Checklist for Challenging Data
This document describes what you should include in your letter challenging the accuracy and/or completeness of government data about you. Your data challenge must be in writing. Contact the government entity to identify the responsible authority (RA) and how to submit your challenge – by U.S. mail or email.
In your letter, include the following:
- Date
- Name of RA
- Name of government entity
- Street address
- City, state, zip
- Your name
- Your street and/or email address
- Optional – your phone number
Address your challenge to the RA.
State that you are challenging the accuracy and/or completeness of certain data about yourself under Minnesota Statutes, section 13.04, subdivision 4.
Describe in detail the data that you are challenging.
- Be very specific.
- A good way to identify the data is to make a copy and clearly mark the data you are challenging, and enclose the copy with your notice.
- If you are challenging data that are maintained in more than one office or division within the entity, be very specific about the location of each item of challenged data.
State why you think the data are inaccurate and/or incomplete.
- Under the law, you must show that the data you are challenging are inaccurate and/or incomplete, so be prepared to provide specific reasons. Include as many reasons as you can.
State how you think the data should be changed to make them accurate/complete.
- Explain to the RA what you think should be done to make the data accurate and/or complete.
- For example, you may ask the RA to add a word (such as add “senior” to your job title), change the data (such as correcting your birth date on your driver’s license), or remove or delete data.
