Agenda - 10-18-94 - VIII-D - Laserfiche WebLink

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t 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Action Agenda Item No V AU ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: October 18, 1994 SUBJECT: Voter Registration Grant Proposal DEPARTMENT: Elections PUBLIC HEARING YES NO x ATTACHMENT(S) : INFORMATION CONTACT Grant Application Bobbie Strickland, ext 2350 TELEPHONE NUMBER Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Mebane 227-2031 Durham 688-7331 PURPOSE: To approve a grant proposal to help implement the National Voter Registration Act. BACKGROUND: During its 1994 Session, the North Carolina General Assembly appropriated $1 million to assist counties with implementation of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which takes effect on January 1, 1995. Staff have prepared, and the Board of Elections has approved, a grant proposal for $22,800 that would create a local area network in the Elections office to increase the efficiency with which voter registations are processed and assist the Elections staff in preparing and producing the State mandated reports associated with the new legislation. No matching County funds are required for this grant. The grant proposal has already been submitted to the State Board of Elections in order to meet an October 10 submission deadline. The grant program provides that 25% of grant funds will be disbursed to agencies, other than the Board of Elections, which are required under the new law to assist with voter registration, although the Board of Commissioners can waive this requirement. In Orange County, these agencies include the Social Services and Health Departments, which are not submitting separate applications for funding. However, the County' s grant proposal envisions connections between the proposed Elections computer network and the existing Master Client Index human service computer network so that voter registration information can be managed effectively and accessed by DSS and Health as well as by Elections. Board action on this item would confirm the County' s desire to apply for State funds for the Elections local area network and authorize staff to proceed with implementation if the grant proposal is approved by the State Board of Elections. Grant awards will be made by the end of October. RECOMMENDATION: The Manager recommends that the Board approve the grant if it is awarded by the State, and authorize the Chair to execute any grant documents required to receive the funds.