The county board of voters registration sent us cards asking us to verify that we actually live where we’re registered.
I think that is a fine and noble cause.
However, the mechanism sucks big hot donkey wong.
They expect me to sign and send back via postal mail a business reply card that has my address, voter registration number, and telephone number on it? With no envelope?
Not going to happen in this day and age of identity theft. (Oh, I suppose I could simply fold the card over and staple it, but I don’t know if it would be delivered if I did.)
Oh, and get this. Direct quote from the instructions:
If you do not return the postcard, then your voter registration at the address identified on the return postcard will be placed on “inactive status”.
“Inactive status” means you will still be allowed to vote if:
- You go to the polls to vote (or cast an absentee ballot) during 2004, 2005, or 2006; OR
- You confirm with the county voter registration office that you still live at the address listed on your voter registration and you are otherwise still qualified to vote.
If you do not vote in 2004, 2005, or 2006, or confirm your address on your voter registration, then your voter registration at the address identified on the attached return card will be cancelled after the November 2006 election.
In other words, there is no penalty for not sending this card in as long as I vote at least once between now and November 2006.
But again, I’m really upset about the privacy issue. I wonder how many identities will be stolen as a result of this?