The Socialist Workers Party has recent experience along these lines in its ballot drives in Delaware. A requirement to not only collect nearly 3,000 signatures for the party's presidential candidate to be on the ballot, but to get everyone's Social Security number as well, had a dramatic impact on the ability of socialist campaigners to complete the drive.

Although they did go over the number required, the state ruled them off the ballot. After the SWP filed suit charging that the requirement violated the Privacy Act of 1974, the state settled out of court and removed the measure.

Working-class parties face a host of undemocratic laws crafted by the capitalist parties in order to maintain their monopoly on the political process. They face large signature requirements of registered voters and a host of technical requirements on top of being blacked out by the press and kept out of most candidates' debates. Often when the SWP organizes to meet these requirements, the state simply increases the number of signatures or adds other stipulations in the hope that it will never happen again.

Giving the green light to states to begin using Social Security numbers in the election process is one of the many ways the superwealthy rulers of the United States seek to push back workers' rights without trying to take away outright hard-won constitutional or democratic rights. As their system goes into deep crisis and the bipartisan offensive continues, they anticipate working people in larger numbers will seek to chart a political course in their own class interests.
 
 
Related article:
Senate elections bill adds hurdles to ballot access  
 
 
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