To: State Election Officials
Don't Assist the Trump-Kobach Voter Suppression Commission
As our state's elections official, we demand you fully reject the request from the Trump’s "Commission on Election Integrity" for personal information on every voter. Trump set up this commission for the purpose of suppressing the vote of people of color, younger voters, and others. The commission now aims to create a massive national database that will put our personal privacy at risk and pave the way for a nationalized voter suppression campaign. You should refuse to participate or enable this effort in any way.
Why is this important?
Donald Trump created the "Commission on Election Integrity" to legitimize his lies about voter fraud, and to advance Republican efforts to suppress the votes of people of color, young people and others. Trump named Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, the leader in the national vote suppression effort, to serve as vice chair, alongside Vice President Mike Pence.
Now Kobach has asked states to submit personal information on every voter to his commission. There’s every reason to suspect that Kobach aims to nationalize his “Crosscheck” program, which has been used in several states to disqualify large numbers of eligible voters on pretextual grounds. Hacking of the data also poses a massive privacy risk and, according to Michael Chertoff, secretary of Homeland Security in the Bush administration, a national security risk, as well.
While some states have already stood up to Trump’s sham commission, many have agreed to partially comply. We need each and every state to reject this unprecedented request entirely.
Now Kobach has asked states to submit personal information on every voter to his commission. There’s every reason to suspect that Kobach aims to nationalize his “Crosscheck” program, which has been used in several states to disqualify large numbers of eligible voters on pretextual grounds. Hacking of the data also poses a massive privacy risk and, according to Michael Chertoff, secretary of Homeland Security in the Bush administration, a national security risk, as well.
While some states have already stood up to Trump’s sham commission, many have agreed to partially comply. We need each and every state to reject this unprecedented request entirely.