Voter registration; verification of social security numbers, provisional registration status. (SB331)

Introduced By

Sen. Mark Peake (R-Lynchburg)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Voter registration; verification of social security numbers; provisional registration status. Requires the general registrars to verify that the name, date of birth, and social security number provided by an applicant on the voter registration application match the information on file in the Social Security Administration database or other database approved by the State Board of Elections (State Board) before registering such applicant. If the information provided by the applicant does not match the information in such a database, the applicant (i) is provisionally registered to vote and notified as to what steps are needed to be fully registered to vote and (ii) is permitted to vote by provisional ballot, but such ballot shall not be counted until the voter presents certain information. The bill also requires the general registrars to verify annually no later than August 1 that the name, date of birth, and social security number in the registration record of each registered voter in the registrar's jurisdiction match the information on file with the Social Security Administration or other database approved by the State Board and, in accordance with § 24.2-429, to initiate the cancellation of the registration of any voter whose registration record information does not match the database information. The State Board is authorized to approve the use of any government database to the extent required to enable each general registrar to carry out the provisions of this measure and to promulgate rules for the use of such database. The Department of Elections is required to provide to the general registrars access to the Social Security Administration database and any other database approved by the State Board. The Department of Elections is further required to enter into any agreement with any federal or state agency to facilitate such access. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/08/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18100115D
01/08/2018Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/16/2018Reported from Privileges and Elections (8-Y 6-N) (see vote tally)
01/18/2018Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/19/2018Read second time and engrossed
01/22/2018Impact statement from DPB (SB331)
01/22/2018Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N) (see vote tally)
01/22/2018Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/22/2018Passed by for the day
01/23/2018Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 18-N) (see vote tally)
01/29/2018Placed on Calendar
01/29/2018Read first time
01/29/2018Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/08/2018Assigned P & E sub: Subcommittee #1
02/20/2018Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 2-N)
02/23/2018Reported from Privileges and Elections (12-Y 9-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2018Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/23/2018Assigned App. sub: General Government & Capital Outlay
02/26/2018Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (8-Y 0-N)
03/06/2018Left in Appropriations

Comments

Sue M writes:

I strongly oppose this bill because it would subject potentially tens of thousands of voters to cancellation of their registration with a bare minimum of due process. Each year, registrars would get a list of voters whose records at the Social Security Administration -- over which the voter has no control or input -- don't match their voter records on name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Any person whose registration doesn't match would be subject to having their registration canceled and would have to appear -- apparently in person -- at a hearing held by the registrar to defend their right to vote. This sounds like voter suppression to me, not election integrity.