Arkansas is only state to submit voter data to Trump election panel: reports
Arkansas is the only state as of Friday to submit data to President Trump’s voter integrity commission, according to the Justice Department.
Arkansas uploaded information at the request of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity on Thursday, according to reports by Buzzfeed and The Washington Times.
“It may be that our submission was the only one so far, we have no idea on what schedule other states have for submitting their data,” said Chris Powell, the assistant director for communications and education at the Arkansas secretary of state’s office. “Since we were submitting the data electronically, we saw no reason for delaying our submission.”
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A district court on Friday heard an argument against the legality of the commission’s request that all states share voter information, including voter names, birth dates, the last four digits of their Social Security numbers and party affiliation.
The request, signed by commission vice chairman and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R), was for information publicly available under each state’s laws.
Most states are refusing to provide some or all of the information. Arkansas’ Gov. Asa Hutchinson said his state would provide some data that would not include “sensitive information.”
“Voter lists are considered public information and the commission’s request was essentially no different than any other data request that we receive on a routine basis,” Powell told The Hill. “We are certainly mindful regarding voters’ sensitive information, and we are also mindful of the law in Arkansas.”
Some secretaries of state raised concerns about the commission’s method of collection – a government website that states were asked to use to upload data.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is suing the Trump administration over the request, arguing the commission is breaking federal data and privacy laws.
US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia heard arguments by EPIC as well as the DOJ’s defense. Justice Department attorneys disclosed the information about Arkansas in court.
Kollar-Kotelly promised she would attempt to issue a written ruling as soon as possible.
– This report was updated on July 8 at 11:37 a.m.