CERA Records Management and Public Records

Question 1

Under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), how long must a state retain voter registration records and related materials?

Accepted Answer

At least 22 months

Answer

At least 12 months

Answer

At least 36 months

Answer

At least 48 months

Question 2

Which federal law primarily governs public access to federal agency records but also influences state-level public records practices in election offices?

Accepted Answer

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Answer

Help America Vote Act (HAVA)

Answer

National Voter Registration Act (NVRA)

Answer

Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA)

Question 3

A records retention schedule in an election office primarily serves to:

Accepted Answer

Define how long specific record types must be kept before disposal

Answer

Limit public access to sensitive documents

Answer

Ensure all records are digitized within one year

Answer

Restrict staff access to voter data

Question 4

When an election office receives a public records request for a voter registration list, which type of information is most commonly exempt from disclosure?

Accepted Answer

Voter's Social Security number

Answer

Voter's name

Answer

Voter's registered party affiliation

Answer

Voter's voting history

Question 5

Which term describes the documented chain of custody showing how a record has been handled, transferred, and stored over time?

Accepted Answer

Chain of custody

Answer

Audit log

Answer

Provenance record

Answer

Disposition authority

Question 6

An election office wants to destroy paper voter registration forms that have exceeded the retention period. What must the office obtain before destroying these records?

Accepted Answer

A disposition authority or records destruction authorization

Answer

Approval from the Secretary of State only

Answer

A court order authorizing destruction

Answer

Written consent from affected voters

Question 7

Which type of records management system stores documents in their original digital format and allows for keyword searching and retrieval?

Accepted Answer

Electronic Document Management System (EDMS)

Answer

Microfilm archive

Answer

Physical filing cabinet index

Answer

Optical character recognition (OCR) only system