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National Change of Address (NCOA) Cards
Since the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (better known as "Motor
Voter") became effective in 1995, no one's registration is cancelled simply for
not voting. Instead, the cancellation process depends on whether or not you can
receive mail at your address.
In most years year the Secretary of State, as required under Motor Voter, mails notices to voters
who have moved as part of the
annual National Change of Address (NCOA) program. In 2012, because of
redistricting and
reprecincting, cards were mailed to all
voters.
If you reported a change
of address to the U.S. Postal Service in the last year, and the voter
registration address on file in our office does not match this address, we are
required by law to update your voting address and send you an NCOA notice.
Postage-paid reply cards are sent to your new address, as reported by the
U.S. Postal Service. This allows you to make any corrections and return
the card to our office. If these cards are returned as undeliverable, the
cancellation process can begin.
Notices are also sent each year to voters who
have shown no activity in four years.
Important Facts
- NCOA only updates voter registration addresses within Johnson County.
It does not register you to vote in another county or state.
- The NCOA procedure only updates your address. It will not
update any other information such as a name change, party affiliation, or
phone number.
You may indicate such changes on the reply card, even though no blanks are
provided.
- If you return your card with any corrections, you must sign
it. If you return a card with corrections but fail to sign it, we are
not allowed to make the corrections.
If the new address as reported by the U.S. Postal Service is within
Johnson County:
Your voter registration address will be updated to the address reported by
the U.S. Postal Service.
If the new address is correct and within Johnson County, no further action
on your part is required. You may sign and return the card if you
wish. You will also receive a new voter card within a few
weeks. If all the information is correct, again no action on your part
is needed.
If the postal address is incorrect and your correct address is within
Johnson County, write down your correct address, sign the card, and return it
to our office. Your voter registration record will be updated and you
will receive a new voter card.
If the postal address is incorrect and you have moved outside the county,
write down your correct address, sign the card, and return it to our
office. Your Johnson County voter registration will be cancelled.
This does not register you to vote in your new community. You
will need to contact your local voter registration office to register if you
have not yet done so.
If the new address as reported by the U.S. Postal Service is outside
Johnson County:
Your voter registration record will be placed on inactive
status. This is a preliminary step to cancellation of your record.
Records inactivated in the 2011 NCOA update will be cancelled
following the 2014 general election. Records that were inactive through the
2008 presidential election and 2010 general election were cancelled in
March 2011.
If your new address outside Johnson County is correct, you may sign and
return the postage-paid card. We can then cancel your
Johnson County voter registration right away. This does not register you to
vote in your new community. You will need to contact your local voter
registration office to register if you have not yet done so.
If your new address outside Johnson County is incorrect, and you have moved
outside Johnson County, write down your correct address, sign the card, and
return it to our office. Your Johnson County voter registration will be
cancelled. This does not register you to vote in your new
community. You will need to contact your local voter registration office
to register if you have not yet done so.
If your new address outside Johnson County is incorrect, and you have not
moved outside Johnson County, write down your correct address, sign the card,
and return it to our office. Your Johnson County voter registration record
will be returned to active status.
If the card is returned to our office as undeliverable:
Your voter registration record will be placed on inactive
status. This is a preliminary step to cancellation of your record.
Voters remain on the rolls with inactive status through two general
elections. If you come to the polls or an early voting site during that
time, you will be asked for ID and (if needed) to update your address. You
will then be returned to active status.
Records inactivated for returned mail in 2011 and 2012 will be cancelled
following the 2014 general election. Records that were inactive through the
2010 presidential election and 2011 general election were cancelled in
January 2013.
Post Office Boxes and Mail Drops
In order to register to vote, you must provide our office with a street
address. This allows us to assign you to the proper precinct.
Voters who receive their mail at a post office box, or a commercial mail drop
such as Mailboxes Etc., are asked to provide both a street address and a
mailing address. (The only exception is the Domestic Violence Shelter.)
Voters who are homeless must specify the location to which they most often
return.
If the new address as reported by the U.S. Postal Service is a post office
box or mail drop within Johnson County, this information will be added
to your existing voter registration record, and your physical address will not
be changed. If you have moved to a
different physical address, make any needed corrections and return the signed
card to our office. If you have not physically moved, and have simply chosen to
receive your mail at a mail box, no further action on your part is needed.
If the new address as reported by the U.S. Postal Service is a post office
box outside Johnson County, your voter registration record will be
placed on inactive status.
What if I get a card at my house for someone who no longer lives here?
You may indicate on the reply card that the person does not live at your
address, sign the card, and return it to our office. We can then place
the person on inactive status. However, we cannot completely cancel the
registration without the voter's own signature unless:
- we receive notice from another jurisdiction that the voter has
registered there;
- we receive notice that the voter has died or been convicted of a felony;
or
- the voter has been inactive through two general elections.
If the person is a family member or someone you know, you may wish to
contact the person and encourage them to contact our office.
Most Common Problems
- An address change by one family member may have been reported by the U.S.
Postal Service as a change for the whole family.
- Two people may have the same name and address. (John Doe Sr., John
Doe Jr.)
- People who maintain a winter residence outside Iowa and have reported a
long-term address change to the Postal Service often receive NCOA notices.
- Cards or other voter registration materials that are returned without
signatures cannot be processed.
These problems can be fixed by returning a corrected, signed card to our
office.
Please contact our office with any questions.
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