Q A number of registered voters have requested that we accept changes in voter status sent via e-mail, rather than the signed documents we currently require. Is it legal to use these e-mails in lieu of signed documents?

A There is no statutory requirement of a signature on a voter’s request for a voting status change. If an e-mail from a voter requests to have his or her name removed from the voter rolls, it is sufficient for the election commission to purge the name upon verification that the e-mail is from the voter in question. If an e-mail is sent as notification that a voter has moved out of the county or moved within the county, the election commission may consider it a written request in accordance with Sections 23-15-153 and 23-15-13, as well as the National Voter Registration Act, also subject to verification. Verification may be made by telephone or a face-to-face conversation with the voter or other reliable method. (Attorney General’s Opinion to Hartfield, April 26, 2019)