Arkansas Joins 44 States & DC: We Won’t Hand Over Voters’ ‘Most Sensitive Data’

Arizona: “We will only make available the same redacted information that is available to the general public through a public records request,” Secretary of State Michele Reagan said in a statement Friday. “Social security numbers, Date of Birth and identifying information such as Mother’s maiden name will not be transmitted. Arizona’s voters can expect to have their personal information remain private and safe.”

Arkansas: “The request is simply too broad and includes sensitive information of Arkansas voters. The Secretary has indicated that he will not provide Arkansas voters’ most sensitive data,” Governor Asa Hutchinson said in a statement Wednesday.

California: “I will not provide sensitive voter information to a commission that has already inaccurately passed judgment that millions of Californians voted illegally. …” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement Thursday. “California’s participation would only serve to legitimize the false and already debunked claims of massive voter fraud made by the President, the Vice President, and Mr. Kobach. The President’s Commission is a waste of taxpayer money and a distraction from the real threats to the integrity of our elections today: aging voting systems and documented Russian interference in our elections.”

Colorado: “We are very glad they are asking for information before making decisions. I wish more federal agencies would ask folks for their opinion and for information before they made decisions,” Secretary of State Wayne Williams said in a press release Thursday, which noted that his office will release voter-roll information that is public under state law but withhold data that is confidential.

Connecticut: “Given Secretary Kobach’s history we find it very difficult to have confidence in the work of this Commission,” Secretary of State Denise Merrill said in a statement Thursday.

District of Columbia: “The best thing I can do to instill confidence among DC residents in our elections is to protect their personal identifiable information from the Commission on Election Integrity. Its request for voter information, such as social security numbers, serves no legitimate purpose and only raises questions on its intent. I will join leaders of states around the country and work with our partners on the Council to protect our residents from this intrusion,” DC mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement.

Delaware: “Releasing this information to the White House would not serve the mission of safeguarding the fairness and integrity of elections in Delaware and would not be in the best interests of Delaware voters,” said State Election Commissioner Elaine Manlove said in a statement Monday. Sec. of State Jeffrey Bullock echoed the sentiment in the same statement: “Delaware will not be a party to this disingenuous and inappropriate campaign against one of the nation’s foundational institutions.”

Florida: “We have received the letter. We are reviewing it,” Director of Communications Sarah Revell told CNN Monday. The Florida Senate, meanwhile, has written letter in opposition to the commission’s request.

Michigan: “As in most other states, Michigan law does provide for disclosure of some basic public voter information,” Secretary Ruth Johnson’s office said in a Facebook post Monday. “Political parties, candidates and news organizations routinely request and receive this data. State law for decades has allowed anyone to review voter lists to ensure election integrity. … Michigan will certainly not go beyond what is legally required in any response to this data request, and we are highly sensitive to people’s desires to keep what is private as private.”

Minnesota: “I will not hand over Minnesota voters’ sensitive personal information to the commission,” Secretary of State Steve Simon said in a statement Friday. “As I’ve said before, I have serious doubts about the commission’s credibility and trustworthiness. Its two co-chairs have publicly backed President Trump’s false and irresponsible claim that millions of ineligible votes were cast in the last election. They, along with other recent appointees, appear to have a strong interest in steering the commission toward their predetermined conclusions and outcomes. I fear that the commission risks becoming a partisan tool to shut out millions of eligible American voters.”

Mississippi: “My reply would be: They can go jump in the Gulf of Mexico, and Mississippi is a great State to launch from,” Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said in a statement Friday. “Mississippi residents should celebrate Independence Day and our State’s right to protect the privacy of our citizens by conducting our own electoral processes.”

Missouri: “The commission’s letter asks for ‘publicly-available’ information, which we would share with any person or organization making an open records request,”Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said in a statement Friday. “We will protect Missourians’ private information. The laws of each state are different, and in Missouri, some of the data requested by the commission is open to the public. We plan to comply by providing publicly-available information per state law. The commission’s questions are fair and we will be glad to assist in offering our thoughts on these important matters. I look forward to working with Sec. Kris Kobach and the commission on its findings and offer our support in the collective effort to enhance the American people’s confidence in the integrity of the elections process.”

Montana: Secretary of State Corey Stapleton won’t release voters’ birthdays or Social Security numbers to the president’s commission on election integrity, director of elections and voter services Derek Oestreicher told the Independent Record Friday.

Nebraska: “The Secretary of State has not had a chance to review the request submitted,” a spokesperson told CNN Monday.

Nevada: “While this request has understandably raised concerns with privacy advocates, voter registration information in Nevada is generally available for public inspection under state law, including name, address, date of birth, and whether the voter participated in a prior election,” Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske said in a statement Friday. “Election officials in Nevada do, however, collect certain information that is not considered a public record under state law and is therefore not available for public inspection. This information includes: Social Security Number; Driver’s License Number; DMV Identification Card Number; and Email Address.”

New Hampshire: “There’s no information (here) someone can’t publicly get anyway,” Secretary of State Bill Gardner told the Concord Monitor Friday. “People have the right to purchase it, only what’s public by law.”

New Jersey: No response to CNN.

New Mexico: “My office has not yet received the letter from President Trump’s election commission requesting the personal information of New Mexico voters,” Democratic Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said in a statement Friday. “That being said, I will never release the personally identifiable information of New Mexico voters protected by law, including their social security number and birthdate. Further, I will not release any other voter information like names, addresses or voting history unless and until I am convinced the information will not be used for nefarious or unlawful purposes, and only if I am provided a clear plan for how it will be secured.”

“It seems to maybe be a fishing expedition or a witch hunt of some kind, and I’m very concerned about that,” Toulouse Oliver said Tuesday on CNN’s New Day.

New York: “The electoral process is sacred and New York law has strong safeguards in place to prevent sharing of sensitive voter data and harassment against those who exercise their right to vote…New York refuses to perpetuate the myth voter fraud played a role in our election…We will not be complying with this request and I encourage the Election Commission to work on issues of vital importance to voters, including ballot access, rather than focus on debunked,” said Governor Andrew Cuomo in a statement Friday.

North Carolina: “Integrity of our elections is critical, and a recent State Board of Elections investigation already found there was no evidence of significant voter fraud in North Carolina,” Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement on Twitter Friday. “My staff has told the State Board of Elections that we should not participate in providing sensitive information beyond what is public record as it is unnecessary, and because I have concerns that it is an effort to justify the President’s false claims about voter fraud.”