Counties Are Failing to Keep Voter Rolls Clean

[Geee]

Human Events:

Clarke County, Mississippi has more people registered to vote than are alive. And my firm, the Public Interest Legal Foundation, on behalf of the American Civil Rights Union (ACRU), is doing something about it.

 

First, some context. You’ve likely heard of the “Motor Voter” act passed in the early 90’s, but you may not recall the specifics of the law. Called the “National Voter Registration Act”, it was touted as a means of making voter registration easier. Congress created a standardized federal registration form and, among other things, required states to promote voter registration including, enter the nickname, when someone applies for a driver’s license.

 

A lesser-known provision of the Act requires local election officials to maintain the voter registration lists regularly. In short, the officials must make reasonable efforts to ensure that the voter lists are as accurate as possible. This includes seemingly-obvious steps such as removing deceased voters as well as those who have moved away.