Section 17-4-210

Computerized statewide voter registration list; State Voter Registration Advisory Board.

(a) The State of Alabama shall provide, through the Secretary of State, a nondiscriminatory, single, uniform, official, centralized, interactive computerized statewide voter registration list defined, maintained, and administered by the Secretary of State, with advice from the Voter Registration Advisory Board and the President of the Alabama Probate Judges Association, which contains the name and registration information of every legally registered voter in the state. The computerized list shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) It shall serve as the single system for storing and managing the official list of registered voters throughout the state.

(2) It shall contain the name, address, and voting location, as well as other information deemed necessary by the Voter Registration Advisory Board or the Secretary of State, of every legally registered voter in the state.

(3) A unique identifier shall be assigned to each legally registered voter in the state.

(4) It shall contain the voting history of each registered voter.

(5) It shall be coordinated with the driver's license database of the Department of Public Safety and the appropriate state agency to assist in the removal of deceased voters.

(6) Any election official in the state, including any local election official, may obtain immediate electronic access to the information contained in the computerized list.

(7) All voter registration information obtained by any registrar in the state shall be electronically entered into the computerized list on an expedited basis at the time information is provided to the registrar.

(8) The Secretary of State shall provide such support as may be required so that registrars are able to enter voter registration information.

(9) It shall serve as the official voter registration list for the conduct of all elections.

(10) The Secretary of State shall furnish one copy of the computerized list free of charge to each political party that has satisfied the ballot access requirements for a statewide election within two weeks of the date of a written request for the list by the chair of the political party.

(11) The list shall be maintained so that it is technologically secure.

(b) As an oversight board for the system, there is created and established a State Voter Registration Advisory Board composed of nine members, to be appointed as follows:

Three members by the Governor. One of which shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and age diversity of the state.

Three members by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. One of which shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and age diversity of the state.

Three members by the State Auditor. One of which shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, and age diversity of the state.

Such appointments shall be made no later than September 30, 2003. Persons appointed to the Voter Registration Advisory Board shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and shall have knowledge of the workings of voter registration and election laws and shall receive no compensation for their services other than reimbursement for traveling and other expenses actually incurred in the performance of their official duties. The expenses shall be paid in the manner and amount as is provided for other state officers and employees and persons traveling on official business for state departments and agencies. The appointees shall meet within 30 days after their appointments to select one of their number as chairperson who shall serve for two years. Thereafter, the Voter Registration Advisory Board shall elect a new chairperson every four years. The Voter Registration Advisory Board shall meet regularly at least once during each quarter and at such special meetings as may be called, from time to time, by the chairperson.

(c) The Voter Registration Advisory Board shall have the following duties:

(1) To oversee the statewide voter registration list created in this chapter.

(2) To advise and consult with the Secretary of State concerning the statewide voter registration file maintenance system created in this chapter.

(3) To recommend to the Legislature and the Governor any needed improvements or legislation in regard to the statewide voter registration file.

(4) To make studies of conditions and problems pertaining to voter identification and registration in the state.

(5) To keep abreast of the latest developments in the field of voter identification and registration.

(6) To promote honesty, fairness, and integrity in lists of qualified voters, the voter registration process, and the election process in the State of Alabama.

(Acts 1989, No. 89-649, p. 1279, §1; Act 2003-313, p. 733, §2.)