U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that it is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to provide clarification on voter registration access at the agency’s administrative naturalization ceremonies.
The updated guidance:
Affirms that USCIS provides access to voter registration services at each administrative naturalization ceremony, including information regarding points-of-contact for voting and voter registration;
Provides that USCIS offices request that election officials from state or local government election offices attend ceremonies to distribute, collect, and review voter registration applications, and to officially register new citizens to vote;
Affirms that USCIS offices coordinate with non-partisan, non-governmental organizations for voter registration services when state and local government election officials are not available; and
Provides that, to the extent feasible, USCIS offices invite governmental or non-governmental organizations offering on-site voter registration services the opportunity to introduce themselves and address the naturalization candidates before the ceremony.
For consistency and efficiency, USCIS also created the Form N-401, Voter Registration Services Attestation, for non-governmental agencies to submit a one-time request per field office to participate in administrative naturalization ceremonies.
Note that this guidance is effective immediately. This guidance update demonstrates USCIS’ commitment to support Executive Order 14019, Promoting Access to Voting, by promoting and encouraging the exercise of the right to vote, removing any agency obstacles that may prevent new citizens from registering to vote at naturalization ceremonies, and expanding access to voter registration.
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