Brief(1)
H.B. 2231 would require voter registration applicants to provide, on their application form, the last four digits of their Social Security number. The bill also would permit county election officers to conduct mass or targeted mailings to registered voters to confirm voting eligibility.
Background
H.B. 2231 was introduced at the request of the Secretary of State's Office. A representative from the office testified that requiring individuals to provide a portion of their Social Security number would allow county election officers to better maintain registration lists by providing a third check of identity, along with name and date of birth. The additional check would allow greater certainty when identifying duplicate registrations or when names need to be removed when a person changes addresses. He stated that the Federal Election Commission recommended states use the last four digits of a person's Social Security number as a method to track voters who change addresses within a state or voters who move to another state. He said that a state can use a systematic voter registration list maintenance program to keep voters' addresses current through the U.S. Postal Service National Change of Address (NCOA) file, but county election officers have found NCOA to be inefficient, time consuming, and unnecessarily costly. Mass or targeted mailings would provide an alternative to the NCOA.
No opponents testified in opposition to the bill.
The Division of the Budget's fiscal note indicated that passage of H.B. 2231 would have no impact on state revenues or expenditures.
1. *Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at http://www.ink.org/public/legislative/bill_search.html.