[jyl]

Under the Federal "Help America Vote Act" of 2002 (HAVA), all States must require some form of voter ID. It seems like some States are having trouble complying exactly with the requirements, because the necessary databases have not been created. But I would think that before too long, ID requirements will be generally enforced.

I think citizens should be required to show driver's licenses or state ID cards in order to vote. Really, how many American citizens over the age of 18 don't have a driver's license or state ID card and, for some good reason, are unable to get one? 100?

In general, I think all the voting procedures should be tightened up. For decades, elections have at best been sort of a sleepy backwater of local government, staffed by blue-haired old ladies and run by officials who weren't, shall we say, the sharpest tools in the shed. The technology was decrepit, the controls weak. I think local governments need to make their election organizations much more professional, and I think there should be serious consequences for failure. When an election gets botched - not enough ballots, voters improperly turned away, etc - heads should roll. The person who designed the butterfly ballot shouldn't have remained in her job. And election tampering of any sort should be treated as a serious crime. Shred a voter registration (or conspire to do so), go to jail for multiple years.

For more on HAVA
http://new.mynevadacounty.com/elections/index.cfm?ccs=761

What the Act Requires

The ID requirements apply to both polling places and voting by mail. The Act states that if an individual registers by mail and has not previously voted in an election for federal office in the jurisdiction, then (a) if the person votes in person, the voter must show photo ID or a document that indicates both the voter's name and residence address, (b) if the voter votes by mail, the voter must submit a copy of a photo ID or a document with both the voter's name and residence address. This provision goes into effect for the March 2, 2004 election. If the voter provides their driver's license number when they register to vote, and the number is able to be matched to a state record, then the voter will not be required to show ID when they vote.

Requirements Contingent Upon Implementation of Statewide Database

Under HAVA, voter registration applicants are required to either provide a valid driver's license number, or, for applicants who do not have a valid driver's license number, the last four digits of his/her Social Security number. These requirements are contingent upon the implementation of a statewide computerized database of voters which we anticipate being in place in 2006. With all voters in one database, with a unique identifier for each voter--driver's license number or last four digits of the Social Security number--elections officials will be able to identify any duplicate voters and determine any prior voting history at the voter's same address in a federal election. If prior voting history in a federal election is established, then the voter is exempt from the requirements to show identification when he/she votes.
Moreover, California currently does not have a statewide voter database that meets the requirements of HAVA.

What Election Officials Are Doing Today

Elections officials have been advised by the California Secretary of State's Office to maximize the collection of driver's license numbers at the point of registration in order to minimize the administrative problems and possible voter disenfranchisement issues with ID at the point of voting.

At this time, using a voter's driver's license number is preferred over the last four digits of a Social Security number because of the existing CalVoter system and the state's current voter registration card that utilizes the driver's license number if provided. Once the statewide voter database mandated by HAVA is implemented, then the plan is to have a mechanism for tracking and confirming the last four digits of a voter's Social Security number in addition to the driver's license number.

Therefore, voter registration cards completed without a driver's license number are being added to the voter file. These voters, however, are being sent a letter asking them to provide their driver's license number and are being reassured that this ID number is confidential. If a voter chooses not to provide his/her driver's license number, it will not affect the voter's registration status, but it will affect what he/she must do in order to cast a ballot. The next time these voters vote in a statewide election, they may have to vote a Provisional Ballot at the polls or provide ID at the polls or in their vote-by-mail ballot.

A Provisional Ballot is a ballot that is not counted on Election Night with the rest of the ballots. Instead, election officials research the voter's eligibility, residency requirements, and other issues before a decision is made whether the ballot may be legally counted.

What Happens in 2006?

If California has the statewide voter database as required by HAVA, then all new registrants will be required to provide either their driver's license number, if they have one, or the last four digits of their Social Security number on their voter's registration card.

If voters DO NOT HAVE either ID, HAVA instructs the elections official to assign a unique identifier. A system is not in place for doing this at this time, but the statewide voter database will be able to confirm ID numbers through DMV or Social Security, which will also be the mechanism to confirm a person's denial of such ID.

So, for Now

If a voter chooses at this time to withhold providing his/her driver's license number, or last four digits of their Social Security Number, it will not affect their voter registration status. It may, though, affect what that voter must do in order to cast their ballot at the next election.