I have received a number of inquiries from concerned members of AARP about a letter they received requesting information about voting in the recent Village of Massapequa Park election.

If you don't know who sent it, be hesitant in answering it.

In my judgment the person who sent it out used a post office box, knowing that the post office does not identify the names of people who rent boxes and didn't want you to know who they were.

If the list was the one obtained from Village Hall, the person using it probably knew enough about village government to buy a voting list with your name on it, which is legal under New York State Freedom of Information laws.

This opens up another issue of why does the law allow your voting or not voting to become public business, available to anyone with enough money to buy it.

It also opens up the question of what is the information being used for.

A few more legal snooping incidents like this and people will have second thoughts about exercising their right to vote. And this would be a very bad thing, because everyone should vote to protect their rights and perpetuate our democratic system.

My other concerns are:

* The optional signing of your name. By sending the card back they will know who you are, because they coded the reply card with a traceable number. Could it be to duplicate your signature, later on?

* When was the last time you sent a letter without your name on it or received one without your knowing the sender or being able to contact the sender to be removed from their mailing list? Or knowing the reason why it was sent to you? Or your having access to the results of the alleged "survey'.

Actually there are probably more reasons to ignore the letter than to answer it. Unless the sender identifies him or herself first.

Before replying, ask yourself: when was the last time you sent a letter without your name on it or received one without your knowing the sender or being able to contact the sender to remove your name from their mailing list, a law that AARP spent years getting enacted?

There are probably more reasons to hesitate or just ignore the letters than to answer it. Unless the sender subsequently identifies him or herself first.

Seniors beware, be careful before signing anything without first checking with your lawyer, a licensed accountant, a trusted family member or maybe a combination of all three.

Robert S. Thompson

President, AARP Massapequa