No final decision and no decision final: The Alaska Division of Elections is evaluating its membership in the ERIC database system, which is the Electronic Registration Information Center that helps states keep their voter rolls accurate.
Nine of 33 member states have dropped out of ERIC membership because of concerns about the organization’s partisan origins, current political biases, connections with leftist groups, and various data policies that appear to favor Democrats.
The Pew Charitable Trusts, which gets funding from George Soros, was party to the creation of ERIC with an initial grant, but has no official role with the organization currently. Yet suspicions remain. Pew Charitable Trusts has given grants to several states — including Alaska under former Gov. Bill Walker — to take part in ERIC.
Earlier this year, three more states — Missouri, Florida and West Virginia — left ERIC. Then Ohio and Iowa left at the same time. Recently, the Texas legislature passed a bill to withdraw from ERIC. That bill has passed both the House and Senate.
That leaves only 24 states and the District of Columbia that will be part of the ERIC information-sharing system by this fall.
“As Secretary of State, I have an obligation to protect the personal information of Florida’s citizens, which the ERIC agreement requires us to share,” said Florida Secretary of State, Cord Byrd, when Florida withdrew on March 6. “Florida has tried to back reforms to increase protections, but these protections were refused. Therefore, we have lost confidence in ERIC.”
“I cannot justify the use of Ohio’s tax dollars for an organization that seems intent on rejecting meaningful accountability, publicly maligning my motives, and waging a relentless campaign of misinformation about this effort,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose wrote in his letter explaining the separation from ERIC.
Alaska officials, however, are continuously weighing the value of staying, because the information is still valuable to law enforcement officers who are investigating voter fraud, officials said. But these officials are keenly aware that as fewer states participate, the value diminishes.
The dues to belong may be also higher with fewer participants.
The remaining members of ERIC are:
Alaska
Arizona
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
(Iowa leaves June 2023)
Kentucky
Maine
Massachusetts
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
(Ohio leaves June 2023)
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
(Texas has voted to leave, date uncertain)
Utah
Vermont
(Virginia leaves August 2023)
Washington
Wisconsin
District of Columbia
