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Home > Data Conversion Communications and Documents > Instruction for Using the CVR Interim Data Entry Tool

Instructions for Using the CVR Interim Data Entry Tool

Overview

This tool is being provided as a means of entering, reviewing, updating and maintaining voter records for your municipality.   This will be the first step of converting your current voter registration records for use in the Central Voter Registration System (CVR).   Please read through these instructions carefully before attempting to use the tool.

Starting with the first voter on your voting list, and using the most recent information for each voter (from your voter list and/or your voter registration application file), you will enter the data for each voter in the applicable field in the data entry tool.

The State will only be converting the information requested in the tool into the CVR application (also called ElectioNet™).   Although you may have additional voter information on file, if there is not a field for the information in the data entry tool, the State will not be putting it into ElectioNet™ during this conversion effort.

The following are general instructions for use of the tool, as well as specific instructions for entering data into each field.   Should you have any questions about how to perform a certain task using the tool, or if you are uncertain of the correct way to enter particular data, please contact Paul LeMont at Paul.Lemont@maine.gov or (207) 626-8492.

Logging In

  1. To reach the tool, go on-line on the Web, and enter the following address into the address row on your computer screen: http://209.101.151.88/MEDE/default.asp.
  2. To log into the tool, enter the same username and password provided for the street library review.   Please note that the username and password are case sensitive.
  3. Look in the upper left corner of the tool and select the menu option: Enter New Voter Registration.   This will bring up a blank voter registration data entry form.

General Information about the CVR Interim Data Entry Tool

  • Before starting data entry, please be sure you have completed maintaining your Street Address Library.
  • If your Street Address Library is complete, you may wish to print a copy to use as a reference while data entering records.   If you notice that a voter record contains a residence address that is not shown on your Street Address Library, you would need to go to the Main Menu, then Address Library Administration, to add or update the street information before entering that voter.
  • It is critical that you change from one frame of the tool to another using only the links and buttons in the program.   Donot use the web browser’s Back or Forward buttons.
  • To move through the form, you may use the tab key, or left mouse click in the field where you wish to enter data.  
  • All dates in the data entry tool use the format mm/dd/yyyy, where mm is the 2-digit month, dd is the 2-digit day, and yyyy is the 4-digit year.
  • Required fields are marked with asterisks (*).   Other fields need only be completed if applicable for a certain voter.   If there is missing or illegible information, and time allows, contact the voter and/or have the voter complete a new registration card.
  • The tool will accept data using either upper case or lower case, but because of the way it stores voter records, it will display the information in upper case letters only.
  • If you must leave the Enter New Voter Registration section of the tool, make sure you complete and save the current record you are entering. The tool will not save the current record if you do not click “Save and Review”.   If the current record has not been completed or required fields are left blank, you will not be able to save the record.

Specific Instructions for Entering Data into Each Field

Registration date: This should be the actual date the person first registered to vote, if indicated in your voter registration system or on the voter’s initial registration application.   If the voter’s first application does not have a date of registration, but does have a date of enrollment in a party, use that date for the date of registration.   If there is no date of registration or enrollment on the voter’s initial application, use the oldest date of registration or enrollment you can determine from the voter’s record or from a copy of the earliest Incoming Voting List or other voter list that you can find, which contains that voter’s name (e.g. 11/2/04 – the date of the Incoming Voting List for the November 2004 General Election).   If you have no way to determine this date, enter the default date of 01/01/1850.  

Voter Name:  At a minimum, each voter’s record must have a last name and a first name.   Alternatively, a voter may use a last name and a first initial with a middle name, or a last name and a first name with a middle name or middle initial.   If you have a voter whose record does not conform to these name requirements, you should attempt to contact the voter and get a clarification and/or have the voter complete a new voter registration card.

  • Last Name: You may use letters, hyphen (-), and apostrophe (’) to enter a voter’s family name.
  • First Name: Only letters or spaces can be entered.
  • Middle Name: Only letters or spaces can be entered.
  • Suffix: This drop down box provides you with the only allowable suffixes, which are Jr., Sr., II, III, IV and V.   If a voter included a professional suffix with his/her name, such as CPA, M.D., DMD, Esq., PhD, you may not enter it into the data entry tool, as it is not permitted by law.   (Prefixes, such as Dr., Mrs., Rev., etc., are likewise not allowed and may not be entered in the data entry tool.)

DOB: Because the legal voting age is 18 years old, the tool will not accept any date that would make a person less than 18.   If the DOB is missing, try to obtain it from the voter.   Otherwise, enter the default DOB 01/01/1800 .   For 17 year olds who have pre-registered, and who will be 18 years old by the November election, do not enter them into this interim data entry tool.   Instead, you should hold these cards aside and enter them into ElectioNet™ after your municipality “goes live” on the CVR system.

Party Enrollment: This section records if a voter has enrolled in one of the three Maine-recognized political parties: Democratic, Green Independent, and Republican.   Any other party enrollments are not allowed and the voter’s enrollment must be designated as a U for Unenrolled, as should all voters who indicate no party affiliation.

Party Enrollment Date: This section records the latest date the voter enrolled in one of the qualified parties.   This date may be the same date or may be a later date than the date of registration.   However, the tool does not allow party enrollment dates before the voter registration date.   If you selected “Unenrolled” in the Party Enrollment field, you should skip the Party Enrollment Date field.

ResidenceAddress:

  • Township Voter checkbox: Some townships do not hold their own elections, so their voters are allowed to register and vote in neighboring (host) municipalities.   Selecting this checkbox indicates that the voter is from a neighboring township but is registered to vote in your municipality.   When the checkbox is selected, the dropdown box to its right will display a list of townships to choose the voter’s township of actual residence.   Once this is done, you may select the voter’s street in the Street Search Name field.   Note:  If you do not select a Township, you will not find the voter’s street in the Street Address Library (because you will be searching in the host municipality’s Street Address Library, rather in the Township’s Street Address Library).   However, in the event the voter’s street is not found in the correct Township’s Street Address Library, you must contact Paul LeMont to add the street.
  • Rural Address Flag: This checkbox should be used when a rural road or street has no street number information.   Streets marked as Rural in the Street Address Library will not be displayed while searching the Street Address Library for standard streets; likewise, when the voter record is marked with the Rural Address checkbox, only streets marked as rural will display in the Street Search Name field.
  • Voter with Non-Traditional Residence Flag: This checkbox must only be used for a voter with a non-traditional residence address, such as a person who is homeless or who has another non-traditional residence, such as a boat or a recreational vehicle that is moored or parked in the jurisdiction.  When this checkbox is selected, the user must select the “Non Traditional NTS” street from the Street Search Name field, and must include a physical description of the location of the voter in the Address Line 2 field.
  • Street Search Name:   A streetcan contain letters or numbers (e.g.: the ordinal 1st is a valid street name as well as the word First).   Street names are selected by typing a portion of the street name in the Street Search Name field, then clicking the Search button.   This will find all of the streets in your Street Address Library that start with the letters or numbers that you searched.   Select the correct street from this list and it will fill in the Street Name field for you.   Note:   When searching a street with a pre-directional (i.e. E Main St), you will need to search under the letter for the pre-directional, rather than the first letter of the street name.
    • As a reminder, if the correct street name is not found on a street search, you should select the “Add/Edit Street Name” link, which will bring you to the Street Address Library where you can add or update the street information.   After you have completed the street update, click the “Close” button in the upper-left corner of the Street Address Library window.   This will bring you back into the voter record, where you may now search and select the updated street
  • Number: Street number information from a street address is broken into three parts:
    • Street Number:   Enter the voter’s street number as listed on the voter registration application.   Note: If this street number is not a valid number for the selected street, the data entry tool will issue this error message upon saving “Verify: (#).”  If the street number is correct, you should select the “Add/Edit Street Name” link, which will bring you to the Street Address Library where you can add or update the street range and/or side information.
    • Suffix A:  If the voter’s address has any letters alongside the numbers before the street name, you would enter them in the Suffix A field.
    • Suffix B:  If the voter’s address contains the fractions ¼, ½, or ¾, you may select it in the Suffix B dropdown box.
  • Street Name:  Thisfield is filled in when you select the street from theStreet Search Name field, and cannot be edited.   If you’ve made an error, you can go back and do a new street search.
  • Apt/Unit: This section will allow letters, numbers, and special characters to enter information like “UNIT 2,” “APT 6,”, “# 7”, “LOT 5”, “FL 3” or “FIELD/ZONE B.”
  • Address Line 2:   This section is used for addresses that contain additional descriptive information (other than a Street Name or Unit/Apt information).   This is often a rural route box number or other descriptive information, such as the name of a building complex or dormitory.
    •   Example of Correct Street Information: 221B Baker Street, Apt. 12, Rosewood Apartments, would be entered as follows:
       

    Street Number: 221
    Suffix A: B
    Suffix B: (leave blank)
    Street Name: BAKER ST (as selected through the street search)
    Apt/Unit: APT 12
    Address Line 2: Rosewood Apartments

     

  • Municipality and State:   These fields are filled in for you, based on the Municipality’s records that you are maintaining.
  • Zip Code: This field can contain only numbers and it is broken into two parts: The standard 5-digit zip code for the municipality is required; if it is known, the “plus-4” zip code can be entered in the second half of the Zip Code.
  • Telephone Number:   This entry can only contain numbers.   It contains the area code, prefix, and last 4 digits of the voter’s telephone number.   If you enter a phone number, it must have all 10 digits listed.  

Mailing Address:   If a voter’s mailing address is different from the residence address, enter the applicable information in these fields.

Previous Address and Previous Name:   If applicable, enter this information for the most recent previous address and/or name that exist in a voter’s record.

Voter Status: The voter status can be either Active or Inactive status.

UOCAVA: This applies to a voter who serves in the U.S. military (Uniformed Service Voter), or a voter who currently lives outside the U.S. but lived in your municipality before leaving the U.S (Overseas Voter).   In these cases, you should select “Uniformed Service Voter” or “Overseas Voter” respectively.

Saving the Record

At the bottom of the page, you must click “Save and Review” to save this voter’s information into the system. A new page will appear that will show the information you just entered. If the information is correct, simply click the “Next Voter” button and you will be sent into the data entry screen again, to enter the next voter on your list. If the information needs to be changed (misspelled name, incorrect date entered, etc), click the “Back to Voter” button. This will bring you back to the data entry screen with this voter’s data displayed in the fields as you typed it. The “Exit” button can be used to logoff the data entry screen.   To exit the program completely, click on the “X” in the upper right corner of the screen, which will close the Internet browser.

Final Step

When you have completely entered all of your voter records into the tool, you will need to notify the CVR Data Conversion Team that your data is ready to be sent to the ElectioNet™ application. After you login, from the Main Menu, select the Ready Status Administration link in the upper-left corner of the page. Read the instructions carefully. By checking the "Ready to Upload" box and clicking the “Update Status” button, you will be indicating that you have entered and/or reviewed voter records and street file information and made any corrections, additions or deletions required. Once this update status has been completed, the State may take your data at any time to load into the CVR. When that happens, you will be able to view the data but will not be able to make any further edits, changes, or additions until you are using the new CVR.

After you select the checkbox and logoff the data entry tool, please call Paul LeMont at 207-626-8492 or email him at Paul.Lemont@maine.gov to let him know that your voter data is ready to send to the CVR application ElectioNet™.

Thank you for completing this important step for CVR data conversion!