Fla. leaders talk about fighting election fraud, then do nothing

As Florida refuses to act, another state joins a nationwide pact to improve voter security and reduce the risk of voter fraud.

Kentucky became the 28th state to join the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a non-profit compact in which states share encrypted voter registration data to track dual registrations and rid rolls of deceased voters. Florida has among the highest rates of in- and out-migration, and that trend could be increasing, yet it stubbornly refuses to join ERIC.

Now consider that the two states bordering Florida — Alabama and Georgia — are both members. What gives?

The state’s refusal to act, a year after the Legislature passed a law authorizing it, is a thumb in the eye to the state’s 67 supervisors of elections. Joining ERIC is a long-standing priority of supervisors, who see it as enhancing the credibility of the statewide voter database and bolstering public confidence in the integrity of elections after attempted Russian hacks in 2016.

At a statewide conference in May, supervisors confronted state officials on the issue, but got vague responses, even as Gov. Ron DeSantis talked about the need to protect the security of elections. That’s rank hypocrisy, and it’s insulting to the professionals who run Florida elections. They deserve a full explanation for the state’s silence on this issue.

Here’s the dark secret state officials won’t discuss: ERIC also promotes voter registration. Membership in ERIC requires states to do an annual outreach effort to encourage unregistered adults to join the rolls. ERIC estimated that more than 4 million Floridians are eligible, but unregistered. In a state with an unmatched record of incredibly close statewide elections, that would be a political game-changer in 2020. Republicans shamelessly see it as too great a risk, even at the expense of a program that could reduce voter fraud.

Steve Schneider, a Hollywood resident, emailed supervisors on ERIC membership, and found unanimous enthusiasm for joining the compact. A typical response came from Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Wendy Link, a DeSantis appointee, who wrote: “Restoring voter confidence in all aspects of our system is critical to us, and participation in ERIC would be a big step toward addressing dual-state voter registration.”

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes announced her state’s decision to join ERIC “to ensure the integrity of our elections and the accuracy of Kentucky’s voter rolls.” Wouldn’t you like to see that from someone in Florida? Well, don’t bet on it. Grimes is a Democrat elected statewide and Florida Secretary of State Laurel Lee is a political appointee reporting to DeSantis, who needs to ensure that President Donald Trump wins Florida again.

When voter turnout is low, Republicans usually win, and both parties know that the higher the turnout, the more likely a Democrat will win the White House. Remember that the next time you hear a Republican blathering on about protecting election security.