Florida Senate - 2015 SB 228
By Senator Clemens
27-00134-15 2015228__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to online voter registration; creating
3 s. 97.0525, F.S.; requiring the Division of Elections
4 of the Department of State to develop an online voter
5 registration system; providing application and
6 security requirements for the system; requiring the
7 system to compare information submitted online with
8 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
9 records; providing for the disposition of voter
10 registration applications; authorizing the division to
11 establish procedures for certain applicants; requiring
12 system compliance with federal accessibility
13 provisions; providing for construction; providing an
14 effective date.
15
16 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
17
18 Section 1. Section 97.0525, Florida Statutes, is created to
19 read:
20 97.0525 Online voter registration.—
21 (1) Beginning January 1, 2016, an applicant may submit an
22 online voter registration application using the procedures set
23 forth in this section.
24 (2) The division shall establish a secure Internet website
25 to allow an applicant to:
26 (a) Submit a voter registration application, including an
27 initial voter registration application and an update to a voter
28 registration record.
29 (b) Submit information necessary to establish the
30 applicant’s eligibility to vote under s. 97.041, which must
31 include the information required for the uniform statewide voter
32 registration application pursuant to s. 97.052(2).
33 (c) Swear to the oath required pursuant to s. 97.051.
34 (3) The division shall establish appropriate technological
35 security measures, including use of a unique identifier for each
36 applicant, to prevent an unauthorized person from altering any
37 voter registration information.
38 (4) The online voter registration system shall compare the
39 applicant’s Florida driver license number or Florida
40 identification number submitted through the online voter
41 registration application with information maintained by the
42 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to confirm that
43 the name and date of birth on the application are consistent
44 with the records of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor
45 Vehicles.
46 (a) If the applicant’s name and date of birth are
47 consistent with the records of the Department of Highway Safety
48 and Motor Vehicles, the online voter registration system shall
49 transmit, using the statewide voter registration system
50 maintained pursuant to s. 98.035, the applicant’s submission,
51 along with the digital signature of the applicant on file with
52 the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, to the
53 supervisor of elections of the county in which the applicant
54 resides. The applicant’s digital signature shall satisfy the
55 signature requirement of s. 97.052(2)(q).
56 (b) If the applicant’s name and date of birth cannot be
57 verified by the records of the Department of Highway Safety and
58 Motor Vehicles but the applicant is otherwise eligible to vote,
59 the online voter registration system shall issue a unique
60 identification number and transmit the application to the
61 supervisor of elections of the county in which the voter
62 resides, for disposition pursuant to s. 97.073.
63 (c) The division may establish procedures for applicants
64 who do not have a Florida driver license or Florida
65 identification card.
66 (5) Upon submission of a completed online voter
67 registration application, the website shall generate an
68 immediate electronic confirmation that the supervisor of
69 elections has received the application and shall provide
70 instructions regarding the applicant’s ability to check the
71 status of the application thereafter.
72 (6) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the
73 supervisor of elections shall process the application pursuant
74 to s. 97.053.
75 (7) The website must comply with the requirements of s. 508
76 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans
77 with Disabilities Act to ensure equal access to voters with
78 disabilities. The division shall include accessibility experts
79 in the development of the online voter registration system and
80 website, and the system’s accessibility shall be verified by an
81 independent body with expertise on the matter.
82 (8) No legal distinction shall be made between online
83 registration under this section and registration in person, by
84 mail, or by other methods provided by general law.
85 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.