§ 32-310. Voter registration; State Department of Education; Department of Health and Human Services; duties; confidentiality; persons involved in registration; status; delivery of applications; when; registration; when.

(1) The State Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services shall provide the opportunity to register to vote at the time of application, review, or change of address for the following programs, as applicable: (a) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; (b) the medicaid program; (c) the WIC program as defined in section 71-2225; (d) the aid to dependent children program; (e) the vocational rehabilitation program; and (f) any other public assistance program or program primarily for the purpose of providing services to persons with disabilities. If the application, review, or change of address is accomplished through an agent or contractor of the department, the agent or contractor shall provide the opportunity to register to vote. Any information on whether an applicant registers or declines to register and the agency at which he or she registers shall be confidential and shall only be used for voter registration purposes. (2) The department, agent, or contractor shall make the mail-in registration application described in section 32-320 available at the time of application, review, or change of address and shall provide assistance, if necessary, to the applicant in completing the application to register to vote. The department shall retain records indicating whether an applicant accepted or declined the opportunity to register to vote. (3) Department personnel, agents, and contractors involved in the voter registration process pursuant to this section shall not be considered deputy registrars or agents or employees of the election commissioner or county clerk. (4) The applicant may return the completed voter registration application to the department, agent, or contractor or may personally mail or deliver the application to the election commissioner or county clerk as provided in section 32-321. If the applicant returns the completed application to the department, agent, or contractor, the department, agent, or contractor shall deliver the application to the election commissioner or county clerk of the county in which the office of the department, agent, or contractor is located not later than ten days after receipt by the department, agent, or contractor, except that if the application is returned to the department, agent, or contractor within five days prior to the third Friday preceding any election, it shall be delivered not later than five days after the date it is returned. The election commissioner or county clerk shall, if necessary, forward the application to the election commissioner or county clerk of the county in which the applicant resides within such prescribed time limits. The application shall be completed and returned to the department, agency, or contractor by the close of business on the third Friday preceding any election to be registered to vote at such election. A registration application received after the deadline shall not be processed by the election commissioner or county clerk until after the election. (5) The departments shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to ensure compliance with this section. History: Laws 1994, LB 76, § 72; Laws 1996, LB 1044, § 93; Laws 1997, LB 764, § 33; Laws 2005, LB 566, § 9; Laws 2007, LB296, § 51; Laws 2009, LB288, § 1.