CHAPTER 16.1-02CENTRAL VOTER FILE16.1-02-01.Permanent central voter file.A permanent, centralized electronicdatabase of voters, to be known as the central voter file, is established with the offices of the secretary of state and county auditors linked together by a centralized statewide system. The county auditor is chief custodian of the central voter file records in each county. The secretary of state shall maintain the central voter file.The central voter file must be accessible by thesecretary of state and all county auditors for purposes of preventing and determining voter fraud, making changes and updates, and generating information, including pollbooks, reports, inquiries, forms, and voter lists.16.1-02-02. Costs of creating and maintaining a central voter file. The creation ofthe central voter file and its maintenance through June 30, 2011, must be paid for with funds from the state's election fund, provided the election fund contains adequate funding to create and maintain the central voter file. The creation of the central voter file and its maintenance through June 30, 2011, may not be paid for from funds in the secretary of state's budget, the state's general fund, or from county funds. Beginning July 1, 2011, the offices required to perform the functions and duties of this chapter shall bear the costs incurred in performing those duties and the secretary of state shall pay the costs of operating and maintaining the central voter file. As used in this section, costs of maintaining the central voter file mean costs of annual software licenses, hosting costs for the software in the state data center, costs of necessary enhancements to the software, and the costs for implementing the duties and responsibilities of the secretary of state's office relating to the central voter file.16.1-02-03. Secretary of state to establish the central voter file with department oftransportation and county auditors.1.Not later than the primary election in 2008, the secretary of state shall establish the central voter file in cooperation with the department of transportation and county auditors.2.The secretary of state shall establish the initial central voter file from records maintained by the department of transportation. Each county auditor shall compare the initial central voter file against all precinct pollbooks used in the auditor's county during and created from the general elections in the two previous election years and any reasonably reliable updates made by the county auditor since the general elections in the two previous election years. Any individual contained in the initial central voter file who voted at either of the general elections in the two previous election years must be designated as "active" in the initial central voter file. Any individual contained in the initial central voter file who did not vote at either of the general elections in the two previous election years must be designated as "inactive" in the initial central voter file.3.Each individual contained in the initial central voter file must be assigned a unique identifier. An individual's unique identifier must be created from unique information and data obtained from records maintained by the department of transportation and the pollbooks from the general elections in the two previous election years. If it is not possible to assign a unique identifier to an individual contained in the initial central voter file, a unique identifier must be randomly generated and assigned to the individual.4.The secretary of state shall adopt rules for generating and assigning a unique identifier to each individual contained in the central voter file according to section 16.1-02-11 and subsection 3 of section 16.1-01-01.5.When establishing the initial central voter file from the records maintained by the department of transportation and the pollbooks from the general elections in the twoPage No. 1previous election years, the secretary of state and county auditors shall attempt to correct address errors and misspellings of names.16.1-02-04. Precinct boundaries changed - Change to the central voter file. Whenthe boundaries of a precinct are changed, the county auditor shall immediately update the voter records for that precinct in the central voter file to accurately reflect those changes.16.1-02-05. Entry of new voters into the central voter file - Query of the centralvoter file for double voting - Challenges - Postelection verification.1.Within forty-five days following an election, the county auditor shall enter the name and required information of each individual who voted at the last election who is not already contained in the central voter file and update any required information requested and obtained at the last election for any individual contained in the central voter file.2.The secretary of state, with the assistance of the county auditors, within eighty-five days following an election, shall query the central voter file to determine if any individual voted more than once during the preceding election. The secretary of state shall immediately notify the county auditor and state's attorney in each affected county for further investigation.3.Upon return of any nonforwardable mail from an election official, the county auditor shall ascertain the name and address of that individual. If the individual is no longer at the address recorded in the central voter file, the county auditor shall transfer the voter to the correct precinct in the central voter file or notify the county of the voter's new residence so the voter record can be transferred to the correct county. If a notice mailed at least sixty days after the return of the first nonforwardable mail is also returned by the postal service, the county auditor shall designate the individual as "inactive" in the central voter file.4.Within forty-five days after an election, the county auditor shall send a notice to each individual who was challenged on election day according to section 16.1-05-06. If a notice is returned as not deliverable, the county auditor shall attempt to determine the reason for the return.A county auditor who does not receive or obtainsatisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote shall notify immediately the state's attorney to conduct an investigation of the individual's eligibility to vote in that election.16.1-02-06. Reporting deceased individuals and changes of names - Changes torecords in the central voter file.1.The state health officer shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older who has died while maintaining residence in this state since the last report. Within thirty days after receiving a report, the secretary of state shall designate each individual included in the report as "deceased" in the central voter file.The secretary of state shall prepare anddistribute a list of individuals designated as "deceased" to each county auditor.2.The state health officer shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older whose name was changed by marriage since the last report. The secretary of state shall prepare and distribute a list of those individuals to each county auditor.3.After receiving notice of death of an individual who has died outside the county, the county auditor shall designate that individual as "deceased" in the central voter file.Page No. 2Notice must be in the form of a printed obituary or a written statement signed by an individual having knowledge of the death of the individual.16.1-02-07. Reporting changes of names - Changes to records in the central voterfile. The state court administrator shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older whose name was changed by divorce or any order or decree of the court since the last report. The secretary of state shall prepare and distribute a list of those individuals to each county auditor.Any individual who has obtained a protection order under section14-07.1-03 or who is protected by a disorderly conduct restraining order under section 12.1-31.2-01 must be listed in the central voter file with a "secured active" designation.A"secured active" designation means a record maintained as an active voter for pollbook purposes, but otherwise is an exempt record. The state court administrator or the bureau of criminal investigation shall make available upon request of the secretary of state the name of each individual who has obtained such an order.16.1-02-08. Reporting incarcerations - Changes to records in the central voter file.Repealed by S.L. 2005, ch. 181,
CHAPTER 16.1-02CENTRAL VOTER FILE16.1-02-01.Permanent central voter file.A permanent, centralized electronicdatabase of voters, to be known as the central voter file, is established with the offices of the secretary of state and county auditors linked together by a centralized statewide system. The county auditor is chief custodian of the central voter file records in each county. The secretary of state shall maintain the central voter file.The central voter file must be accessible by thesecretary of state and all county auditors for purposes of preventing and determining voter fraud, making changes and updates, and generating information, including pollbooks, reports, inquiries, forms, and voter lists.16.1-02-02. Costs of creating and maintaining a central voter file. The creation ofthe central voter file and its maintenance through June 30, 2011, must be paid for with funds from the state's election fund, provided the election fund contains adequate funding to create and maintain the central voter file. The creation of the central voter file and its maintenance through June 30, 2011, may not be paid for from funds in the secretary of state's budget, the state's general fund, or from county funds. Beginning July 1, 2011, the offices required to perform the functions and duties of this chapter shall bear the costs incurred in performing those duties and the secretary of state shall pay the costs of operating and maintaining the central voter file. As used in this section, costs of maintaining the central voter file mean costs of annual software licenses, hosting costs for the software in the state data center, costs of necessary enhancements to the software, and the costs for implementing the duties and responsibilities of the secretary of state's office relating to the central voter file.16.1-02-03. Secretary of state to establish the central voter file with department oftransportation and county auditors.1.Not later than the primary election in 2008, the secretary of state shall establish the central voter file in cooperation with the department of transportation and county auditors.2.The secretary of state shall establish the initial central voter file from records maintained by the department of transportation. Each county auditor shall compare the initial central voter file against all precinct pollbooks used in the auditor's county during and created from the general elections in the two previous election years and any reasonably reliable updates made by the county auditor since the general elections in the two previous election years. Any individual contained in the initial central voter file who voted at either of the general elections in the two previous election years must be designated as "active" in the initial central voter file. Any individual contained in the initial central voter file who did not vote at either of the general elections in the two previous election years must be designated as "inactive" in the initial central voter file.3.Each individual contained in the initial central voter file must be assigned a unique identifier. An individual's unique identifier must be created from unique information and data obtained from records maintained by the department of transportation and the pollbooks from the general elections in the two previous election years. If it is not possible to assign a unique identifier to an individual contained in the initial central voter file, a unique identifier must be randomly generated and assigned to the individual.4.The secretary of state shall adopt rules for generating and assigning a unique identifier to each individual contained in the central voter file according to section 16.1-02-11 and subsection 3 of section 16.1-01-01.5.When establishing the initial central voter file from the records maintained by the department of transportation and the pollbooks from the general elections in the twoPage No. 1previous election years, the secretary of state and county auditors shall attempt to correct address errors and misspellings of names.16.1-02-04. Precinct boundaries changed - Change to the central voter file. Whenthe boundaries of a precinct are changed, the county auditor shall immediately update the voter records for that precinct in the central voter file to accurately reflect those changes.16.1-02-05. Entry of new voters into the central voter file - Query of the centralvoter file for double voting - Challenges - Postelection verification.1.Within forty-five days following an election, the county auditor shall enter the name and required information of each individual who voted at the last election who is not already contained in the central voter file and update any required information requested and obtained at the last election for any individual contained in the central voter file.2.The secretary of state, with the assistance of the county auditors, within eighty-five days following an election, shall query the central voter file to determine if any individual voted more than once during the preceding election. The secretary of state shall immediately notify the county auditor and state's attorney in each affected county for further investigation.3.Upon return of any nonforwardable mail from an election official, the county auditor shall ascertain the name and address of that individual. If the individual is no longer at the address recorded in the central voter file, the county auditor shall transfer the voter to the correct precinct in the central voter file or notify the county of the voter's new residence so the voter record can be transferred to the correct county. If a notice mailed at least sixty days after the return of the first nonforwardable mail is also returned by the postal service, the county auditor shall designate the individual as "inactive" in the central voter file.4.Within forty-five days after an election, the county auditor shall send a notice to each individual who was challenged on election day according to section 16.1-05-06. If a notice is returned as not deliverable, the county auditor shall attempt to determine the reason for the return.A county auditor who does not receive or obtainsatisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote shall notify immediately the state's attorney to conduct an investigation of the individual's eligibility to vote in that election.16.1-02-06. Reporting deceased individuals and changes of names - Changes torecords in the central voter file.1.The state health officer shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older who has died while maintaining residence in this state since the last report. Within thirty days after receiving a report, the secretary of state shall designate each individual included in the report as "deceased" in the central voter file.The secretary of state shall prepare anddistribute a list of individuals designated as "deceased" to each county auditor.2.The state health officer shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older whose name was changed by marriage since the last report. The secretary of state shall prepare and distribute a list of those individuals to each county auditor.3.After receiving notice of death of an individual who has died outside the county, the county auditor shall designate that individual as "deceased" in the central voter file.Page No. 2Notice must be in the form of a printed obituary or a written statement signed by an individual having knowledge of the death of the individual.16.1-02-07. Reporting changes of names - Changes to records in the central voterfile. The state court administrator shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older whose name was changed by divorce or any order or decree of the court since the last report. The secretary of state shall prepare and distribute a list of those individuals to each county auditor.Any individual who has obtained a protection order under section14-07.1-03 or who is protected by a disorderly conduct restraining order under section 12.1-31.2-01 must be listed in the central voter file with a "secured active" designation.A"secured active" designation means a record maintained as an active voter for pollbook purposes, but otherwise is an exempt record. The state court administrator or the bureau of criminal investigation shall make available upon request of the secretary of state the name of each individual who has obtained such an order.16.1-02-08. Reporting incarcerations - Changes to records in the central voter file.Repealed by S.L. 2005, ch. 181,
CHAPTER 16.1-02CENTRAL VOTER FILE16.1-02-01.Permanent central voter file.A permanent, centralized electronicdatabase of voters, to be known as the central voter file, is established with the offices of the secretary of state and county auditors linked together by a centralized statewide system. The county auditor is chief custodian of the central voter file records in each county. The secretary of state shall maintain the central voter file.The central voter file must be accessible by thesecretary of state and all county auditors for purposes of preventing and determining voter fraud, making changes and updates, and generating information, including pollbooks, reports, inquiries, forms, and voter lists.16.1-02-02. Costs of creating and maintaining a central voter file. The creation ofthe central voter file and its maintenance through June 30, 2011, must be paid for with funds from the state's election fund, provided the election fund contains adequate funding to create and maintain the central voter file. The creation of the central voter file and its maintenance through June 30, 2011, may not be paid for from funds in the secretary of state's budget, the state's general fund, or from county funds. Beginning July 1, 2011, the offices required to perform the functions and duties of this chapter shall bear the costs incurred in performing those duties and the secretary of state shall pay the costs of operating and maintaining the central voter file. As used in this section, costs of maintaining the central voter file mean costs of annual software licenses, hosting costs for the software in the state data center, costs of necessary enhancements to the software, and the costs for implementing the duties and responsibilities of the secretary of state's office relating to the central voter file.16.1-02-03. Secretary of state to establish the central voter file with department oftransportation and county auditors.1.Not later than the primary election in 2008, the secretary of state shall establish the central voter file in cooperation with the department of transportation and county auditors.2.The secretary of state shall establish the initial central voter file from records maintained by the department of transportation. Each county auditor shall compare the initial central voter file against all precinct pollbooks used in the auditor's county during and created from the general elections in the two previous election years and any reasonably reliable updates made by the county auditor since the general elections in the two previous election years. Any individual contained in the initial central voter file who voted at either of the general elections in the two previous election years must be designated as "active" in the initial central voter file. Any individual contained in the initial central voter file who did not vote at either of the general elections in the two previous election years must be designated as "inactive" in the initial central voter file.3.Each individual contained in the initial central voter file must be assigned a unique identifier. An individual's unique identifier must be created from unique information and data obtained from records maintained by the department of transportation and the pollbooks from the general elections in the two previous election years. If it is not possible to assign a unique identifier to an individual contained in the initial central voter file, a unique identifier must be randomly generated and assigned to the individual.4.The secretary of state shall adopt rules for generating and assigning a unique identifier to each individual contained in the central voter file according to section 16.1-02-11 and subsection 3 of section 16.1-01-01.5.When establishing the initial central voter file from the records maintained by the department of transportation and the pollbooks from the general elections in the twoPage No. 1previous election years, the secretary of state and county auditors shall attempt to correct address errors and misspellings of names.16.1-02-04. Precinct boundaries changed - Change to the central voter file. Whenthe boundaries of a precinct are changed, the county auditor shall immediately update the voter records for that precinct in the central voter file to accurately reflect those changes.16.1-02-05. Entry of new voters into the central voter file - Query of the centralvoter file for double voting - Challenges - Postelection verification.1.Within forty-five days following an election, the county auditor shall enter the name and required information of each individual who voted at the last election who is not already contained in the central voter file and update any required information requested and obtained at the last election for any individual contained in the central voter file.2.The secretary of state, with the assistance of the county auditors, within eighty-five days following an election, shall query the central voter file to determine if any individual voted more than once during the preceding election. The secretary of state shall immediately notify the county auditor and state's attorney in each affected county for further investigation.3.Upon return of any nonforwardable mail from an election official, the county auditor shall ascertain the name and address of that individual. If the individual is no longer at the address recorded in the central voter file, the county auditor shall transfer the voter to the correct precinct in the central voter file or notify the county of the voter's new residence so the voter record can be transferred to the correct county. If a notice mailed at least sixty days after the return of the first nonforwardable mail is also returned by the postal service, the county auditor shall designate the individual as "inactive" in the central voter file.4.Within forty-five days after an election, the county auditor shall send a notice to each individual who was challenged on election day according to section 16.1-05-06. If a notice is returned as not deliverable, the county auditor shall attempt to determine the reason for the return.A county auditor who does not receive or obtainsatisfactory proof of an individual's eligibility to vote shall notify immediately the state's attorney to conduct an investigation of the individual's eligibility to vote in that election.16.1-02-06. Reporting deceased individuals and changes of names - Changes torecords in the central voter file.1.The state health officer shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older who has died while maintaining residence in this state since the last report. Within thirty days after receiving a report, the secretary of state shall designate each individual included in the report as "deceased" in the central voter file.The secretary of state shall prepare anddistribute a list of individuals designated as "deceased" to each county auditor.2.The state health officer shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older whose name was changed by marriage since the last report. The secretary of state shall prepare and distribute a list of those individuals to each county auditor.3.After receiving notice of death of an individual who has died outside the county, the county auditor shall designate that individual as "deceased" in the central voter file.Page No. 2Notice must be in the form of a printed obituary or a written statement signed by an individual having knowledge of the death of the individual.16.1-02-07. Reporting changes of names - Changes to records in the central voterfile. The state court administrator shall provide for the regular reporting to the secretary of state the name, address, date of birth, and county of residence, if available, of each individual eighteen years of age or older whose name was changed by divorce or any order or decree of the court since the last report. The secretary of state shall prepare and distribute a list of those individuals to each county auditor.Any individual who has obtained a protection order under section14-07.1-03 or who is protected by a disorderly conduct restraining order under section 12.1-31.2-01 must be listed in the central voter file with a "secured active" designation.A"secured active" designation means a record maintained as an active voter for pollbook purposes, but otherwise is an exempt record. The state court administrator or the bureau of criminal investigation shall make available upon request of the secretary of state the name of each individual who has obtained such an order.16.1-02-08. Reporting incarcerations - Changes to records in the central voter file.Repealed by S.L. 2005, ch. 181,