Some states just want to fan fraud flames

Conspiracy theorists who claim falsely that the nation’s electoral systems are awash in voter fraud often note that voter registration lists contain the names of people who are not eligible to vote. The claim is as true as it is misleading. When a voter moves, say, from Pennsylvania to New Jersey, notifying the local elections office often is not the first order of business. Likewise, a family dealing with the death of a loved one probably won’t notify the local elections administrator.

So names remain on registration lists even though the individuals can’t vote. That’s why election offices in every state regularly purge from lists the names of people who have not voted in multiple consecutive elections.

Voter fraud does not occur unless an ineligible person casts a ballot — which remains extremely rare. But it still makes good sense to keep voter registration lists as up-to-date as possible.

In 2012, Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, Utah, Virginia and Washington created the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). It since has grown to include 30 states, including Pennsylvania.

ERIC uses a vast array of information — vehicle registrations and licenses, tax data, state death records and more — to update registration lists.

But now, based on nothing more than more unfounded claims from former President Donald Trump that ERIC somehow serves Democratic interests, Republican-led Missouri, Florida, West Virginia, Louisiana and Alabama have quit ERIC.

Their decision further proves that on the far right, the true interest is not in fighting fraud, but in keeping fraud rumors alive.