Rep. Bryan Steil Discusses DOJ Investigation into Illinois Voter Registration

Election Integrity and Voter List Maintenance

• 🗳️ Voter list maintenance is crucial for election integrity, involving adding new voters and removing ineligible ones (deceased, relocated, duplicate registrants).
• ⚠️ Inaccurate voter rolls can lead to election fraud and erode public confidence, especially with mail-in voting where ballots might be sent to outdated addresses.

National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) Standards

• ⚖️ The NVRA includes voter list maintenance requirements, but its current standard for compliance is arguably low, allowing states to avoid proper maintenance.
• 🏛️ Litigation has shown that minimal maintenance is often considered compliant, and lawsuits allege states are failing to maintain voter rolls effectively.

DOJ Investigation into Illinois

• 🔍 The Department of Justice filed a statement of interest regarding the NVRA's enforcement against Illinois, alleging that 34 counties failed to disclose data showing voter maintenance.
• 📊 This lack of transparency in voter list maintenance undermines both legal compliance and voter confidence.

Data Access and Citizenship Verification

• 🤝 States need accurate and timely data for list maintenance, with some, like Virginia, entering into MOUs with neighbors to exchange voter data.
• ✅ It is critical that states utilize federal citizenship verification resources, such as the enhanced system from US Citizenship and Immigration Services, to ensure only US citizens are voting.
• 📈 Proper voter list maintenance requires efficient, effective, and accurate access to data, along with thorough and routine updates, to protect election security.