1731 Voter Registration

1731 Voter Registration

The National Voter Registration Act of 1995 requires voter registration to be available in public assistance offices. The Act also requires that anyone applying for or receiving public assistance, including Medicaid, be offered the opportunity to register to vote at the time of initial application, each eligibility review, and each report of a change of address. Each individual must be informed of this registration service and offered the same level of assistance in completing the voter registration form or declining the registration activity as the agency provides in completing it’s own forms. The KC-1100, Medical Assistance application for Families with Children, and the KC-1500, Medical Assistance Application for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities, offers everyone the opportunity to register to vote or to decline to register. Completion of the voter registration question on the application is not a condition of eligibility for assistance. An answer of “Yes”, “No” or blank in the Voter Registration section has no bearing on case processing or eligibility. Those applying on-line are offered the opportunity to link to the Secretary of State’s voter registration site. All those who answer "yes" or leave the voter registration section blank are to be mailed a voter registration application. This means that even if an individual does not complete this section of the application, the agency must provide the individual with a voter registration application. Voter Registration forms can be returned to KanCare and will be sent to the corresponding Secretary of State’s Office within five (5) days of receipt.