# Releasing voter info for selected voters: Legal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 1, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305 "2017-07-01T19:56:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/1 "2017-07-01T19:56:31Z")
As it seems everyone should know by now, the commission Trump started on voter fraud has asked [states to provide a lot of voter information.](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/backlash-trump-commission-request-voter-data-n778661) > [@](#): > > The Presidential Commission on Voter Integrity sent what some experts called an alarming letter this week to all 50 states and Washington, D.C., asking officials, including those in the home states of the panel’s chairs, to turn over “publicly-available voter roll data.” > > However, the panel is also seeking sensitive information, including “dates of birth, political party (if recorded in your state), last four digits of social security number if available, voter history (elections voted in) from 2006 onward, active/inactive status, cancelled status, information regarding any felony convictions, information regarding voter registration in another state, information regarding military status, and overseas citizen information.” > > The panel gave states two weeks to comply and said it would share the data with the public. Given that the data would include some pretty specific information, would it also include the names of voters? More importantly, is there anything to stop those states in which the Trump family and high ranking members of the Trump staff voted from releasing publicly all this information on just that subset of data? After all, they are claiming they will share the data with the public. I’m not sure what havoc some people might cause with Steve Bannon’s or Jared Kushner’s DOB and last 4 digit os their SSN, but I think it could possibly be a lot. And of course I am worried about what someone might do with my data. I’m guessing, but I could easily be wrong, that if these data are publicly available now they may be somewhat difficult to collect. Ever since I tried to find the real estate tax assessment of my Township Assessor on the Township online database and discovered shucky-darn it was not available, I’ve been wary of whether the cavalier dissemination of data will include that of those responsible for publishing it. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/2 "2017-07-01T20:14:22Z")
I’m sure a conservative will be along shortly to reassure us that we have nothing to worry about. Fuck them. I’m worry about this, just as I’m sure they would be if the president initiating this was a Democrat. I’m worried not just because I don’t trust the current Feds as far as I can throw them, but I’m also worried about what future Feds might do with this information, let alone private interests. This is especially troubling given the president’s nonchalant attitude about the Russian election hacking. You’d think the motherfucker would at least wait for the investigation to conclude before doing something like this. I am loving Mississippi and Kentucky’s responses to this request. I hope all the secretary of states will come up with something funny. “As we say in the great Commonwealth of Virginia, HELL TO THE NAW.” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/3 "2017-07-01T21:22:43Z")
There is a [pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=829947) on this subject, and if you read it you’ll learn that they aren’t asking for anything that is not publicly available to anyone who requests it. There is some variation, by state, as to how much of it is available, but the administration is just asking for whatever is available to the general public. Fees may apply. Outrage seems to be misplaced, unless it’s outrage at what appears to be a waste of time and effort (to prove how much “voter fraud” there was in the 2016 election). ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/4 "2017-07-01T21:32:52Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > There is a [pit thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=829947) on this subject, and if you read it you’ll learn that they aren’t asking for anything that is not publicly available to anyone who requests it. There is some variation, by state, as to how much of it is available, but the administration is just asking for whatever is available to the general public. Fees may apply. > > Outrage seems to be misplaced, unless it’s outrage at what appears to be a waste of time and effort (to prove how much “voter fraud” there was in the 2016 election). Not true. They are _asking_ for much more than what is publicly available. Quite a number of states are telling them they are only entitled to what _is_ publicly available. Since you’ve read the other thread, surely you’re aware they are _asking_ for things like partial social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, voting history across states and the like. This is _not_ information that is currently publicly available – at least not in my state, and my state is not turning over that information. Given the conduct of this administration and their focus on “proving” the myth of voter fraud, there is little doubt about their intended purpose of gathering such information. [Worth a read](https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-president-lays-the-groundwork-for-a-nationwide-voter-intimidation-program/2017/02/14/ef524326-f2dd-11e6-a9b0-ecee7ce475fc_story.html?utm_term=.06d4a26cc12a). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/5 "2017-07-01T21:55:28Z")
More than two dozen states [have refused](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/01/trump-says-states-are-trying-to-hide-things-from-his-voter-fraud-commission-heres-what-they-actually-say/?utm_term=.a978459ef1de) to fully comply with a sweeping and unprecedented White House request to turn over voter registration data, including sensitive information like partial **Social Security numbers, party affiliation and military status**. At least two of the (state) holdouts were members of the commission, **including commission co-chairman Kris Kobach himself** , who said that state law prevented them from fully complying with the request. :smack: 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/6 "2017-07-01T21:59:48Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Not true. They are _asking_ for much more than what is publicly available. Quite a number of states are telling them they are only entitled to what _is_ publicly available. You can read the [actual letter here.](http://media.kansascity.com/livegraphics/2017/pdf/PEICletter.pdf) > [@](#): > > … I am requisition that you provide to the Commission the publicly-available… data… including, if publicly available under the law of your state, … Emphasis added. I believe my first post was correct. They explicitly exempt any info that is not publicly available, according to the laws of that state. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/7 "2017-07-01T22:07:10Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You can read the [actual letter here.](http://media.kansascity.com/livegraphics/2017/pdf/PEICletter.pdf) > > Emphasis added. I believe my first post was correct. They explicitly exempt any info that is not publicly available, according to the laws of that state. The Howling Yam [thinks different.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/01/trump-says-states-are-trying-to-hide-things-from-his-voter-fraud-commission-heres-what-they-actually-say/) > [@](#): > > “Numerous states are refusing to give information to the very distinguished VOTER FRAUD PANEL. What are they trying to hide?” He seems to think he’s entitled to whatever he demands. You really trust him with all that? Even if it’s available, it’s much easier to have the states package it all up for him rather than go through the rolls person by person. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/8 "2017-07-01T22:10:14Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You can read the [actual letter here.](http://media.kansascity.com/livegraphics/2017/pdf/PEICletter.pdf) > > Emphasis added. I believe my first post was correct. They explicitly exempt any info that is not publicly available, according to the laws of that state. Ok, I did miss that. Fair enough and apologies. Question, though: If all he wants is legal information that is already publicly available, then why write his letter to all the secretaries of state? Why not just… gather the information? Perhaps the fact that Kris Kobach is known as the “King of Voter Suppression” has something to do with the resistance to his request. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/9 "2017-07-01T22:10:18Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > More than two dozen states [have refused](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/07/01/trump-says-states-are-trying-to-hide-things-from-his-voter-fraud-commission-heres-what-they-actually-say/?utm_term=.a978459ef1de) to fully comply with a sweeping and unprecedented White House request to turn over voter registration data, including sensitive information like partial **Social Security numbers, party affiliation and military status**. > > At least two of the (state) holdouts were members of the commission, **including commission co-chairman Kris Kobach himself** , who said that state law prevented them from fully complying with the request. :smack: 😃 😃 I know everyone likes to get all upset about Trump and make fun of him, but it was a form letter sent to every state. BFD. Now, it’s certainly reasonable to laugh at or be upset about this whole wild goose chase to find the 3M illegal votes (or whatever), but I can’t see anything inherently wrong with sending a form letter to each state saying, basically: We’d like to collect data sets A, B, C, and D, but since we don’t know all the various laws each state has, we’re only asking you for the stuff that your state legally allows to be given out to the public. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/10 "2017-07-01T22:13:17Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Ok, I did miss that. Fair enough and apologies. > > Question, though: If all he wants is legal information that is already publicly available, then why write his letter to all the secretaries of state? Why not just… gather the information? I honestly don’t know, but from reading the Pit thread, it’s appears that it’s not like the data is already out in the public sphere, and some states (all states?) charge a fee to get it. So it’s not like it’s on a website to be downloaded by anyone who wants it. You requesting it, pay the fee, and the state gives it to you. As far as I can figure out. I suppose it’s possible that there was some nefariousness involved in that there was some hope some states would be intimidated by a letter from the WH, and ignore their own laws. But that seems rather far fetched. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/11 "2017-07-01T22:29:03Z")
Here’s another little something Republicans did in February to further their efforts at voter suppression: [House Administration Committee Voted Along Party Lines to Eliminate the Election Assistance Commission](https://www.thenation.com/article/house-republicans-just-voted-to-eliminate-the-only-federal-agency-that-makes-sure-voting-machines-cant-be-hacked/) \* “In a little-noticed 6-3 vote today, the House Administration Committee voted along party lines to eliminate the Election Assistance Commission, which helps states run elections and **is the only federal agency charged with making sure voting machines can’t be hacked** (emphasis mine). The EAC was created after the disastrous 2000 election in Florida as part of the Help America Vote Act to rectify problems like butterfly ballots and hanging chads. (Republicans have tried to kill the agency for years.) The Committee also voted to eliminate the public-financing system for presidential elections dating back to the 1970s.”\* Interesting how we keep hearing how there’s no evidence of tampering with voting machines in the 2016 election – until you understand the reason is that no one has actually looked for it. Willful ignorance on the part of Republicans: Can’t find what you won’t look for. To this add their shameful gerrymandering, voter suppression efforts like robocalls telling people to vote on the wrong day and their predictable resistance to paper ballot (meaning verifiable) voting, and I think you can readily see why some folks are skitty of their reasons for gathering additional information on voters that could easily be manipulated into further suppression efforts. I don’t think it can be plausibly asserted that there is no basis for suspicion on the part of the public about the purpose for which the information may be used. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2017, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/12 "2017-07-01T23:09:12Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I know everyone likes to get all upset about Trump and make fun of him, but it was a form letter sent to every state. BFD. Now, it’s certainly reasonable to laugh at or be upset about this whole wild goose chase to find the 3M illegal votes (or whatever), but I can’t see anything inherently wrong with sending a form letter to each state saying, basically: We’d like to collect data sets A, B, C, and D, but since we don’t know all the various laws each state has, we’re only asking you for the stuff that your state legally allows to be given out to the public. Right you are **John Mace**. Unfortunately that is not how it is perceived when President Trump blasted more than two dozen states refusing to comply with his election integrity commission’s request for voter data, asking [“What are they trying to hide?”](http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/340348-trump-on-states-denying-voter-data-what-are-they-trying-to-hide) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/13 "2017-07-02T04:23:30Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > … > Question, though: If all he wants is legal information that is already publicly available, then why write his letter to all the secretaries of state? Why not just… gather the information?.. Political grandstanding for his base? Trump wants to be seen _doing something_ about the _voter fraud_ carried out by _illegal immigrants_ and their _liberal elite_ enablers? If all they did was quietly shuffle paperwork then nobody would know how busy he is _ **Making America Great Again!** _ ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/14 "2017-07-02T05:17:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > So it’s not like it’s on a website to be downloaded by anyone who wants it. That’s actually how it works [in Ohio](https://www6.sos.state.oh.us/ords/f?p=111:1). ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/15 "2017-07-02T05:32:38Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > To this add their shameful gerrymandering, voter suppression efforts like robocalls telling people to vote on the wrong day and their predictable resistance to paper ballot (meaning verifiable) voting, and I think you can readily see why some folks are skitty of their reasons for gathering additional information on voters that could easily be manipulated into further suppression efforts. I don’t think it can be plausibly asserted that there is no basis for suspicion on the part of the public about the purpose for which the information may be used. Is the gerrymandering by blue states like Illinois or Maryland also shameful, or is it Ok because you get your desired result? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/16 "2017-07-02T15:47:00Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Is the gerrymandering by blue states like Illinois or Maryland also shameful, or is it Ok because you get your desired result? Seems like the only impetus for your post is to insinuate I would hypocritically support gerrymandering to ensure a favored political result for the left but not for the right. I don’t know why you would make such a dumb, erroneous assumption and you have no basis for it. It’s rude and insulting – which I believe is the point of your post. If there is another point to your post, please explain it. Otherwise, looks like you’re just trolling. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/17 "2017-07-02T16:25:03Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > If there is another point to your post, please explain it. Your post was specifically about Republicans, and you said “their shameful gerrymandering”. No mention of Democratic gerrymandering. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/releasing-voter-info-for-selected-voters-legal/790305/18 "2017-07-02T17:07:25Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Your post was specifically about Republicans, and you said “their shameful gerrymandering”. > > No mention of Democratic gerrymandering. Because we’re discussing attempts of the _Republican_ party and its administration to cloak voter suppression efforts in a so-called “Commission on Voter Integrity.” That’s the thread. There’s no need to discuss what Democrats are doing, if anything, in this thread. If you think Democrats are conducting an equivalent systematic suppression effort, by all means, start that thread.