Bloodless Coup

Keep American From Voting Act of 2002

In the mail today I received a notice that my "voter registration will be marked as inactive and cancelled" if I don't send in an enclosed postcard with my name, address, phone, date of birth and driver's license number.

Identity theft anyone?

The card says:

PLEASE REPLY NOW! You have received this notice because our office has been unable to confirm the identification provided when your voter registration card was submitted. In order to complete and ensure accurate voter registration rolls, identification confirmation must be complete in accordance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002. If you do not complete and return this card your voter registration will be marked as inactive and cancelled in accordance with West Virginia Code 3-2-25.

Hmm, 3-2-25, which one would that be... oh! that's right! Systematic purging program for removal of ineligible voters.

Imagine my surprise to read that not only might I be considered ineligible, but that they have been "unable to confirm" my identification. First, because the code specifies checking those who have moved. Second, it says that those who haven't moved, but haven't voted, will also be checked.

Surprising because I always vote. I think I have missed one bond issue because I was at the beach on vacation three years ago, but otherwise I have voted every damn time I have had the opportunity. I live a half block from my precinct and even if I forgot there was an election that day, when I walk outside to let the dogs pee I can see the damn thing from my house and there are always the "no electioneering" signs in plain view, which reminds me. I also find it surprising because the local officials always ask to see picture ID (I know, I know). One time my record was flagged to have picture ID required (and I could not get an answer as to why) and one of the poll workers was one of my students who testified, "I know her! That's Dr. Binky!" but I still had to go back home and get my ID.

Not least, is that I am surprised that they have been "unable to confirm" my identification. No one has called, mailed, sent a telegram, a fax, or a smoke signal until this notification. It's also interesting because I have only ever had one address, one drivers license, and one phone number the entire time I have lived in this state. My car has been registered and renewed at the same address. I even buy frigging dog tags from the the city and county every year. No moves, no changes. Nadita. Nao, nao tem nada nao nunca nao!

Trying real hard to confirm, yes indeedy.

So, having become irate before getting to the end of the instruction paragraph, when I realized they want me to send all this personal information on a frigging postcard for all to see, otherwise I will be disallowed from voting, I started getting really indignant. And with my fancy graduate education in politics and my comfortable wireless-affording income and handy cordless phone, I decided I would call up the Secretary of State and ask just what the heck was going on.

The woman who answered the phone sighed loudly as soon as I said "got a notice about my voter registration." Her response? "They've really been on us about compliance with the Help America Vote Act of 2002, and we have to collect this information." It didn't sound like they really knew why it was being collected, just that it had to be done, and soon. And before I could get to the next question on the tip of my tongue, about did I really have to send in all my personal private information on a postcard, she said, "...and please, don't send that postcard in without putting it in an envelope. I don't know why they did that."

You and me both, lady. You and me both.

So now if I want to vote I have to pay to mail a first class envelope enclosing the post card with my drivers license number which will be used to confirm that I exist. I have the time, the money, and the capacity to do these things. Plus, you know, I drive, so I exist.

I couldn't get a good answer out of the phone flunkie, but I'm thinking about trying to go up the food chain to get a real answer about why my registration (and I don't know if Baltar or Armand - who have lived here fewer years than me - have received this notice) was selected for potential invalidation.

FYI, the HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT OF 2002, relevant section of text after the jump.

(2) Computerized list maintenance.--

(A) In general.--The appropriate State or local election official shall perform list maintenance with respect to the computerized list on a regular basis as follows:

(i) If an individual is to be removed from the computerized list, such individual shall be removed in accordance with the provisions of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq.), including subsections (a)(4), (c)(2), (d), and (e) of section 8 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-6).

(ii) For purposes of removing names of ineligible voters from the official list of eligible voters--

(I) under section 8(a)(3)(B) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-6(a)(3)(B)), the State shall coordinate the computerized list with State agency records on felony status; and

(II) by reason of the death of the registrant under section 8(a)(4)(A) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-6(a)(4)(A)), the State shall coordinate the computerized list with State agency records on death.

(iii) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subparagraph, if a State is described in section 4(b) of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg-2(b)), that State shall remove the names of ineligible voters from the computerized list in accordance with State law.

(B) Conduct.--The list maintenance performed under subparagraph (A) shall be conducted in a manner that ensures that--

(i) the name of each registered voter appears in the computerized list;

(ii) only voters who are not registered or who are not eligible to vote are removed from the computerized list; and

(iii) duplicate names are eliminated from the computerized list.

(3) Technological security of computerized list.--The appropriate State or local official shall provide adequate technological security measures to prevent the unauthorized access to the computerized list established under this section.

(4) Minimum standard for accuracy of state voter registration records.--The State election system shall include provisions to ensure that voter registration records in the State are accurate and are updated regularly, including the following:

(A) A system of file maintenance that makes a reasonable effort to remove registrants who are ineligible to vote from the official list of eligible voters. Under such system, consistent with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (42 U.S.C. 1973gg et seq.), registrants who have not responded to a notice and who have not voted in 2 consecutive general elections for Federal office shall be removed from the official list of eligible voters, except that no registrant may be removed solely by reason of a failure to vote.

(B) Safeguards to ensure that eligible voters are not removed in error from the official list of eligible voters.

(5) Verification of voter registration information.--

(A) Requiring provision of certain information by applicants.--

(i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (ii), notwithstanding any other provision of law, an application for voter registration for an election for Federal office may not be accepted or processed by a State unless the application includes--

(I) in the case of an applicant who has been issued a current and valid driver's license, the applicant's driver's license number; or

(II) in the case of any other applicant (other than an applicant to whom clause (ii) applies), the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number.

Posted by binky at September 27, 2007 12:09 PM | TrackBack | Posted to Hacktastic! | Politics | West Virginia