Confused, not sure how to answer N-400 register to vote question

[JasonPII 30]

Hello everyone,

 

I was at my California DMV recently and long story short I found out that they registered me to vote when I renewed my driver license (I still have the application and I marked NO to US citizen question).

As you can imagine, I freaked out greatly upon learning about this news.

 

Then I contacted the Secretary of State and my county voter registration to check, both said that I am NOT at all registered.

 

So knowing my situation (registered to vote with DMV despite saying that I'm not USC, but SOS and county have no record of me in their databases), how do I answer these two questions in the N-400?

 

1. Have you ever claimed to be a USC? 

2. Have you ever registered to vote in any....? 

 

Do I go with what the DMV say or with what SOS/my county have in their database?

[Villanelle 4,121]

Can you be more specific? You say you found out they registered you to vote. Found out how? You seem to be suggesting that you have a copy of what you filled out at the DMV (which is odd but ok) and it shows you did not register- so why do you think they registered you?

[JasonPII 30]

13 minutes ago, Villanelle said:

Can you be more specific? You say you found out they registered you to vote. Found out how? You seem to be suggesting that you have a copy of what you filled out at the DMV (which is odd but ok) and it shows you did not register- so why do you think they registered you?

To be honest, I found out that they registered me to vote because I went to them and asked.

I was paranoid (due to numerous posts and stories that DMV automatically registers individuals when they come to renew their license). 

 

And the reason that I still have the application because renewing DLs at CA DMV now is done online by going through this website: https://www.edl.dmv.ca.gov/apply/choose-language

I can just go there, input personal info to get the application summary which has everything including voter registration question which I marked NO to USC. (see attached).

 

They registered me regardless that I told them that I was not USC. 

Edited May 10, 2020 by JasonPII

[Free Man 115]

If they automatically register you to vote,  that is not your fault at all.  The problem will be did you actually voted or did u ever claimed to be a US citizen if no you good to good.  

[JasonPII 30]

13 minutes ago, Ras Ous said:

If they automatically register you to vote,  that is not your fault at all.  The problem will be did you actually voted or did u ever claimed to be a US citizen if no you good to good.  

I know. 

 

But the confusion here is answering that N-400 form.

 

DMV registered me BUT Secretary of State and county voter registration office do not have me on their record. Which do I go with?

[Villanelle 4,121]

I'm still trying to piece together what is going on here. 

 

So you checked no to vote and then went and asked them and....? They verbally told you you were registered? Did they give you any documentation of them registering you? 

 

If this was nothing more then a worker telling you that you were registered to vote (and there's no record of this being true with voter office) then all of your concern is based on what the worker told you?

 

Did you tell them you didn't check to register? What did they say to that?

 

Again I'm just trying to understand what is going on.  Just because a random person says you registered and there's no proof of this actually occurring it's likely they gave you incorrect information.  But I'm not comfortable saying that is the case with out knowing if there's something more here you left out.

[JasonPII 30]

9 minutes ago, Villanelle said:

I'm still trying to piece together what is going on here. 

 

So you checked no to vote and then went and asked them and....? They verbally told you you were registered? Did they give you any documentation of them registering you? 

 

If this was nothing more then a worker telling you that you were registered to vote (and there's no record of this being true with voter office) then all of your concern is based on what the worker told you?

 

Did you tell them you didn't check to register? What did they say to that?

 

Again I'm just trying to understand what is going on.  Just because a random person says you registered and there's no proof of this actually occurring it's likely they gave you incorrect information.  But I'm not comfortable saying that is the case with out knowing if there's something more here you left out.

Thank you for your response and sorry for the confusion. Here is basically the timeline of what's going on.

 

November 2019 - Renewed DL

 

May 2020  - After reading many posts on here and searching news stories, I came back to the DMV and expressed my concern. This was when they showed me the print-out showing that I was registered to vote. I asked for this print-out but the DMV said that it is in house and they cannot give it to me. I told them that I am not a USC but the lady there was not very helpful in terms of solving the situation.

 

I then contacted in person with my voter registration office and also called CA Secretary of State (SOS) and both have no record of me.

 

Right now, I'm leaning towards saying no to "have you ever registered to vote" question on the N-400 because CA SOS and my county voter registration office do not have my name in their databases.

Edited May 10, 2020 by JasonPII

[Dashinka 23,236]

Based on what I read here, I would check no.  The question asks “Have you ever registered...”, and it appears you have proof that you yourself have never registered.

 

Good Luck!

[JasonPII 30]

5 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Based on what I read here, I would check no.  The question asks “Have you ever registered...”, and it appears you have proof that you yourself have never registered.

 

Good Luck!

Thanks.

 

The two things that I have going for me are: 1. my DMV application when I renewed the DL which I marked no to USC and 2. the public voting database has no record of me.

 

So I don't know why DMV is saying one thing and SOS and my county voter registration office are saying the other.

[NikLR 13,220]

1 hour ago, JasonPII said:

Thanks.

 

The two things that I have going for me are: 1. my DMV application when I renewed the DL which I marked no to USC and 2. the public voting database has no record of me.

 

So I don't know why DMV is saying one thing and SOS and my county voter registration office are saying the other.

Because they probably didnt even look. 

[JasonPII 30]

22 minutes ago, NikLR said:

Because they probably didnt even look. 

Sorry I don't understand.

 

Are you saying that SOS/county didn't look at what DMV has and when they do I would be registered?

Edited May 10, 2020 by JasonPII

[Scandi 3,970]

I don't think it works like that. This is my understanding - once DMV decides to "register" you to vote, you will be sent a form to your address that you have to fill out in order to actually be registered. I don't think DMV can register you at all, they can only make sure you're being sent the actual registration form. And obviously you never filled out that form and sent it in.

[JasonPII 30]

1 minute ago, Scandi said:

I don't think it works like that. This is my understanding - once DMV decides to "register" you to vote, you will be sent a form to your address that you have to fill out in order to actually be registered. I don't think DMV can register you at all, they can only make sure you're being sent the actual registration form. And obviously you never filled out that form and sent it in.

I never received anything. I moved around the same time of all of this happening so maybe that's why I didn't receive the mail.

[Scandi 3,970]

Just now, JasonPII said:

I never received anything. I moved around the same time of all of this happening so maybe that's why I didn't receive the mail.

You need to fill out the "voter registration form", and clearly you never did. So on your N-400 the answer is no.

[bakphx1 785]

I think it’s a no.  If you had registered you would would show upon the SOS database.  You would have received either a voter ID or a letter requesting proof of citizenship if they had actually processed it.