Anybody else register using SS data and wondering if you're really registered?

According to this report, it may be illegal to use social security info for registration purposes. Both my mom and I used the last four digits of our SS numbers when registering in our new hometown (Ohio). When I saw the report (see link below), I called the BOE. They said they followed the instructions of the Secretary of State so there was no problem. I pointed out that the SOS's instructions appear to be possibly illegal. Well, yeah, they said. So I called the SOS to see what's what, but got an answering machine. I left a message, but no call back so far. The BOE folks said they are getting a LOT of calls about this.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081009/NEWS09/810090277

I wouldn't let it drop if I were you.

I had to register three times, the final time by driving to another city to the county's BOE headquarters, because the first two didn't work. Now to see this report today, my heart is sinking.

I'll be interested to learn how it works out for you and people in your situation. I'd be PO'd!

I thought it was a HAVA requirement since it seems like every state is doing it.

"And some of the states are improperly using Social Security data to verify registration applications for new voters, the newspaper reported."

maybe?? I really don't know. But I just poked around online a bit and using the last 4 digits is part of HAVA. I do hope you will keep on top of this because maybe someone is trying to start a disinformation campaign in reverse, to confuse unsuspecting election officials to reject even more voter registrations.

I talked to an AP guy. He told me the story was a truncated version of a NYT story. Here's the SS problem: BOE's verifying via federal SS sources first without first trying to verify via state info like driver's licenses where SS was reported, but I can see why they've done that (state searches can turn up false negatives):

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/09/us/politics/09voting.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Pertinent part:

Under federal law, election officials are supposed to use the Social Security database to check a registration application only as a last resort, if no record of the applicant is found on state databases, like those for driver’s licenses or identification cards.

The requirement exists because using the federal database is less reliable than the state lists, and is more likely to incorrectly flag applications as invalid. Many state officials seem to be using the Social Security lists first.

In the year ending Sept. 30, election officials in Nevada, for example, used the Social Security database more than 740,000 times to check voter files or registration applications and found more than 715,000 nonmatches, federal records show. Election officials in Georgia ran more than 1.9 million checks on voter files or voter registration applications and found more than 260,000 nonmatches.

Officials of the Social Security Administration, presented with those numbers, said they were far too high to be cases where names were not in state databases. They said the data seem to represent a violation of federal law and the contract the states signed with the agency to use the database.