Incorrect information has been circulating about Florida’s “No Match, No Vote” law.
David E. Sullivan, voter protection coordinator for Obama for America/Florida Democratic Party Campaign for Change, released a statement stating a voter’s driver’s license number, state-issued identification or the last four digits of the social security number must match the information in the state or federal database.
Proof of a voter’s address on his/her driver’s license matching their voter registration was not a requirement mentioned in the statement.
However, the statement further mentioned that an ID is required and will be checked at the voting polls and is solely used to confirm the voter’s identity.
Ion Sancho, Leon County supervisor of elections, commented that having the same addresses on both ids is not required at all. He said the address on the photo ID is never checked.
“As a matter of fact we have a different process to do that,” Sancho said. “That process is at the beginning and we don’t check it at the end.”
Marie Fleurimond, supervisor of elections said false information has been circulating about the Florida law.
“The email that has been circulating is completely something different and actually it’s a false email,” Fleurimond said.
Even though the email was inaccurate, Fleurimond and Sancho both said voters do need a valid photo ID and signature.
“You need to provide a signature and (ID) when you go to vote, but it does not necessarily have to be your driver’s license,” Fleurimond said. “Because the Rattler Card doesn’t have a signature on it, students can use their student ID with one of the other listed IDs like a credit or debit card for their signature. The address does not have to match the ID.”
Fleurimond demonstrated an example and said if a student’s driver’s license says Palm Beach County but their registration card says Gibbs Hall, they can still use their drivers’ license at the polls for early voting.
Ion Sancho further explained the situation. He said the ID is only looked at to make sure the person at the voting table is the same person in the picture.
Fleurimond went on to explain that as long as the voter is using proper id, which shows both picture and signature such as a Florida Driver’s License, Florida Identification Card, US Passport, Debit or Credit Card, Military ID, Student ID, that person can vote. Out of state IDs cannot be used.
Kurt S. Browning, Secretary of State, stated on a September 18 press release that this “law will not affect the status of already registered voters. The law will only apply to all NEW applications received on or after September 8, 2008.”
Browning went on to state that this law “does not keep any person with an unverified number from being able to vote.
He said 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.”
According to Sancho, the “No Match, No Vote Law,” could be a problem for people registering after Sept.8.
He said if a voter registers a Florida driver license on the voter application form, it’s going to be compared to the Florida Department of Highway Safety Motor Vehicles copy of your identification number and the two numbers have to match.
“If they don’t match then I have to send out a letter to you saying please send a copy of your license, there’s a problem with the number we have on your driver’s license,” Sancho said. “If you send me a copy of the driver’s license, we’re good to go, we’ll change the number that’s wrong.”
Sancho mentioned that all the students who registered after September 8 are being contacted directly and hopefully that will hopefully solve the problem.
The article that ran in The FAMUAN on Monday’s Volume 108 issue 10 had inaccurate information about the “No Match, No Vote” law.