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up front Monday 6 March 2023
Election conspiracies fuel dispute over voter fraud system

continued from Front Ashcroft also is weighing
the value that taxpayers
In Georgia, the system is receive from the program,
credited with providing arguing the state misses
data to remove nearly out on data for voters who
100,000 voters no longer eli- leave Missouri because
gible to vote in the state. several surrounding states
Yet the effort to improve don’t participate. Time is
election integrity and running out, he said, for
thwart voter fraud has be- changes to be made.
come a target of suspicion “I have raised them with
among some Republicans ERIC, and so far I am not
after a series of online posts satisfied with their re-
early last year questioning sponse,” Ashcroft said. “The
its funding and purpose. clock is ticking.”
Shortly after, Louisiana left A fellow Republican, Ohio
the group, citing concerns Secretary of State Frank
raised by the posts. A day LaRose, said he was aware
after being sworn in last of concerns about the pro-
month, Alabama’s new gram but remained confi-
secretary of state, Wes Al- dent in the effort.
len, sent a letter informing “Like any human endeav-
the center of the state’s or, there are imperfec-
exit after criticizing the pro- tions to that organization
gram during his campaign. and, you know, some of
Other Republican-led the people involved have
states could follow, ac- caused concern for oth-
cording to a survey of state ers,” LaRose told reporters
election offices by The As- last month. “But I can tell
sociated Press. Officials in you that it is one of the best
Florida and Missouri said fraud-fighting tools that we
they are evaluating their have -- when it comes to
participation, while legis- actually catching people
lation in Texas could force who try to vote in multiple
the state to leave. West Vir- states, when it comes to
ginia election officials de- maintaining the accuracy
clined to weigh in, saying A poll worker, center left, speaks through a plastic barrier while assisting a voter in a polling station of our voter rolls by remov-
at Marshfield High School, Nov. 3, 2020, in Marshfield, Mass.
they are “closely monitor- Associated Press ing those that move out of
ing the situation with ERIC’s state.” Lawmakers in Texas
membership.” have introduced legislation
The departures and poten- intention of leaving, includ- leaves the group. Allen discussions among mem- that, if passed and signed
tial for additional ones have ing eight led or controlled made various claims during ber states have been “ro- into law, would require the
frustrated state election of- by Republicans. Four state his 2022 campaign about bust” and decisions are ex- state to leave the system. In
ficials involved in the effort offices did not respond: the group that prompted a pected soon on potential Oklahoma, proposed legis-
and have demonstrated Alaska, Colorado, Dela- rebuke from then-Secretary changes. lation would prohibit the
how deeply election con- ware and Washington. of State John Merrill. Merrill, “Is the mission of ERIC still state from joining.
spiracies have spread Republican officials who a Republican, noted that relevant? Yes,” Hamlin In California, Kansas and
throughout the Republican said they had no intention ERIC had identified more said. “But are the ways in New Hampshire, lawmak-
Party. to leave signaled strong than 19,000 records of po- which members use ERIC ers have introduced bills
“The idea that any state support for the effort. Io- tentially deceased Ala- to achieve that mission still that would enable their
would leave, and we know wa’s chief election official bama voters since 2016. relevant? Still effective? states to join it, according
many are leaving or con- said the program, in less A chief complaint about That is what we are talking to the Voting Rights Lab,
sidering leaving, based than a year, had helped the program is that it was about internally.” which tracks voting legisla-
solely on misinformation the state identify more than funded by George Soros, Missouri Secretary of State tion in the states. New York
that in most cases they 1,300 deceased voters not the billionaire investor and Jay Ashcroft, a Republican, is another high population
know is not accurate -- it’s included in state data. philanthropist who has is among those pushing for state that is not currently a
bizarre to me,” said Michi- “ERIC is an effective tool long been the subject of changes. In an interview, member.
gan Secretary of State for ensuring the integrity conspiracy theories. While Ashcroft said he wants the Gabriel Sterling, a top of-
Jocelyn Benson, a Demo- of Iowa’s voter rolls,” said ERIC received initial fund- system to drop a require- ficial in the Georgia secre-
crat. “Their leaving directly Iowa Secretary of State ing from the nonpartisan ment for member states to tary of state’s office, said
harms the security and in- Paul Pate, a Republican in Pew Charitable Trusts, that send mailings to eligible but he recently appealed to
tegrity of their own state his third term. money was separate from unregistered voters. representatives from three
voter rolls and their ability The program was started in the money provided to “It needs to be focused other Republican-led states
to keep them up to date 2012 by seven states and Pew by a Soros-affiliated or- on cleaning rolls,” Ashcroft to join the system.
and accurate.” was bipartisan from the ganization that went to an said. “It is not the job of “A lot of this is politics and
Not all Republican-led beginning, with four of the unrelated effort, said ERIC’s the secretary of state to gets in the way of good
states are reevaluating their founding states led by Re- executive director, Shane add voters to the rolls. It’s election administration,”
participation in the pro- publicans. Today, 32 states Hamlin. our job to make sure there Sterling said. “At the end
gram. Of those surveyed and the District of Colum- The effort has since been is a good, simple process of the day, we want more
by AP, election offices in bia are members. funded through annual for people who meet the people to join than leave.
23 states and the District of In April, that will drop to 31 dues by member states. requirements to be regis- A lot of this is a tempest in a
Columbia said they had no when Alabama officially Hamlin said the current tered.” teacup.”q