213-a. Registration for voters and preparation of the voter register. 1. The board of commissioners of any improvement district in which commissioners are elected may provide by resolution that a proposition be submitted at any annual improvement district election providing that additional personal registration of voters not registered with the board of elections shall be permitted for all elections in such improvement district.
2. Registration for all improvement district elections shall be conducted as follows:
(a) Only those persons registered with the board of elections on or before the twenty-third day before such election and those persons whose names are placed on the improvement district register pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be entitled to vote in such district.
(b) In improvement districts in which there is additional personal registration, the board of commissioners shall publish a resolution at least twenty-seven days prior to election day, which shall designate the dates prior to registration day on which the inspectors of election shall meet to commence the preparation of the register; the place in each district where such meetings, registration, if any, and election shall be held; the hours for such meetings, registration, if any, and election; but in no event shall the hours for registration be less than the hours from six o'clock in the evening until nine o'clock in the evening. Such resolution shall be adopted at least thirty days prior to election day.
(c) In an improvement district whose electors have approved additional personal registration, such registration shall be held on the seventeenth day prior to the annual district election, except in those districts which provide by resolution adopted at least thirty-seven days prior to the date of the first election for which it shall be effective, for an additional day of registration to be held on the nineteenth day prior to the annual district election. Such resolution shall remain in effect for subsequent annual elections, unless amended, modified or repealed.
3. The register for the annual improvement district election shall be prepared in each district by the inspectors of election thereof on the days prior to registration day, if any, designated therefor, on the registration day, if any, at the times and places designated by the resolution of the board of commissioners. In preparing such register, the inspectors of election shall comply with the following procedure:
(a) They shall adopt, use or copy from, the registration list certified and supplied by the county board of elections the names appearing thereon of all persons residing in the improvement district and qualified to vote in such forthcoming annual district election. Such register shall be completed by adding thereto the names of the persons personally appearing before them and providing to their satisfaction to then be or at the time of election qualified to vote.
(b) The register for each district shall include as a minimum the space for the name of the voter, his address within the improvement district and a space for his or her signature to be signed by the voter on election day. Such register shall also contain a space for the signature of the voter to be signed by such voter on registration day. If the register shall contain only space for the name, address and signature of the voter, the improvement district secretary shall furnish a printed certificate to be signed by the voter who appears personally before the inspectors of election on registration day if his name does not already appear on the register. Such certificate shall contain a statement that the person possesses all the necessary qualifications for voting in improvement district elections. Such certificate shall be accepted for all purposes as the equivalent of an affidavit, and if it contains a material false statement, shall subject the person signing it to the same penalty as if he had been duly sworn, and such provision shall be printed in bold type directly above the signature line of the certificate holder.
4. The improvement district secretary shall furnish the inspectors of election, at district expense, with all necessary registration books, papers, equipment and supplies.
5. In lieu of the provisions for designating the election inspectors and ballot clerks, as set forth in section two hundred twelve of this chapter, in improvement districts where additional personal registration is permitted, the board of commissioners shall, by resolution adopted at least forty days prior to the annual district election, designate a resident improvement district elector to act as chairman of any election of said district and shall designate not less than two nor more than four resident district electors to act as election inspectors and ballot clerks in such election. Such resolution shall fix the compensation of the chairman and inspectors and, in addition, the board of commissioners may provide for alternate inspectors who shall assume the office of inspector upon the inability or refusal of an inspector to assume or perform his duties and for any clerical help which they may deem necessary. Such clerical help shall perform their duties under the direction and control of the chairman and inspectors of election.
Last modified: February 3, 2019