Annual Canvass
Each year, in the spring, the Registrars’ office updates its list of registered voters in order to keep the lists accurate, complete, and up to date.
1. National Change Of Address (NCOA) - Move out of Norwalk.
A company affiliated with the U. S. Postal Service sends us a list of every voter who has changed his address to a new out-of-town address. We send each such voter a form asking them to verify their new address and to cancel their registration in Norwalk if they no longer live here.
2. National Change of Address (NCOA) – Move within Norwalk.
We also get a list of every voter who has changed his address to a new Norwalk address. We send each such voter a different form which, when returned to us, allows the voter to change his voter registration address to his new residence address.
3. Long Time No Vote.
Each year we search our voter lists for persons who have not voted in many years. Each such voter is sent a letter to determine if they still live in Norwalk. Many do not. In this way we catch up with voters who have moved, but whom the NCOA process missed.
4. Registered in another State.
We also run a computer comparison between our voter lists and those from surrounding states. This allows us to identify voters who may no longer live in Norwalk, as well as ones who have moved to Norwalk from other states. We use this to assist the other states in keeping their voter lists current.
5. Possible Change of Status Based on the Canvass
The post office returns many of these forms to the Registrars’ office marked to indicate that the letter was not-deliverable. Many others are not filled-out or returned to us by the voter. Generally, these voters are given inactive status, which means that they can still vote in Norwalk if they appear at the polls, but they must fill out a reactivation form.
Voters who fill out the form and return it to us indicating that they still live in Norwalk remain as active voters on our lists. Voters who indicate that they have moved out of Norwalk, or out of state, have their Norwalk registration canceled.
Voters with inactive status, remain inactive for five years, and, if they have not been re-activated during that period, their registration is canceled. Certain overseas voters, and voters in military service, may retain special active voter status until they cancel their registrations.
1. National Change Of Address (NCOA) - Move out of Norwalk.
A company affiliated with the U. S. Postal Service sends us a list of every voter who has changed his address to a new out-of-town address. We send each such voter a form asking them to verify their new address and to cancel their registration in Norwalk if they no longer live here.
2. National Change of Address (NCOA) – Move within Norwalk.
We also get a list of every voter who has changed his address to a new Norwalk address. We send each such voter a different form which, when returned to us, allows the voter to change his voter registration address to his new residence address.
3. Long Time No Vote.
Each year we search our voter lists for persons who have not voted in many years. Each such voter is sent a letter to determine if they still live in Norwalk. Many do not. In this way we catch up with voters who have moved, but whom the NCOA process missed.
4. Registered in another State.
We also run a computer comparison between our voter lists and those from surrounding states. This allows us to identify voters who may no longer live in Norwalk, as well as ones who have moved to Norwalk from other states. We use this to assist the other states in keeping their voter lists current.
5. Possible Change of Status Based on the Canvass
The post office returns many of these forms to the Registrars’ office marked to indicate that the letter was not-deliverable. Many others are not filled-out or returned to us by the voter. Generally, these voters are given inactive status, which means that they can still vote in Norwalk if they appear at the polls, but they must fill out a reactivation form.
Voters who fill out the form and return it to us indicating that they still live in Norwalk remain as active voters on our lists. Voters who indicate that they have moved out of Norwalk, or out of state, have their Norwalk registration canceled.
Voters with inactive status, remain inactive for five years, and, if they have not been re-activated during that period, their registration is canceled. Certain overseas voters, and voters in military service, may retain special active voter status until they cancel their registrations.