Mismatched Records & No Birth Certificate: Frank’s Story

A Messy Paper Maze

Born in Texas in 1981, Frank was named Frank Barnes at birth. Because his mother was running from the law, she gave him a surname that belonged to neither of his parents. 

When his father gained sole custody shortly after he was born, he legally changed Frank’s last name to his own: Alvarez. About 10 years later, Frank’s mother was released from prison, took sole custody, and changed his surname again — this time to Dobbins. 

As a teenager in Texas, Frank obtained his first Texas state ID as “Frank Dobbins.” Years later, after serving time in an Arizona state prison, the Arizona Department of Corrections issued him a state ID under the same name. 

For the remainder of his adult life, Frank went by Frank Dobbins — that is, until he realized he couldn’t get a copy of his own birth certificate. 

The Bureaucracy Trap

The conflict began when Frank needed a copy of his birth certificate to apply for a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Having never seen the original document, he submitted a request to the Texas Vital Statistics Office under his birth name, Frank Barnes. Thinking it would be straightforward, he was surprised when his request was denied for “invalid information.” He submitted a second request, this time under Dobbins. It was denied — again. 

Frank visited his local 1 Stop Motor Vehicle Services office hoping to speak to someone about this issue when he spotted a flyer for free ID assistance from VoteRiders. He called the number listed on it for our Helpline and was connected to Susan, a dedicated VoteRiders volunteer. 

Untangling the Paper Maze

First, Susan helped Frank file a Social Security record to see what the government had on file. Frustratingly, the results were a mess. Frank’s birth date was incorrect, and 12 different Social Security cards had been issued under both Barnes and Dobbins. 

“Susan was my advocate,” Frank said. “It was a mess trying to figure all of this out. It got so confusing because the Social Security Office would tell me one thing, and the Texas Vital Statistics Office would tell me another.”

Frank was confronted with the infuriating reality that government agencies often hold conflicting records and have no standard system for talking to each other. 

“I thought the hospital sent your birth certificate to Vital Statistics, and then Social Security issued your card,” Frank explained. “I thought that the two offices could talk to each other and see each other’s information.”

Thankfully, with some digging, Susan used Frank’s Social Security file to trace his now-deceased father’s Social Security number and last name, Alvarez, back to Frank’s original birth record. 

Finally, he had an answer. The name on his original birth certificate was Frank Alvarez, the name his father gave him soon after his birth, which his mother never updated when she took sole custody. 

But it wasn’t enough — the Texas Vital Statistics Office refused to provide him with  a copy of his birth certificate because his current ID read “Frank Dobbins.” That’s when VoteRiders brought in Karen, a pro bono attorney, to establish a chain of identity for Frank. Karen built a paper trail connecting Frank’s parents’ Social Security numbers, his own Social Security paper trail, childhood name changes, and state prison records to legally prove that Frank Dobbins and Frank Alvarez were the same person. 

After three months and trips to several ID issuing offices, Frank finally received his birth certificate.

“If I had one word to describe this process, I would say, ‘exhausting,’“ Frank recounted. “All of this put a big pause on my life and future plans that I had.” 

A New Beginning 

Three months after the bureaucratic nightmare had finally ended, Frank’s life was back on track. With his birth certificate in hand, he could finally apply for a CDL. 

“Susan has been like my fairy godmother,” he said. “She came into my life and went through it with me.” 

Getting his birth certificate didn’t just pave the path for a new line of work — it also opened a door to voting that had been closed to Frank for years. 

“I was never able to vote before,” Frank admitted. “I think the people that we vote for to lead us are definitely important.” 

Arizona is just one of a growing number of states that require voters to show a document proving citizenship, such as a US birth certificate or passport, to register to vote. Because Frank could not previously provide this, he was blocked from having a voice at the ballot box. 

Now, Frank has the US birth certificate he needs to cast a ballot that counts in the many important races in Arizona this fall and beyond.

Our mission at VoteRiders is to eliminate ID barriers to voting so that every eligible voter can cast a ballot that counts. If you or someone you know needs ID information or assistance, call or text our Voter ID Helpline at 866-432-8643 or visit VoteRiders.org/help to learn more. 

Interested in sharing a story of how voter ID and/or documentary proof of citizenship laws have affected you, someone you know, or a community you support? Email us at [email protected].