comments_imageCOMMENTS: 5

October Surprise: Goverment Computers To Go Offline During Voter Registration Peak

The Social Security Administration, whose databases verify new voter registrations, will be shut down in mid-October for three days for maintenance.
September 25, 2008  |  
 
 
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A recent alert by the Social Security Administration announces that the agency plans to shut down its databases for maintenance from October 11 through October 13. While this might not sound like an election issue, it turns out that this could significantly impede registration of first-time voters as well as the re-registration of eligible citizens.

Here's why. A 2002 federal law, the Help America Vote Act, requires all states to "coordinate" their voter registration databases with the Social Security database (and state motor vehicle databases) for the purpose of processing new voter registration forms. For the millions of voters who do not have current driver's licenses and register using the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, state election officials are required to try to match their voter registration information against Social Security records. But if the Social Security database is down—as it will be for four days—they won't be able to do that. Across the country, the processing of these voter registration forms will grind to a halt for four days.

Normally, a delay of three days would not have a major impact. But this delay is scheduled to take place three weeks before the November 4 election—a time when election officials in every state will be scampering to try to process the millions of new voter registrations they receive. With only 25 days to process millions of new voter registrations, while doing dozens of other things to prepare for what is shaping up to be the highest turnout election in decades, a loss of three days can spell disaster.

Even without this delay, there are already significant concerns that our overworked and under-resourced election officials will not be able to process all the new voter registrations this year in time for the election. Voter registration numbers are skyrocketing. Election officials are already feeling the strain, and it will only get worse. In every election, there is a huge spike in voter registrations in the period right before the voter registration deadline. Florida, for example, typically receives between 13 and 20% of its new voter registrations in the week before the deadline. In short, this shutdown is planned for the worst possible time, a time when every minute counts.

If the shutdown goes as planned, it will seriously impair the ability of states to process new voter registrations before the November 4 election. Who would this impact? New voters, as well as people who re-register because they have moved, who do not have state-issued driver's licenses or non-driver's IDs. Those citizens are disproportionately older, African-American, and low-income, studies show.

Fortunately, the solution to this potential disaster is easy: postpone the shutdown until after the election. And next time, look at the calendar before deciding when to turn off a database relied on by millions.

(Editor's note: On Tuesday, September 23rd, Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and chairwoman of the Senate committee overseeing elections, wrote to the Social Security Administration, asking the agency to defer its database maintenance until after the November election.)
Wendy Weiser directs the Brennan Center’s work on voting rights and elections. During the run-up to the 2004 and 2006 elections, she masterminded litigation and advocacy efforts that kept hundreds of thousands of voters from being disenfranchised.
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Comments are closed-

Any bets?
Posted by: Lilah on Sep 25, 2008 5:34 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Any one want to bet that a certain percent of numbers will be flagged as "unavailable" or some such when the database gets turned back on -- and that the majority (totality?) of those numbers will be people living in heavily democratic districts, or be 18-24 year olds?

Maybe it is routine maintenance that was scheduled without thought to the elections.

Or maybe it's an attempt to slow down or screw up new registrations.

Considering the record of dirty tricks from the GOP, I'm not willing to bet it's an innocent circumstance.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

And......
Posted by: rg on Sep 25, 2008 6:44 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
our allies on the left (is that an oxymoron?) will walk around, wringing their hands, yet do nothing.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

OldLadyUSA
Posted by: OldLadyUSA on Sep 26, 2008 5:22 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
NOW IS THE TIME - rather than assume the Left will do nothing, other than grumble about the GOP....

Write each member of your Congressional Team and ask them to support Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) in her efforts to get the Social Security Administration to reschedule their dBase maintenance work. If they cannot reschedule then what plan do they have to process ALL requests regarding new and/or updated voter registrations.

Oh and by the way, the GOP has earned EVERY bit of tag "Evil". Their behavior shows it at every turn.

IF there is a God, 1.) we will get through this election with a result that the American People want and 2.) one of the current "Indi" party groups will REPLACE the Republican GOP organization - forever.

Write your letters - make your calls.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

Tell Everybody
Posted by: QQOblivion on Sep 26, 2008 8:58 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Tell everybody you know who is not registered to vote to get registered NOW before the shut-down.

Don't let this GOP dirty trick (one of MANY) succeed!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

IMPERIALISTIC ACTIONS MUST BE STOPPED
Posted by: sallyride on Sep 30, 2008 7:07 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
JUST SAY NO to something that is really important, folks.

Contact your elected (they are running for re-election - HA) that they must change this shut down, until well after the elections--and not before! Do they think we're stupid?

Frankly, our nation deserves a thinking, serious, competent, purposeful, ethical president. Check this out:

http://tinyurl.com/3popwc

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Alternet Comments:

Comments are closed-

Any bets?
Posted by: Lilah on Sep 25, 2008 5:34 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Any one want to bet that a certain percent of numbers will be flagged as "unavailable" or some such when the database gets turned back on -- and that the majority (totality?) of those numbers will be people living in heavily democratic districts, or be 18-24 year olds?

Maybe it is routine maintenance that was scheduled without thought to the elections.

Or maybe it's an attempt to slow down or screw up new registrations.

Considering the record of dirty tricks from the GOP, I'm not willing to bet it's an innocent circumstance.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

And......
Posted by: rg on Sep 25, 2008 6:44 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
our allies on the left (is that an oxymoron?) will walk around, wringing their hands, yet do nothing.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

OldLadyUSA
Posted by: OldLadyUSA on Sep 26, 2008 5:22 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
NOW IS THE TIME - rather than assume the Left will do nothing, other than grumble about the GOP....

Write each member of your Congressional Team and ask them to support Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA) in her efforts to get the Social Security Administration to reschedule their dBase maintenance work. If they cannot reschedule then what plan do they have to process ALL requests regarding new and/or updated voter registrations.

Oh and by the way, the GOP has earned EVERY bit of tag "Evil". Their behavior shows it at every turn.

IF there is a God, 1.) we will get through this election with a result that the American People want and 2.) one of the current "Indi" party groups will REPLACE the Republican GOP organization - forever.

Write your letters - make your calls.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

Tell Everybody
Posted by: QQOblivion on Sep 26, 2008 8:58 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Tell everybody you know who is not registered to vote to get registered NOW before the shut-down.

Don't let this GOP dirty trick (one of MANY) succeed!

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]


Comments are closed-

IMPERIALISTIC ACTIONS MUST BE STOPPED
Posted by: sallyride on Sep 30, 2008 7:07 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
JUST SAY NO to something that is really important, folks.

Contact your elected (they are running for re-election - HA) that they must change this shut down, until well after the elections--and not before! Do they think we're stupid?

Frankly, our nation deserves a thinking, serious, competent, purposeful, ethical president. Check this out:

http://tinyurl.com/3popwc

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

 
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