To The Reader’s Forum:

While voting is still fresh in everyone’s mind, we do want to take the opportunity to continue the discussion of “inactive” voters in Chautauqua County.

A critic of the voting process sent an e-mail to the Dunkirk Observer following last week’s election complaining that many inactive voters were not in the poll books and that, “This was NOT an isolated incident.” He was and is correct, there are currently more than 8,000 inactive voters in Chautauqua County. (There are 76,973 active county voters and over 54,000 cast ballots on Election Day or by way of absentee ballot.)

Voters are moved from active to inactive voting status for any number of reasons relating to a change of address. Anytime a voter notifies the Post-Office or Department of Motor Vehicles that they have moved or are temporarily away, the Board of Elections (BOE) is simultaneously notified. If the move is within Chautauqua County, the BOE transfers the voting records to the new residence location and also lets the voter know that their voter registration has moved too!

The notification of the voter’s new address also triggers a multi-part card mailed to the voter that allows the voter to confirm the registration move or to let the BOE know that the he or she did not actually move and to leave the registration in place at the old address. Further, if any mail is returned to the Board of Elections without a forward notification; that voter is also placed in inactive status.

Obviously this is all part of a system to protect elections from possible voting by citizens who no longer live in the county.

When an inactive voter arrives at the poll site on Election Day and finds that they are not in the poll book, they are provided the opportunity to vote by what is called a provisional affidavit ballot. After the election, these inactive voter ballots are researched by election staff and the votes are added to the final totals. The affidavit is a legally binding oath that the voter still does live where they say they live, are registered to vote and this should be counted.

Following the election, every affidavit voter is notified by the BOE if their vote was counted or not. Finally, any inactive voter who does not present themselves at the poll site and misses two federal elections is purged from the voting system.

Voters who receive an annual mail check card from the Board of Elections each August can be assured that they remain an active voter. If a voter has moved either temporarily in the case of a snow bird or permanently within Chautauqua County should always check in with the Board of Elections before each election by calling 753-4580 or looking up their personal voting status at www.votechautauqua.com.

Brian C. Abram and Norman P. Green,

Chautauqua County election commissioners