Section 303 of Public Law 107-252 (Help America Vote Act of 2002) requires states and localities to develop centralized, computerized voter databases and to verify voter registration information. Individuals registering to vote must provide their driver's license number to the state election agency. If the registrant has no driver's license, they must supply the last four digits of their Social Security Number (SSN).
The statute requires that the chief state election official and the officials responsible for the state motor vehicle authorities to enter into agreements to match voter registration information with motor vehicle administration (MVA) information. The statute further requires the MVA officials and the Commissioner of Social Security to reach agreements for the purpose of verifying name, date of birth, the last four digits of the SSN, and any information recorded in Social Security Administration's (SSA) records about the death of an individual. The Help America Vote Verification (HAVV) transaction allows a MVA to submit an inquiry to SSA. The SSA verifies the information and responds back to the MVA with the results.