Wes Allen speaks at his inauguration ceremony on the steps of the Alabama state capitol in Montgomery.
AP
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama’s new secretary of state has introduced the state’s withdrawal from a 32-state voter-registration partnership, a data-sharing effort that was designed to keep up correct voter rolls however has generally develop into the goal of right-wing ire and conspiracy theories.
A day after being sworn in on Jan. 17, Secretary of State Wes Allen despatched a letter to the Digital Registration Info Middle, a nonprofit linking 32 states and the District of Columbia, saying the state will now not take part within the sharing of voter registration knowledge.
“I made a promise to the folks of Alabama that ending our state’s relationship with the ERIC group could be my first official act as Secretary of State,” Allen stated in an announcement. The letter stated that Alabama would instantly stop transmitting knowledge.
The Republican, who had pledged throughout his marketing campaign to withdraw from ERIC, cited privateness issues for the choice.
“ Digital Registration Info Middle, or ERIC, database was created as a software to keep up correct voter rolls and fight fraud by permitting states to know when somebody strikes, dies or registers elsewhere. ”
“Offering the non-public info of Alabama residents, together with underage minors, to an out of state group is troubling to me and to people who I heard from as I traveled the state for the final 20 months,” Allen stated.
The database was created as a software to keep up correct voter rolls and fight fraud by permitting states to know when somebody strikes, dies or registers elsewhere, however has generally been focused by critics.
In November, former Secretary of State John Merrill, a fellow Republican, had criticized Allen’s intent to withdraw. He stated then that ERIC gives info that Alabama couldn’t in any other case entry — reminiscent of different states’ voter registration and motorist driver’s license data — and has been a vital software for sustaining voting rolls.
“I belief he has evaluated this case and is making the choice primarily based on what he believes to be in the perfect curiosity of the state of Alabama,” Merrill stated on Jan. 18 after Allen’s withdrawal letter.
Don’t miss: Incoming Democratic governor of Pennsylvania faucets Philadelphia Republican for prime election-administration publish
The difficulty of participation in ERIC was raised in not less than one different state. The Republican candidate for Arizona secretary of state stated in the course of the marketing campaign that he would withdraw from ERIC if elected, however he misplaced. Louisiana withdrew earlier this yr.
See: Trump-aligned election conspiracist Finchem loses secretary of state race in Arizona to Democrat Fontes
Nevertheless, one other Republican campaigned on becoming a member of the partnership.
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, additionally a Republican, proudly famous in stump speeches that the state had joined ERIC. Raffensperger stated in 2019 that it will be an incredible step ahead for the integrity of Georgia’s voter rolls.
In keeping with the group, the states that at present take part in ERIC are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia can also be a member.
Learn on: Democrats and voting-rights teams specific dismay as Wisconsin Republican election official boasts of minority-voter suppression