Chapter 5. Registering To Vote

5.F. Documentation Needed To Register To Vote

5.F.8. Providing A Social Security Number At Registration

The registrant's Social Security number is required if the registrant does not have an Illinois driver's license or a State ID.

Only the last 4 (four) digits of the Social Security number are required.

Why Is This Important To The Registrant?

Some registrants are reluctant to state their Social Security number in a room full of people they may not know; especially after publicly stating their name and address.

This is a personal identity security issue.

Relevant Illinois State Law

The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card which, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in triplicate by all election authorities in the State, except those election authorities adopting a computer-based voter registration file authorized under Section 6-79.

The Board shall prescribe the form and specifications,... Such cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required under Sections 6-31.1 and 6-35 of this Code; provided, that such cards shall also contain a box or space for the applicant's social security number, which shall be required to the extent allowed by law but in no case shall the applicant provide fewer than the last 4 digits of the social security number, and a box for the applicant's telephone number, if available.

10 ILCS 5/4-8.03
Registration of Electors
In Counties Having a
Population of Fewer Than 500,000

10 ILCS 5/7.03
Registration of Electors
In Counties Having a
Population of 500,000 or More

10 ILCS 5/6-35.03
Registration of Electors
In Jurisdictions With
Local Boards of Election Commissioners

The State Board of Elections shall design a registration record card that, except as otherwise provided in this Section, shall be used in duplicate by all election authorities in the State adopting a computer-based voter registration file as provided in this Section...

The cards shall contain boxes or spaces for the information required...; provided that the cards shall also contain:

  • (i) A space for a person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license;
  • (ii) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.

10 ILCS 5/4-33(a)

10 ILCS 5/5-43(a)

10 ILCS 5/6-79(a)

Contents of the voter registration form. The State Board shall create a voter registration form, which must contain the following content...

  • (10) A space for the person to fill in his or her Illinois driver's license number if the person has a driver's license.
  • (11) A space for a person without a driver's license to fill in the last four digits of his or her social security number if the person has a social security number.
  • (12) A space for a person without an Illinois driver's license to fill in his or her identification number from his or her State Identification card issued by the Secretary of State.

10 ILCS 5/1A-16(d)

An online voter registration application shall contain all of the information that is required for a paper application as provided in Section 1A-16 of this Code, except that the applicant shall be required to provide:

  • (1) the applicant's full Illinois driver's license or State identification card number;
  • (2) the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number; and
  • (3) the date the Illinois driver's license or State identification card was issued.

10 ILCS 5/16.5(e)

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