500

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

500.1

No person shall be registered to vote in the District of Columbia unless the following occurs:

1. (a) He or she meets the qualifications as a qualified elector as defined by D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.02(2) (2006 Repl.); and
2. (b) He or she executes a voter registration application by signature or mark (unless prevented by disability) on a form approved by the Board or by the Election Assistance Commission attesting that he or she meets the requirements as a qualified elector.

500.2

For purposes of this title, a "qualified elector" is a person who:

1. (a) Is at least seventeen (17) years of age and will be eighteen (18) on or before the next general election;
2. (b) Is a citizen of the United States;
3. (c) Is not incarcerated for the conviction of a crime that is a felony in the District;
4. (d) Has maintained a residence in the District for at least thirty (30) days preceding the next election and does not claim voting residence or the right to vote in any state or territory; and
5. (e) Has not been adjudged legally incompetent to vote by a court of competent jurisdiction.

500.3

An applicant shall provide the following information on a voter registration application:

1. (a) Applicant's complete name;
2. (b) Applicant's current residence address, which address is the applicant's fixed residence address in the District;
3. (c) Applicant's date of birth;
4. (d) Applicant's original signature; and
5. (e) Applicant's driver's license number in the case of an applicant who has been issued a current and valid driver's license, or the last four (4) digits of the applicant's social security number. If an applicant for voter registration has not been issued a current and valid driver'

s license or a social security number, the Board shall assign the applicant a unique identifying number which shall serve to identify the applicant for voter registration purposes.

If an applicant for voter registration fails to provide the information required for registration, the Registrar of Voters (Registrar), or his or her designee, shall make reasonable attempts to notify the applicant of the failure. A reasonable attempt to notify the applicant may include a phone call, letter, or email, and the Registrar shall choose the most efficient method of communication based upon the contact information provided by the applicant.

500.4 A person who is otherwise a qualified elector may register on or after his or her sixteenth (16th) birthday, but he or she may not vote in any election until he or she is a qualified elector as provided in § 500.2.

500.5 Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, a voter registration application, or a notice of change of name, address, or party affiliation status, is considered to be received by the Board upon acknowledgement of receipt by the Board's date-stamp. Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, the date of receipt shall also be the effective date of registration or change of name, address, or party affiliation status.

500.6 An applicant designating a mailing address on a voter registration application for official communications shall submit a signed statement specifying that the registration address indicated on a voter registration application constitutes the voter's fixed residence in the District.

500.7 The information provided to the Board by the voter, such as that voter's fixed residence, shall be sufficiently precise to enable the Board to assign to the voter, the appropriate Ward, Precinct, and Advisory Neighborhood Commission Single-Member District.

500.8 Any applicant who provides on a voter registration application a registration address to which mail cannot be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service shall additionally provide to the Board a designated mailing address, to facilitate the administrative communication required by law.

500.9 Any applicant utilizing these procedures to fraudulently attempt to register shall be subject to the same criminal sanctions pursuant to D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.14 (a) (2006 Repl.).

500.10 An elector may vote in the primary election of a political party if he or she:

(a) Is a duly registered voter whose voter registration application

indicates an affiliation with the party holding the primary election;

and

(b) Has not changed his or her party affiliation status during the thirty (30) days preceding a primary election. A change in party affiliation status occurs when a voter:

(1) Changes his or her party registration from one political party to another;

(2) Changes his or her party registration from “No Party (Independent)” to a political party;

(3) Changes his or her party registration from a political party to “No Party (Independent).”

500.11 The Board’s official Voter Registration Application cannot be altered in any way for use by another individual or organization for the purpose of registering electors in the District of Columbia.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 43 D.C. Reg. 1078-80 (March 1, 1996); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 48 D.C. Reg. 11722 (December 28, 2001); as amended at 49 D.C. Reg. 2737 (March 22, 2002); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 56 D.C. Reg. 4738, 4739 (June 19, 2009); and as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 57 D.C. Reg. 3267 (April 16, 2010); as amended by Notice of Emergency and Proposed Rulemaking published at 7 DCR 7690 (August 20, 2010)[EXPIRED]; as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 57 DCR 11111(November 26, 2010).