Confirm your voting registration in case of fraud

New York Daily News - http://www.nydailynews.com
New voters: confirm your registration
By Marshall Loeb, CBS.MarketWatch.com
Monday, October 18th, 2004

NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Your right to vote is among your greatest assets -one you should make sure hasn't been stolen by voter registration scams.
Several states, including Oregon and Nevada, are investigating charges that voter registration application forms were shredded by registration drive organizers.

The Federal Trade Commission also warns that telephone scam artists have been posing as volunteers making calls asking for personal information and even financial information to confirm that the voter is properly registered. In reality, the callers use that information to open new financial accounts and make charges in your name.

The U.S. Elections Assistance Commission recommends that if you have recently registered to vote, you should contact your local board of elections to confirm that your name is on the registration list.

If it isn't, ask a representative at the board of elections what options are open to you. You may be able to re-register if your state deadline has not already passed, or vote under a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are given to voters whose names do not appear on registration lists, or who cannot provide identification. The ballot is not counted until the voter's registration has been verified - sometimes days after an election.

To report voter registration fraud or a violation of your voter rights, contact your state election officials.

If someone has made an unsolicited phone call to you asking for your personal or financial information for voter registration, report the incident to the FTC. Call (877) 382-4357.