(a) Periodically, at times of the director's choosing, but no less frequently than in January of each calendar year, the director shall examine the master register maintained under AS 15.07.120 and shall send, by nonforwardable mail to the voter's registration mailing address, a notice requesting address confirmation or correction to each voter

(1) whose mail from the division has been returned to the division in the two years immediately preceding the examination of the register;

(2) who has not contacted the division in the two years immediately preceding the examination of the register; or

(3) who has not voted or appeared to vote in the two general elections immediately preceding the examination of the register.

(b) If a registered voter has not, within the preceding four calendar years, contacted the division and has neither voted nor appeared to vote in a local, regional school board, primary, special, or general election during the last four calendar years and a notice sent to the voter under (a) of this section was returned as undeliverable, the voter shall be advised by a notice sent by forwardable mail to the voter's last known address that registration will be inactivated unless the voter responds to the notice no later than 45 days after the date of the notice sent under this section. The director shall maintain on the master register the name of a voter whose registration is inactivated. The director shall cancel a voter's inactive registration in accordance with the procedures set out in 42 U.S.C. 1973gg-6 (sec. 8, National Voter Registration Act of 1993) after the second general election that occurs after the registration becomes inactive if the voter does not contact the division or vote or appear to vote.

(c) The director shall obtain from the bureau of vital statistics a certified list of all residents over 18 years of age who have died or who have been presumptively declared dead. Promptly after receipt of each list, but, in any event, at least once each month, the director shall cancel the registration of all deceased voters.

(d) The notice sent under (b) of this section must include a postage prepaid and pre-addressed return card on which the voter may state the voter's current address. The notice must indicate

(1) that the voter should return the card not later than 45 days after the date of the notice if the voter did not change residence;

(2) that failure to return the card by the 45-day deadline could result in removal of the voter's name from the official registration list for a subsequent election;

(3) that the voter's registration will be cancelled if the voter does not contact the division during, or vote or appear to vote in an election held during, the period beginning on the date of the notice and ending on the day after the last day of the fourth calendar year that occurs after the date of notice; and

(4) how the voter can continue to be eligible to vote if the voter has changed residence.

(e) For purposes of (b) and (d) of this section, a voter “appears to vote” if

(1) the voter is present at a polling place or at an absentee voting station at a time when the polling place or absentee voting station is operating, for the purpose of casting a vote;

(2) the voter applies to the division to obtain an absentee ballot; or

(3) in an election conducted by mail under AS 15.20.800, a voter who has not received a ballot by mail makes a timely request to the division for a ballot.

(f) For the purpose of this section, a voter “contacts” the division if the voter notifies the division of a change of address, responds to a notice sent under this section, signs a petition for a ballot measure, requests a new voter registration card, or otherwise communicates with the division other than to vote or register to vote.