Leave My Voter Info Alone

 So the PA Senate GOP wants to subpeona the driver's license number and last four digits of the social security number of all PA registered voters. They also want to know what method each person used to vote (in person, by mail, provisional ballot, etc). If they simpled wanted the list of voters, addresses, etc., they could easily get it. The point of this is to get the more personal information, voting method, and for more than one election (May, November, and so on).

I am peeved about this for a few reasons. One, drivers license and last for SSN numbers are used for various security reasons. My bank will ask for last for SSN digits sometimes, as do some medical providers or insurance companies. That's private information. I don't want it floating around, especially since the PA Senate GOP hasn't said who they plan to hire to do their "forensic audit." They won't say they intend to hire anyone with experience doing election audits. I don't think they are making any guarantees of confidentiality of information.

Another is that I have always voted in person. It is a matter of civic pride to me, and I enjoy seeing my neighbors and talking with the poll workers. I just enjoy it. Then a few years ago I developed an usual health condition. How unusual? It's on the NIH's list of rare diseases. It's that rare. If caught early, as it was in my case, it is very manageable. It's hard to catch early, though, because the primary symptoms are things like feeling tired and achy. Ummm, yeah. Everyone over 55 who is frequently tired and achy raise your hand. [raises hand]. What does this have to do with voting? In and of itself not much.

But then the pandemic came along. The primary form of treatment for the rare disease I contracted involves at least temporary immune suppression. So, no going to the polls (or much of anywhere else) for me, at least for a bit. I signed up for vote by mail and that's what I did in 2020 and in May of 2021. I'm undecided about this November. I've had the third shot but it is hard to social distance at my polling place because it is usually busy and the hallways are narrow.

I was allowed by law to vote by mail and so I did. It's nobody's business that I did, or even why. I missed voting in person, but I was not prepared to die to do it, especially when there was a safer, legal alternative. I took my ballot to secure drop off places which had staff or a guard at a drop box.

Voting is serious business and I take it seriously. I also take it seriously when someone tries to mess with my ballot or my personal election information.

Back off, people, just back way off.