The Electronic Privacy Information Center alerted secretaries of state on Monday that it filed a complaint seeking a temporary restraining order over the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity’s request that states provide publicly available voter data.
The commission, which was created in May by an executive order from President Donald Trump, asked in a June 28 letter for information including names, addresses, dates of birth and, if available, the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The commission is tasked with identifying practices that enhance or undermine voter confidence in the electoral system and vulnerabilities that could be exploited through voter fraud.
There were various reactions from states. Some states’ election officials refused to comply. Last week, Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams said he would provide voters’ names, mailing addresses, birth year, party affiliation (if any) and if they voted last year or in previous years. Williams said his office won’t provide driver’s license numbers, full or partial Social Security numbers, full dates of birth or voter signatures on file because Colorado open records law doesn’t allow it. He also said he would not provide the commission information about how anyone voted because he has no idea.
In its letter to election officials Monday, the center said “until the Judge rules on the (temporary restraining order), we request that you hold on submitting any data.”
Williams said he would wait for additional communication before releasing any data.