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Government agencies - 25 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 1325

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     § 1325.  Government agencies.
        (a)  General rule.--The secretary shall administer a system
     whereby all offices in this Commonwealth that provide public
     assistance, each county clerk of orphans' court, including each
     marriage license bureau, all offices in this Commonwealth that
     provide State-funded programs primarily engaged in providing
     services to persons with disabilities and all armed forces
     recruitment centers do all of the following:
            (1)  Distribute voter registration applications with each
        application; reapplication; and application for
        recertification, renewal or change of address.
            (2)  Assist applicants with completion of the
        registration application unless assistance is refused.
            (3)  Accept completed registration applications.
            (4)  Transmit completed applications to the appropriate
        commission.
        (b)  Forms.--An agency designated in subsection (a) shall
     provide a form for office visits or, if the agency provides
     services to persons with disabilities, for home visits which
     contains all of the following:
            (1)  The question "If you are not registered to vote
        where you live now, would you like to apply to register to
        vote today?"
            (2)  If the agency provides public assistance, the
        statement "Applying to register or declining to register to
        vote will not affect the amount of assistance that you will
        be provided by this agency."
            (3)  Boxes for the applicant to check to indicate whether
        the applicant would like to register or decline to register
        to vote. In close proximity to the boxes the following words
        shall appear in prominent type: "IF YOU DO NOT CHECK EITHER
        BOX, YOU WILL BE CONSIDERED TO HAVE DECIDED NOT TO REGISTER
        TO VOTE AT THIS TIME."
            (4)  The statement "In order to be qualified to register
        to vote, you must be at least 18 years of age on the day of
        the next election, you must have been a citizen of the United
        States for at least one month prior to the next election and
        have resided in Pennsylvania and the election district where
        you plan to vote for at least 30 days prior to the next
        election, and you must not have been confined in a penal
        institution for a conviction of a felony within the last five
        years."
            (5)  The statement "If you would like help in filling out
        the voter registration application form, we will help you.
        The decision whether to seek help is yours. You may fill out
        the form in private."
            (6)  The statement "If you believe that someone has
        interfered with your right to register or to decline to
        register to vote, your right to privacy in deciding whether
        to register or in applying to register to vote or your right
        to choose your own political party or other political
        preference, you may file a complaint with the Secretary of
        the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Department of State,
        Harrisburg, PA 17120." The secretary shall establish and
        publish a toll-free telephone number for the purpose of
        receiving complaints.
        (c)  Effect.--Failure to check either box under subsection
     (b)(3) shall be considered a declination to register to vote.
        (d)  Staff.--Agency employees assisting in the completion of
     voter registration applications shall conduct themselves in a
     manner consistent with the following principles:
            (1)  They shall not seek to influence an applicant's
        political preference or party registration or display
        political preference or party allegiance.
            (2)  They shall not make any statement to an applicant or
        take any action the purpose of or effect of which is to
        discourage the applicant from registering to vote.
            (3)  They shall not make any statement to an applicant or
        take any action the purpose of or effect of which is to lead
        the applicant to believe that a decision to register or not
        to register has any bearing on the availability of services
        or benefits.
     Agency employees who violate this subsection shall be removed
     from employment, provided that the agency at its discretion may
     impose a penalty of suspension without pay for at least 30 days,
     but not more than 120 days, if it finds that the violation does
     not warrant termination.
        (e)  Encouraging registration.--An agency designated in
     subsection (a) shall provide reasonable space for nonpartisan
     signs or posters encouraging voter registration. The signs and
     posters shall be provided by the secretary.
        (f)  Transmission.--An agency designated in subsection (a)
     shall forward all completed applications to the appropriate
     commission within ten days after the date of receipt. If a voter
     registration application is received within five days before the
     last day to register before an election, the application shall
     be transmitted to the appropriate commission not later than five
     days after the date of its receipt by the agency.
        (g)  Confidentiality.--The identity of the voter registration
     agency through which any particular voter is registered in
     accordance with this section shall not be disclosed to the
     public.
        (h)  Use of information.--No information relating to a
     declination to register to vote in connection with an
     application made at an office described in this section may be
     used for any purpose other than voter registration.
        (i)  Assistance.--Each agency shall provide to each applicant
     who chooses to register to vote the same degree of assistance
     with regard to the completion of the registration application
     form as is provided by the office with regard to the completion
     of its own forms unless the applicant refuses such assistance.
        (j)  Regulation.--The secretary shall promulgate regulations
     regarding the maintenance and destruction of forms used pursuant
     to this section.

        Cross References.  Section 1325 is referred to in sections
     1201, 1321, 1326, 1327, 1406, 1801 of this title.
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Last modified: November 27, 2007