Hundreds of Iowa Voter Forms Rejectedby Lynn Campbell, Des Moines Register
County auditors have been unable to verify identification numbers for applications
Confusion over portions of Iowa's mail-in voter registration application has left the voting status of hundreds of Iowans in limbo. The most prevalent problem is with the identification number requested. Also, some voters have neglected to check the boxes at the top of the form.
Hundreds of Iowans who registered to vote by mail were notified this week that their applications were rejected - a situation that threatens to disenfranchise voters less than three weeks before Election Day.
State officials say they are resolving the problem, which stems from the portion of Iowa's voter registration form that requires an identification number. The form allows voters to use the last four digits of their Social Security number if they don't have a driver's license or other state identification number.
But Iowa county auditors' access to the Social Security database to verify those numbers has been delayed - causing hundreds of voter registration applications to pile up without being processed. The situation affects the entire state, including about 400 applications in Johnson County and 500 in Polk County.
"I'm trying to make an effort to get this worked out," said Polk County Auditor Michael Mauro. "These voters have done nothing improper. They followed the procedure printed on the application."
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