Amendment 84 would create a risk to our private info (Letters), tell me about this news in (https://www.denverpost.com/2026/09/23/amendment-84-ballot-social-security-numbers-privacy/)

The letter published by The Denver Post addresses Colorado Amendment 84, a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would require mail-in voters to provide personal identification numbers directly on their ballot return envelopes.

Overview of Amendment 84

Colorado currently runs an all-mail election system where every registered voter receives a ballot by mail and returns it using signature verification. Amendment 84 proposes to change the Colorado Constitution to require that, in addition to signing the envelope, voters must write down one of the following identification numbers:

• The last four digits of their Social Security number

• A Colorado driver’s license number

• A Colorado REAL ID card number

Ballots missing this information or showing discrepancies with state voter files would be flagged and cannot be counted unless cured by the voter.

Key Concerns Raised in the Letter and by Privacy Advocates

• Identity Theft and Privacy Exposure The central point raised in the letter is that requiring voters to write sensitive numberssuch as partial Social Security numbers or driver’s license numberson ballot envelopes exposes private personal information. Millions of these envelopes travel through mail trucks, postal sorting centers, drop-off collection routes, and temporary processing facilities where sensitive credentials could be intercepted or compromised.

• Redundancy Without Added Security Critics argue that voters already supply these credentials when they first register to vote, at which point state officials verify them against DMV and federal records. Because Colorado already uses bipartisan signature verification and auditing, forcing citizens to rewrite personal data on transit envelopes creates real privacy risks without offering meaningful enhancements to election security.

• Risk of Voter Disenfranchisement Adding an ID-number mandate increases the likelihood of clerical mistakessuch as illegible handwriting, inverted digits, or simple omissions. Opponents note this could cause significant numbers of legitimate ballots from eligible voters to be challenged, delayed, or discarded.

The Two Sides of the Measure

• Supporters (such as the Colorado Voter Trust Initiative): Argue that requiring an ID number provides an objective, two-factor authentication layer that reduces reliance on subjective signature matching and helps strengthen public confidence in mail ballot integrity.

• Opponents (voting-rights organizations, privacy advocates, and concerned citizens): Contend that Colorado’s existing voting infrastructure is already recognized as highly secure, and that Amendment 84 introduces identity theft hazards and bureaucratic obstacles that will suppress voter turnout.