Wes Allen announces state’s withdrawal from ERIC system
Secretary of State-Elect Wes Allen announced on Wednesday that he has mailed a letter to the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) to inform the corporation of Alabama’s intent to withdraw from participation in their system. “I made a promise that I would withdraw Alabama from ERIC, and I am keeping that promise,” Allen said in a statement. “I have informed them, via certified letter, that upon my inauguration on January 16, 2023, Alabama will immediately and permanently cease to transmit any information regarding any citizen in the State of Alabama to their organization and that we will no longer participate in any aspect of the ERIC program.” The ERIC system is a nonprofit organization that collects information from 32 member states, including the District of Columbia. ERIC is a database with names, addresses, and partial social security numbers of hundreds of thousands of private citizens. ERIC is used to clean up the voter rolls. “I have heard repeatedly as I traveled through the state for the last year and a half that people want us out of ERIC,” Allen continued. “They don’t want their personal information or the personal information of their children to be sent to this out-of-state group. I promised I would end our participation, and that is what I am taking these steps to do.” Allen mailed identical letters to ERIC Executive Director Shane Hamlin, ERIC Chair Mandi Grandjean, and Systems Data Specialist Sarah Whitt, informing them of his intent to cease cooperation with the group. Allen informed them that he will mail another letter upon his inauguration on January 16, 2023, on official government letterhead. ERIC is costing the state of Alabama just $25,000 a year in membership fees to ERIC. Allen has expressed concerns about the frequent transfers of sensitive data to the ERIC databases. Allen’s withdrawal will put an end to those payments and data transfers. It is unclear what system the state of Alabama will put in place to maintain the integrity of its voter rolls without ERIC. Allen was elected as Secretary of State last week and has already begun the transition to a new administration in the Secretary of State’s office. Current Secretary of State John Merrill was term-limited from running again. Merrill has defended the use of the ERIC system. “It is important to note that currently, ERIC is the only organization capable of providing the necessary data for proper voter list maintenance,” Merrill stated. “In Alabama, ERIC is used to preserve a clean and accurate voter list and to contact eligible residents who are not registered voters. Each month, we provide ERIC with a voters list and driver’s license data, and we receive information from ERIC for voter list maintenance in return. Monthly, our office receives a list of voter records that potentially need to be removed or inactivated based on deceased records from the Social Security Administration, potential duplicate voter records in Alabama, or voters that have potentially moved out of the state.” Allen is a former Pike County judge, and he has served one term in the Alabama House of Representatives representing Pike and Dale Counties. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
John Merrill initiates program to increase Alabama voter registration
More Alabamians will be voting in the upcoming municipal elections and the general election in November if Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has anything to do with it. Merrill announced Thursday approximately 1.2 million eligible Alabamians who either are not registered to vote or in need of updating voter registration information will receive a Mail-In Voter Registration Application thanks to the state’s new partnership with the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). ERIC — whose sole mission is assisting states to improve the accuracy of America’s voter rolls and increase access to voter registration for all eligible citizens — will identify eligible citizens who are not yet registered to vote using a combination of public and private data to more accurately identify voters who have moved or died allowing voter rolls to be appropriately updated. Current, unregistered Alabama residents will receive a voter registration application in the mail from the secretary of state’s office following identification by ERIC. Those in Alabama receiving the application can register to vote or update information by mailing their form back in to their local Board of Registrars, visiting alabamavotes.gov/vote or downloading the Vote for Alabama app. “I would also like to thank ERIC and the Pew Charitable Trusts for ensuring this effort was made possible. Because of their assistance, voter registration is now as efficient and effective as ever,” said Secretary Merrill. “As long as I am Alabama’s secretary of state, we will continue our innovative efforts to ensure that every eligible U.S. citizen that is a resident of Alabama is exercising their right to vote.” Seven states pioneered the formation of ERIC in 2012: Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. Washington D.C., Oregon, Connecticut, Louisiana, and Minnesota joined in 2014. Alabama, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island in 2015. Alaska, Ohio, New Mexico, West Virginia and Wisconsin in 2016. Since ERIC’s creation, the organization has helped states identify over three million out-of-date registrations, including: 12 million unregistered voters identified 623,358 voters who moved across state lines, but did not update their registration 2,790,051 voters who moved within their state, but did not update their registration 54,700 duplicate registrations 150,062 deceased voters
