(DES MOINES) – Secretary of State Matt Schultz announced today that his office is working with Iowa's 99 counties on the annual statewide process for voter list maintenance. This process increases the accuracy of the voter registration lists by verifying or updating a voter's address information and status.

Each county can choose one of two methods for this maintenance. 41 counties have chosen to conduct a countywide mailing. These counties are mailing a confirmation notice to each registered voter in their county. 58 counties have chosen to participate in the national change of address program. These counties are identifying registered voters of the county who have moved within the county or moved outside the county.

Each notice sent by county auditors is by forwardable mail and includes a postage prepaid preaddressed return form. Voters may use the return card to verify their current registration address or provide a corrected registration address to their county auditor. Voters are encouraged to return this card if they have moved from the address printed so that their voter registration information can be appropriately updated.

The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 provides various constraints on the ability to actually remove voters from the lists.

County auditors will be updating their voter registration information based on the response from the voters, and Iowa's list of active voters will be more accurate as we approach the 2012 election season.