The 44 states have said they can’t or won’t supply voter details requested by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.
The commission – led by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach – was launched after the US President claimed that widespread “voter fraud” had cost him the popular vote in last year’s election. (Fewer people actually voted for Trump than Clinton.) They want the data to “fully analyse vulnerabilities and issues related to voter registration and voting.”
Kobach had sent a letter to states asking for voters’ full names, addresses, dates of birth, party affiliations, voter history since 2006, felony convictions and the last four digits of their social security numbers.
Privacy proves paramount
Some states say that the request violates their privacy laws, while others say they will only provide information that is already publicly available.
The news wasn’t welcomed by Trump, who tweeted on the weekend: “Numerous states are refusing to give information to the very distinguished VOTER FRAUD PANEL. What are they trying to hide?”
The request has also earned some choice criticism from state government officials, including this gem from Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh, who labelled it “repugnant.”
“It appears designed only to intimidate voters and to indulge President Trump’s fantasy that he won the popular vote,” he said. “Repeating incessantly a false story of expansive voter fraud, and then creating a commission to fuel that narrative, does not make it any more true.”
Exactly.
