Florida Department of State
Kurt S. Browning
Secretary of State
For Immediate Release
September 23, 2008
Florida's Secretary of State on Voter Registration
The Truth About Voter Verification
By Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning
There have been many misstatements and confusion over the recent implementation of the Voter Verification law otherwise
known as the “No-Match-No Vote” law. The Division of Elections’ mission along with local supervisors of elections is to
register voters and make sure that they can cast a ballot on Election Day that will be counted. And just to clarify,
this law will not affect the status of the 10.7 million already registered voters. The law will apply to all NEW
applications received on or after September 8, 2008.
The Voter Verification law regarding new voter registration applications became effective January 2006. It was in effect
until December 2007 when a court first ordered the Department to stop the almost 2-year old process. That ruling was
overturned on appeal. The law was re-implemented September 8, 2008. The law is being implemented now because the court
order denying the injunction became final in July. The implementation was delayed by pending litigation until June 2008,
waiting for U.S. Department of Justice preclearance in July 2008, time needed to reprogram the system to automatically
notice voters and set up revised procedures, and the time needed to prepare Supervisors who were otherwise engaged in
administering the 2008 Primary Election.
Unlike what activists are saying, obvious errors, including nicknames or typos will be resolved and that applicant will
be registered to vote. Every voter registration applicant must provide (if issued) a Florida driver’s license number,
state identification card number or the last 4 digits of the social security number. The identification number is
automatically cross-checked against the Florida driver’s license database (DHSMV) or the Social Security Administration
database. If that number does not match, the Bureau of Voter Registration Services manually reviews for identifiable
typographical errors or a difference between a nickname and formal name based on available records and the actual voter
registration application.
If the number still cannot be matched, the applicant is notified to provide a photocopy of their identification by mail,
by fax, or by e-mail; or the applicant may show their identification in person. If proof is provided before the
election, the applicant becomes registered and the person is able to vote a regular ballot. If proof is not provided
before the election, the person may vote a provisional ballot. The person may provide proof up until 5 p.m. of the 2nd
day after the election for the ballot to be counted. Keep in mind, this is just for new applications since September 8,
2008.
This law does not keep any person with an unverified number from being able to vote. This law is about verifying
identity at the time of registration, so that when the voter goes to the polls the voter can vote a regular ballot, not
a provisional ballot. A voter can show a driver’s license, a Florida identification card from DSHMV, a passport, a debit
or credit card, military identification, student identification, retirement center identification, neighborhood
association identification and public assistance identification on Election Day.
This law does not target specific groups. The U.S. Department of Justice reviewed the law in 2005, and after revisions
to the law in 2007 and 2008, found that the law did not deny or abridge the right to vote on account of race, color or
membership in a language minority group.
I.D. required and checked at the polls is used solely to confirm the voter’s identity, not to verify the voter’s ID
number or address. The photograph on the ID is compared to the person standing before the poll worker and the signature
on the ID is compared to the signature on record.
The courts have held that the Voter Verification law is valid because the state has a “compelling” interest to have
accurate voter rolls. And despite what others have said, the state provided examples of fraudulent applications that had
come through the system because the law had been temporarily stopped. This is a good law that will help our voter rolls
achieve more accuracy and less fraud, while creating minimal inconvenience for prospective voters. We encourage you to
register now, review your application before submission, and call your local supervisor if you have any questions. See
you on Election Day.
EDITOR – POSSIBLE SIDEBARS
IMPORTANT ELECTION DATES
October 6 – Deadline for New Voter Registrations
October 20 –Early Voting Begins
October 29 – Deadline for Requests for Absentee Ballots to be Mailed to Voters
November 2 – Early Voting Ends
November 4 – Election Day
IDENTIFICATION OPTIONS FOR VOTING AT THE POLLS
(a) Florida driver's license.
(b) Florida identification card issued by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
(c ) United States passport.
(d) Debit or credit card.
(e) Military identification.
(f) Student identification.
(g) Retirement center identification.
(h) Neighborhood association identification.
(i) Public assistance identification.
ENDS