The Independent View: Electionline Weekly July-13-2017

Elections Officials Nationwide are dealing with Voters’ calls about Trump's Election Commissions Data Request. Some just want more Information, others want to Unregister. This Commission doing nothing could create one of the Largest Voter Suppression ever.

The Calls to the Denver Elections Office began on July 5th, the Day after the Nation celebrated the 241st Anniversary of its Independence. Right away the Office realized the Magnitude of what was happening. Before the week was over the Office had seen more than a Twenty-fold Increase in voters seeking to Withdraw their Voter Registration. “To see more people withdrawing in a day than new registrations is certainly something that I never expected to see in my over-12-years of administering elections,” Amber McReynolds, Director of Elections in Denver recently told NPR.

Blue State, Red State, Swing State, and Elections Officials Nationwide have been fielding phone calls and emails, as well as questions via social media, from Voters concerned about the recent Request for Voter Data from the President’s Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.

But what is interesting, in many Sates,for a small Fee, you can have your Voting Information taken out of the Public Database and placed in the Protected Database.

Legislative Updates

District of Columbia: The Council of the District of Columbia has voted unanimously to Reject the White House’s request for Voter Data. The Bill makes it Illegal for the D.C. Board of Elections to Provide the Presidential Commission with Information about Voters other than what is already Publicly available.

Georgia: According to Media Reports, Legislation to require any New Voting Machines purchased by the State to have a Paper Trail has picked up Bipartisan Support. House Bill 641 was Filed by Rep. Scott Turner (R-Holly Springs) and has received the Support of Rep. Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta) who hopes to push the Bill through so New Machines can be in place by 2018.

New Hampshire: Gov. Chris Sununu (R) has Signed Senate Bill 3 into Law. The new Law requires those who Register within 30 days of an Election or on Election Day to show Proof that they Live in the Communities they Claim as their Domiciles.

Legal Updates

Colorado: Sarilu Sosa-Sanchez, 59 has been Charged with Six Counts of Voter Fraud for allegedly submitting Ballots on behalf of her Deceased Parents in multiple Elections from 2009-2013.

Illinois: A Member of the Rock Island County Board is under Investigation by the County Sheriff’s Department after County Clerk Karen Kinney reported the Board Member for Photographing Voting Machines in a County building.

Iowa: An Iowa woman Charged with Voting Twice in the November 2016 General Election has pleaded Guilty. Terri Lynn Rote, 56 of Des Moines entered a Plea on June 27th. Rote submitted Two Absentee Ballots.

Michigan: Grout Township Clerk Linda Birgel has been Charged with Ballot Tampering. She turned herself into Authorities on June 29th and was Released on $10,000 Bond. Birgel is Charged with Felony Disclosing and Obstructing Votes and Absentee Ballot Tampering. She is also Charged with a Misdemeanor of Failure to Perform Duties.

Texas: The U.S. Department of Justice has Filed Paperwork with U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos that the Changes to Texas’ Voter ID Law Approved by the Legislature in 2017 “eradicates any discriminatory effect or intent” of the 2011. This is a Reversal from the DOJ’s Previous Position.

Hays County, has received a Litigation Hold to Preserve Documents and Equipment related to the 2016 General Election, including Computer Audit Logs, Incident Reports, Handwritten Notebooks of Election Staff, and Employee Files for Past and Present Elections Staff. At least 1,816 Ballots have been Verified as Missing in that Election.

In Dallas County, Prosecutors have Charged Miguel Hernandez, 27, of Illegal Voting. Hernandez is Accused of Collecting at least one Mail-In Ballot from a Voter, filling in a Vote for Dallas City Council and Forging the Voter's Signature.

U.S. Virgin Island: Superior Court Judge Kathleen Mackay has Ruled that the St. Thomas-St. John District Board of Elections must Certify the April 8th Special Election Results.