with the other registration cards sent to the precincts on election day.

(viii) The commission shall require a written affirmation before it permits an inactive registrant to vote in an election during the time beginning with the date the AVN is mailed and ending on the day after the date of the second General Election for Federal office that occurs after the date of the notice. If the registrant does not vote in an election during that period, the commission shall cancel the registrant's voter registration.