The South Carolina Election Commission will not be sharing any voter data the White House’s bogus “election integrity” commission, citing state laws that prohibits sharing that type of information with any agency outside the state, according to a statement from the spokesperson for the agency, Chris Whitmire.
“The S.C. State Election Commission (SEC), in considering the request for voter data made by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity (PACEI), has carefully reviewed applicable state law and has consulted with the South Carolina Attorney General’s office. The SEC has determined that release of voter data to anyone who is not a registered South Carolina voter is not permitted by state law. The agency may only provide voter data to registered South Carolina voters. This rule is not specific to the PACEI request and applies to any request for voter data from any individual or organization from outside the state.”
Whitmire said some of the information requested by the President’s election integrity panel is either not collected by the state’s election commission or is never released.
“At no time does the SEC release Social Security Numbers, in whole or in part, to anyone, whether a voter or not. The SEC has no data on a voter’s party affiliation, as South Carolina does not have registration by party. At no time does the SEC have any information about how people vote, only information about which elections a voter has participated in,” the statement said.
The President’s election integrity panel asked all 50 states to share voter data information with the commission, from voter’s addresses and party affiliations to the last four digits of social security numbers. At least 44 states have responded saying they either won’t provide any of the requested data or just a portion of it. Most states have cited privacy concerns as reason for their refusal.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), who is the vice chair of the panel, released a statement Wednesday combatting media reports that 44 states have refused the request. He said only 14 states had outright refused to share the voter data.
I’m guessing Lindsey Gal swooned onto his fainting couch with this un-American news…
I’m proud of all of the states which have refused this invasive, possibly-illegal example of overreach by the Trump Criminal Organization. This is really beyond the pale, but not unexpected from this gang of thugs.
Well… Is there anybody, I mean anybody outside Trump’s immediate circle who is really going to bat for this nonsense?
I don’t think I’ve seen such an unpopular initiative in my adult life, and certainly not something with so much bipartisan rejection.
The Trump-loving governor who moved up because Trump sent Haley off to the UN didn’t fight for this stupid commission? I tell ya, that’s the most unkindest cut of all.
@etylczak And it’s so early in his term. It’d be one thing to reject PotUS in year seven, but six months in?
If I were a Secretary of State, I would release publically available information strictly IAW procedures. Usually a form, a check, and certainly not wholesale information. Probably transmitted on xeroxed paper by snail mail.