Looking at the national voter registration form, I noticed that the
requirement for providing a drivers license ID number or SSN, or
similar, is more burdensome in some states than other states. However,
I wonder if the wording on the instructions for those states provide
people with the right instructions or expectations.

Specifically, in most of the states I glanced at, if you don't have
the ID numbers required you just write "NONE" in that box, and the
elections officials assign you a number. In some other states, you are
not told what to do, but just that you will be assinged such a
number...so presumably you just leave it blank and are assigned one
later. In still other states, it's not clear what you should do or
what happens if you leave it blank (e.g., SD and WI just tell you to
provide the numbers and assume you have them).

Nevada is particularly odd in that  it sounds like you would have to
make a call or visit to the county clerk, and perhaps do this before
completing and sending in the application (although it's not clear if
you are to contact them later and can send the form in now...it
implies that you do have to contact the clerk's office before
finishing the application). Here's the text:  "You must supply a
Nevada’s Driver’s License Number or Nevada ID Card Number if you have
been issued one. If you do not have a Driver’s License Number or
Nevada ID Card Number, you must supply the last four digits of your
Social Security Number. If you do not have a Social Security Number,
please contact your County Clerk/Registrar of Voters to be assigned a
unique identifier."  Very odd in my opinion.

Here's the link to the national form (the form says it was last
updated in 2006; I don't know if that's the latest, but it is what is
there): http://www.eac.gov/voter_resources/register_to_vote.aspx

BTW, I know there are lots of screwed up SSN out there (a friend on
the Hill tells me that there's a huge file of such numbers at the Soc
Sec Admin), but why would an adult not have a SSN? Perhaps they are
changing numbers, never used it and forgot it, or were recently
naturalized?

-Doug

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