Lawyers’ Committee Statement on The Election Integrity Commission’s Renewed Push for Personal Voter Data
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 28, 2017
Washington, D.C. — Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, released the following statement after Kris Kobach’s, vice-chair of the Election Integrity Commission, renewed effort to obtain personal voter data:
“Once again, the so-called Election Integrity Commission is attempting to amass personal data on millions of American voters to promote its dangerous agenda. Reports of voters around the country seeking to remove their names from the voter registration rolls demonstrate the chilling effect of this Commission and its misbegotten request. We urge states to fully reject offering any support to this voter suppression scheme.
“We also urge voters not to remove themselves from the rolls. Lawyers’ Committee stands ready to support you. Voters should not let the Commission take away their most precious right. If any voter has any questions, please contact us at 866-OUR-VOTE.”
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law has undertaken a series of comprehensive actions to challenge the Pence-Kobach Commission. This includes: the launch of a hotline for the public to report instances of voter suppression (866-OUR-VOTE); letters sent to Secretaries of State demanding they not comply with Mr. Kobach’s request for voter roll data; filing a Hatch Act complaint against Mr. Kobach regarding his repeated exploitation of his Commission role to solicit campaign contributions and promote his candidacy for Governor of Kansas; requesting documents regarding the Commission made pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA); and urging Secretaries of State to adopt a bipartisan resolution condemning the so-called Election Integrity Commission.
About the Lawyers’ Committee:
The Lawyers’ Committee, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 54th year, the Lawyers’ Committee is continuing its quest “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.