Participating in our democracy does not and should not open you up to security risks or other vulnerabilities, Jocelyn Benson writes.
With Congress conducting numerous investigations into whether a foreign government interfered in our elections and voter turnout on the decline, it is a crucial moment to examine how to protect our democracy from outside interference and ensure election results are a true reflection of the will of the American people.
So it was odd when the newly formed Commission on Election Integrity ignored those challenges and instead sent a letter late last month to every state requesting they turn over citizens’ voting records. The letter asked for voters’ political affiliation, last four digits of social security number, voting history and military status.
Notably, every state makes some voter information publicly available – typically names, home addresses, and whether they voted in past elections. But importantly, obtaining that information involves a process that creates a paper trail to ensure voters’ personal data is protected. And most states impose restrictions on the use or disclosure of information from the voter files, sometimes imposing penalties for improper usage.
The commission’s unusual request ignored that process, sending shockwaves through the election administration community and drawing bipartisan condemnation.
By the end of the week nearly every state had refused the request in some fashion. Some raised concerns that the information could be used to keep eligible voters from the polls, while others warned that collecting the data at the national level risks damaging election security and exposing millions of Americans to identity theft and fraud.
But some damage was already done. Clerks in Michigan, Arizona, Florida and Colorado reported receiving requests from voters to be removed from voter registration lists in order to safeguard their private data.
To avoid any further fallout is critical that election administrators take the lead in assuring citizens that their personal data is secure. Participating in our democracy does not and should not open you up to security risks or other vulnerabilities.
And at a time when less than half of eligible voters are participating in our elections and our voting systems are severely outdated, all election officials should prioritize efforts to improve the security of our electoral process and increase voter participation. Reforms like automatic voter registration have demonstrably increased the accuracy of our voter files, reduced costs and improved turnout in several states.
Michigan now has a chance to lead the way in assuring voters their privacy is protected and championing these much needed reforms. Our state leaders should seize this moment as an opportunity to do so.
Jocelyn Benson is the former dean of Wayne State University Law School and the author of “ State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process .“
