Voter Registration Housekeeping Reminders: As we approach another busy election year, it is of critical importance that the voter registration records maintained by each city and township are current and up-to-date.  The following is an overview of the basic steps that must be performed to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the statewide Qualified Voter File system:

Street Index Review - The statewide street index is the foundation of the QVF.  Errors and omissions in your street index will result in errors and omissions in the QVF precinct lists generated for use at the polls on Election Day. To ensure that your street index is accurate and up-to-date, please remember to notify us whenever changes occur in your political subdivisions and/or precinct boundary lines so that appropriate street index adjustments can be made.  Forward all communications regarding your local street index to Amanda Fedewa at (517) 241-4821 or fedewaa3 @michigan.gov

File Matching and Reconciliation - This process, while time consuming, is an excellent way to ensure that your Master Card file "mirrors" your QVF.  Click on the following link for complete instructions. 

http://michigan.gov/documents/sos/FileMatching_Reconciliation_218196_7.pdf

Returned Mail and the QVF Cancellation Countdown Feature - Special consideration must be given to the actions which must be taken when a Voter Identification Card or other types of mail are returned by the post office as "undeliverable" as the steps may vary depending upon several factors.  Mail is returned by the post office for numerous reasons.  Only specific reasons allow for returned mail to apply to the QVF cancellation countdown feature.  For example, the steps associated with the return of an "updated" Voter Identification card are different than those which must be followed when an "original" Voter Identification card is returned.  Further, the steps associated with returned mail will vary depending on whether a forwarding address is provided by the post office and, if an address is provided, whether the address is located inside or outside your jurisdiction.  The following outlines the various steps that apply to returned mail scenarios:

I. "Updated" Voter Identification Card or other mailing returned as undeliverable

A.  Forwarding address provided that is outside your jurisdiction

·        If an "updated" Voter Identification Card or other mail directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned by the post office as undeliverable and you are provided with a forwarding address that is outside your jurisdiction, immediately send the voter a postage prepaid and preaddressed Confirmation Notice (Notice of Cancellation) and reply card which the voter can use to confirm or correct the address information.  The voter has until the second November general election following the issuance of the notice to respond.  For convenience, the QVF "Cancellation Countdown" feature can be used to flag the record for automatic cancellation in the event the voter does not respond to the notice or participate in an election during the countdown period.  Change the voter's status to "VERIFY - RESIDENCE."  

·        If the voter returns the reply card and confirms that he or she has moved outside of your jurisdiction, the voter registration may be immediately canceled.  Change the voter's status in QVF to "Cancel - Residence." 

·        If the voter returns the reply card and confirms that he or she has not moved outside of your jurisdiction, change the voter's status to "Active."  In this case, you will still need to determine why the "Updated" Voter Identification Card or other mailing was returned as undeliverable .  (The voter may receive his or her mail at an alternative mailing address that is different than his or her registration address.  If this is the case, be sure to enter the mailing address in your QVF.) 

·        If no response is received from the voter over the course of two, successive November general elections, the voter registration may be canceled.  If the QVF "Cancellation Countdown" feature is used to flag the record for automatic cancellation, you will receive the following inbox notification "CHANGED TO CANCEL - NVRA" when the voter's registration is cancelled.  If this feature is not used, change the voter's status to "Cancel - Residence."  Record the date and reason for the cancellation on the voter's Master Card and retain it in your Cancellation File for the required 10-year retention period. 

B.  Forwarding address provided that is inside your jurisdiction

·        If an "updated" Voter Identification Card or other mail directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned by the post office as undeliverable and you are provided with a forwarding address that is inside your jurisdiction, enter the new address in your QVF and send the voter a corrected Voter Identification Card along with a postage prepaid and preaddressed Confirmation Notice and reply card which the voter can use to confirm or correct the address information.  Change the voter's status to "VERIFY - RESIDENCE."  

In this case, regardless of whether the voter returns the reply card to confirm the address change or neglects to return the reply card, no further action is needed unless the voter advises that he or she has moved to an address that is different from the address recorded for the voter.      

C.  Forwarding address not provided

·        If an "updated" Voter Identification Card or other mail directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned by the post office as undeliverable and a forwarding address is not provided, send a forwardable, postage prepaid and preaddressed Confirmation Notice with reply card to the voter. 

·        If the voter returns the reply card portion of the notice and advises that he or she resides at a different address located inside your jurisdiction, enter the voter's new address in your QVF and issue a corrected Voter Identification Card.  Change the voter's status to "Active."

·        If the voter returns the reply card portion of the notice and advises that he or she has moved outside your jurisdiction, the voter registration may be immediately canceled.  Change the voter's status in QVF to "Cancel - Residence."  Record the date and reason for the cancellation on the voter's Master Card and retain it in your Cancellation File for the required 10-year retention period. 

·        If no response is received from the voter over the course of two, successive November general elections, the voter registration may be canceled.  If the QVF "Cancellation Countdown" feature is used to flag the record for automatic cancellation, you will receive the following inbox notification "CHANGED TO CANCEL - NVRA" when the voter's registration record is cancelled.  If this feature is not used, change the voter's status to "Cancel - Residence."  Record the date and reason for the cancellation on the voter's Master Card and retain it in your Cancellation File for the required 10-year retention period. 

  II. "Original" Voter Identification Card returned as undeliverable

     A.  Forwarding address provided that is inside or outside your jurisdiction

·        If an "original" Voter Identification Card directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned by the post office as undeliverable and you are provided with a forwarding address that is inside or outside your jurisdiction,refer to the instructions above for "Updated" Voter Identification Card returned as undeliverable."

B.  Forwarding address not provided

·        If an "original" Voter Identification Card directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned by the post office as undeliverable and a forwarding address is not provided, the voter registration application is void.  Change the voter status to "Reject - Residence."  Send a forwardable, postage prepaid and preaddressed Notice of Rejection with reply card to the voter.   

     III.  Confirmation Notice is returned as undeliverable

·        If a Confirmation Notice directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned by the post office as undeliverable and an address update is not provided, change the voter's status to "Challenge - Residence."  Again, the voter registration may be canceled if you do not hear from the voter or the voter does not participate in the election process over the course of two, successive November general elections.  If the QVF "Cancellation Countdown" feature is used, you will receive the following inbox notification "CHANGED TO CANCEL - NVRA" when the voter's registration record is cancelled.  If this feature is not used, change the voter's status to "Cancel - Residence."  Record the date and reason for the cancellation to the voter's Master Card and retain it in your Cancellation File for the required 10-year retention period. 

Statewide Look-up (SWL) - Whenever a mailing directed to a voter within your jurisdiction is returned as undeliverable or there are other reasons to believe that a voter may not be a resident of your jurisdiction, the Statewide Look-up can be used to determine if the voter is registered in a different jurisdiction within the state.  If the voter is located at an address in a different jurisdiction and the date of registration in the other jurisdiction is more recent than the date of registration in your jurisdiction, the voter registration that you are holding may be immediately canceled.  In this case, you are not required to forward any type of notice to the voter.  Change the voter's status to "Cancel - Residence."  Record the date and reason for the cancellation to the voter's Master Card and retain it in your Cancellation File for the required 10-year retention period. 

QVF Inbox Maintenance - Inbox transaction notifications must be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that all required follow-up actions are carried out on a timely basis.  Click on the following link for a current listing of QVF inbox notification types and required clerk actions.

http://michigan.gov/documents/sos/InboxMessages_Actions_218197_7.pdf

Posting Voter History - As discussed above, the QVF Cancellation Countdown feature is designed to automatically cancel the voter registration of a voter who is subject to cancellation and who failed to respond to a Confirmation Notice or participate in an election over the course of two, successive November general elections.  Additionally, this feature may be used to automatically carry out the cancellation of a voter registration held on a voter in an instance where a Confirmation Notice sent to the voter is returned by the post office as undeliverable and a forwarding address is not available.  In such cases, the failure to post voter history will result in the cancellation of voters whose voter registrations should not be cancelled.  

The data reflected in the QVF Voter Turnout Report is based on voter history updates entered prior to the 45^th day following the election.  While voter history entered after this deadline will still be reflected in the individual voter records and reports produced through the Custom Voter List module, it will not be reflected in the QVF Voter Turnout Report, which is the "official" statistical record created and maintained within the QVF system for each jurisdiction.

Questions?  Please contact the Bureau of Elections at: 1-800-292-5973