From the office of Julie Pearson, Pennington County Auditor 2010 Election Calendar: Primary – June 8, 2010 General – November 2, 2010 I want to take this opportunity to thank you for volunteering to assist in registering voters in South Dakota. Our state traditionally has a high percentage of our citizens registered to vote and your efforts will help to further improve that statistic and, more importantly, make it even easier for our citizens to register to vote. Things you should know when doing a voter registration drive: 1. Be sure that the voter is indeed eligible to register to vote. The qualifications are listed in the instructions on the registration form and in the oath which is signed by the voter. 2. Make sure that the registration form is fully completed. It is very important to have a complete residence address for the auditor’s office to place the voter in the correct voting precinct. A South Dakota driver’s license number and date of birth is required information. 3. If the person completing the registration form is currently registered to vote, they must complete the cancellation portion of the form also. 4. All private entities or individuals registering voters must provide the voter their contact information. 5. All private entities or individuals registering voters shall file the completed registration form with the county auditor within ten days or by the voter registration deadline, whichever occurs first. A violation of this is a Class 2 misdemeanor. 6. The deadline for registration forms to be returned to the county auditor in order for the person registering to be able to vote in the next election is 15 days prior to that election. The auditor’s office closes at 5:00 p.m. It is imperative that every registration form which you are responsible for returning is received by the county auditor by that deadline. If a form is not returned by the deadline the voter will be disenfranchised for that election and you, as the person responsible for returning the completed form, may be held legally responsible. The National Voter Registration Act provides penalties for obstructing the registration process. For you information, this is reprinted below. 7. State law prohibits certain payments for registering voters. Voter Registration Forms and Absentee Application Forms are available at the Auditor’s Office or you may download from our web site at www.vote.pennco.com Voter Registration Deadline for the June 8, 2010 Primary Election is: May 24, 2010 Voter Registration Deadline for the November 2, 2010 General Election is: October 18, 2010 Return completed forms to our office: Pennington County Auditor’s Office 315 Saint Joseph Street, Ste 107 Rapid City SD 57701 You should also know: State law prohibits certain payments and receipt of payments for registering and assisting voters: No person may employ, reward, or compensate any person to register voters based on the number of voters registered. Nothing in this section prohibits any person from hiring a person paid on an hourly or salaried basis to register voters. Any violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. No person may receive any wages, reward, or compensation for registering voters based on the number of voters registered. Nothing in this section prohibits any person from being employed on an hourly or salaried basis to register voters. Any violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. No person may employ, reward, or compensate any person to assist voters based on the number of voters assisted. Nothing in this section prohibits any person from being employed on an hourly or salaried basis to assist voters. Any violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. No person may receive any wages, reward, or compensation for assisting voters based on the number of voters assisted. Nothing in this section prohibits any person from being employed on an hourly or salaried basis to assist voters. Any violation of this section is a Class 2 misdemeanor. National Voter Registration Act Sec. 12 Criminal Penalties A person, including an election official, who in any election for Federal office -- 1. knowingly and willfully intimidates, threatens, or coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any person for -- A. registering to vote, or voting, or attempting to register to vote; B. urging or aiding any person to register to vote, to vote, or to attempt to register or vote; or C. exercising any right under this Act; or 2. knowingly and willfully deprives, defrauds, or attempts to deprive or defraud the residents of a State of a fair and impartially conducted election process, by – A. the procurement or submission of voter registration applications that are known by the person to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent under the laws of the Sate in which the election is held; or B. the procurement, casting, or tabulation of ballots that are known by the person to be materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent under the laws of the State in which the election is held, shall be fined in accordance with title 18, United Sates Code (which fines shall be paid into the general fund of the Treasury, miscellaneous receipts ((pursuant to section 3302 of title 31, United State Code)), notwithstanding any other law), or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. 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