§ 1402 — District registers

(a) Registration card file.--

(1) Except as provided in subsection (b) and in section 1401(e) (relating to general register), the original registration cards shall be filed by election districts in exact alphabetical order by last name of the registrant and shall be indexed.

(2) The cards constitute the district register.

(3) The commission shall provide binders, which are capable of being locked, for filing and indexing the registration cards. The keys to the binders shall at all times be retained by the commission.

(4) The district register shall be kept at the office of the commission except as provided in subsection (b) and shall be open to public inspection, subject to reasonable safeguards and regulations.

(b) Computer lists.--

(1) Before a commission is connected to the SURE system, instead of using registration cards as the district register as provided in subsection (a), a commission may use a computer list or computer-generated cards containing the registered electors arranged by election district, alphabetically by last name of the registrant. The computer list or computer-generated cards must be in a form prescribed by the secretary and must contain necessary information that would otherwise be available on the registration cards, including a legible digitized signature of the registrant copied from the signature on the registration card. The district election officials shall have computer printouts at the polling places containing the necessary information needed to verify the identity of the elector. The digitized signature list shall be open to public inspection, subject to reasonable safeguards, rules and regulations.

(2) After a commission is connected to the SURE system, each commission shall create from its general register a computer list to be used as the district register. For each election district, the list shall contain the names of the registered electors of the election district, alphabetically by last name of each registered elector. Each page of the list shall contain the name of the county, the election district, the date of the election and the date and time the list was prepared. The computer list shall be in a form prescribed by the secretary and must contain necessary information that would otherwise be available in the general register, including a legible digitized or electronic signature, the street address and political party of each registered elector, and suitable space for insertion of the signature of the registered elector and for insertion by the proper election official of the number and letter of the stub of the ballot issued to the registered elector or the registered elector's number in the order of admission to the voting systems and the initials of the election official who enters the record of voting in the district register and whether the elector needs assistance to vote and, if so, the nature of the disability. The district register shall be kept at the office of the commission and shall be open to public inspection, subject to reasonable safeguards, rules and regulations.

(3) Before connection to the SURE system, a commission may, during systems conversion periods or emergency conditions, provide for a district register containing the original registration cards. The following apply:

(i) The original registration cards shall be filed by election district in one of the following orders as determined by the commission:

(A) Exact alphabetical order by last name of registrant.

(B) Order in which registrants' residences appear upon the streets of the election district, in exact alphabetical order by last name of registrant for each residence.

(ii) The district register containing registration cards shall be kept at the office of the commission and shall be open for public inspection, subject to reasonable safeguards and regulations and to the provisions of this part.

(c) Accuracy.--It is the duty of the commission to compare and correct the general register and district registers to ensure their accuracy. By noon of the third day preceding an election, the commission shall correct the district register for each election district consistent with the information contained in the general register.

(d) Delivery.--The commission shall deliver, in the manner required by law for delivery of election materials, the district register to the election officers for use on election day.

(e) Form.--District registers shall be enclosed within a case or container and shall be locked and sealed by the commission before delivery. The district register shall have printed or written thereon the words "District Register of Electors" and the district and ward, if any.

(f) Examination.--Immediately following each election, the commission shall cause each district register to be examined. The commission specifically shall compare the signature of each elector on each voter's certificate with his signature in the district register and shall report in writing to the district attorney any evidence or indication of probable fraud, impersonation or forgery which may appear to the commission by reason of the comparison. In the case of any elector whom the election officers shall have recorded as removed, deceased or challenged and prevented from voting, the commission shall ascertain the facts and shall correct the general and district registers in accordance with Chapter 15 (relating to changes in records).

Legislative History

Cross References.Section 1402 is referred to in section 1102 of this title.