Though almost half the states have declined to provide voter registration data to a presidential panel investigating alleged fraud, officials in Florida and Flagler County are opting to comply with the request even as Democrats and some state legislators called for non-compliance. Flagler County isn;t complying directly. It is doing so through a database available to the state, so no local work hours or resources are being used to comply.
But some voters are responding individually–by cancelling their voter registration. It started with one voter doing so in Flagler on Thursday, and several more have been calling or visiting the Flagler supervisor’s office to cancel their registration today, Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart said. Lenhart became so concerned that, even though she’d written a statement Thursday explaining the county’s and the state’s compliance, she wrote an open letter to voters today to try to stem the growing number of voters looking to drop off the rolls. (See the full letter here.)
“We’ve had several today. Just one is too many in my opinion. We’ve heard from several people this afternoon who are concerned about their privacy,” Lenhart said in an interview this afternoon. But the cancellations will not stop the county’s voter registration information from being made available to the federal commission, through the state.
“Not all of the data will be provided, as I expected,” Lenhart said the Thursday statement. “This has been treated as a public records request and in the state of Florida, your Social Security number and Driver’s License / Florida ID numbers are exempt from public disclosure. Florida will only provide that information which is already publicly available. Just to clarify, this request was made of the Florida Secretary of State, not of Flagler County.”
Lenhart continued: “This public information being provided to the Commission includes: voter name, addresses, date of birth, political affiliation and voting history. You vote by secret ballot, so the public voter history information is not ‘how’ you voted, but instead, the elections in which you participate. Social security numbers are never public record and they are not shared to anyone who requests public records by your local Elections Office.”
The federal commission asked for the last four digits of every voter’s Social Security number. Those numbers will not be in the information provided out of Florida.
Lenhart stressed her opposition to information that could be turned into a federal voter database. “I also do not believe any information provided by any state to this Commission will be used to create a national voter registration database and certainly would not recommend this for security, legal and practical reasons. One strength of our elections process is the fact that it is decentralized. Elections in Florida are independently conducted in each county by competent, transparent, elected Supervisors of Elections who are working for you every day to maintain the integrity of the voter rolls and security of the process.”
A concern about the “politicizing” of the electoral system even as no evidence of fraud has surfaced.
Lenhard blamed the current climate for “the politicizing of our voter system,” which she said is resulting in apathy and undermining the trust in the electoral system. She’s been fielding calls from voters for the past few days.
Lenhart says it’s not known what the federal commission will determine from its investigations. “If they’re just using the information we’re providing, they’re going to get a lot of false positives,” she said. One example, said said, makes the point: there are 1,820 people registered as “John Smith” in Florida alone. They may all vote in any given election. That could appear as if the same person is voting repeatedly, across the state.
President Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud in the United States have repeatedly and forcefully been debunked by analysts, media, fact-checkers upon fact-checkers, and supervisors of election, among them Flagler’s own Kaiti Lenhart.
In Flagler County specifically, there has not been a single documented instance of voter fraud in the last two elections. During the last primary, there was the case of a man who tried to vote twice. He did so intentionally, he said, to test the system and see if he’d be caught. He’d cast a ballot in early voting, and tried to do so again on Election Day. He was caught. In other words, the system’s verification procedures worked as planned. But even such attempted cases of fraud are extremely rare. There have, in addition, been cases of a few individuals casting ballots or registering to vote before the supervisor’s office received notice from the state their their eligibility had been revoked, once they have been sentenced as felons. But again, those are matters of delayed documentation from the state reaching the local office, and they are extremely rare.
Similar evidence prevails across the country. Despite the lack of evidence of fraud, the president has continued to make the same false claims.
On May 11, he signed an executive order creating a Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. The stated goal of the commission is to examine elections and registration procedures across the country and investigate claims of fraud.
The request triggered an uproar from state officials, Democrats and Republicans alike. By Thursday, 22 states and the District of Columbia said they would not comply, including solidly Republican states (among them Kentucky, Tennessee, the Dakotas, Nebraska, Mississippi and South Carolina). Louisiana, as about half a dozen states haven informed the commission it could buy what legally available documents are available, but otherwise the state would not comply. “You’re not going to play politics with Louisiana’s voter data,” Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler said in a statement.
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh called the request “repugnant” and said it was illegal, as it appears, he wrote in a statement, “designed only to intimidate voters and to indulge President Trump’s fantasy that he won the popular vote.”
The concerns find an echo locally, even as the county is complying with the commission’s request.
“I spent a majority of the past two days personally responding to each of the Flagler County voters who expressed your concerns by email and phone. It is disheartening to have received one request from a voter who asked to cancel their voter registration. If you have considered this, I would ask that you remember your vote is your voice in government. Your vote is counted in every election. We just celebrated together Independence Day, the founding of this great nation, in honor of all who fought and died for our freedom. An active, informed electorate builds a strong community. Stay registered AND vote in every election!”
Anonymous says
well no big deal really–out of 100k people here only like—-50 people aren’t felons and can vote anyway,no major work to be done here
Shark says
The president is an idiot !!!!! It’s jest a smokescreen to take the heat off of his brother putin !!!!!
Anonymous says
I hope the people who took themselves off the voter rolls were democrats.
steve miller says
You have to be a real idiot to cancel your voter registration for these reasons and /or you have too much time on your hands…geeezzz
justin says
I agree with Anonymous!
tulip says
I find it interesting that people want to unregister to vote, yet most people type in all kinds of personal information about themselves into their cell phone, which can be lost, stolen, or hacked, but it doesn’t seem to be a worry. Not only that, just because you unregister to vote doesn’t mean it disappears from the internet or past lists.
Hillary asked her governor friend in Virginia to allow all the felons to vote, even though they hadn’t been proven to earn the privilege yet after being let out of prison. Can’t imagine who they voted for LOL. Perhaps that had something to do with Trump’s unreasonable request. Also, the Clintons saw to it that an announcement was made that Hillary was the nominee right before California was to vote. Therefore, a lot of people switched their vote from Sanders to her. If that hadn’t have happened, Sanders would’ve got more votes BUT Trump still wouldn’t have got the popular vote either. It’s a huge red state. He’s a jerk to pursue it and nobody really cares anyway. He sure sets a crappy image for son Barron. I feel sorry for him.
So, chill out, think it through and stay registered because by the time the next election rolls around, you’ll be back re registering in order to vote for your favorite candidates.
Watching Closely says
Not at all surprised that Scott would attempt to suck up to 45 and go along with this BS. Sad thing for him though…45 won’t be 45 for very long before there will be a 46 and his sucking up will have been for naught.
Freddy says
If they un-register all the illegal aliens that voted, the democrat voting rolls will drop throughout the country.
Anonymous says
I’m sure if hillary asked for the info it wouldn’t be unreasonable.
Gkimp says
If a State doesn’t comply that state shouldn’t be allowed to vote in National elections.
PCer says
This is scary stuff. Only totalitarian regimes want to know specifics on voter information. Why does he need to know party affiliation unless it is to punish those who did not vote for him. Open your eyes people, this is NOT GOOD.
Fredrick says
“Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.”
~ Joseph Heller
What about the fact that it is already public info do you people not understand?
[email protected] says
We give our data with NO plan what so ever for its protection, and yet no tax returns from Trump – ever. Really? Interesting. We are forced into this. Call me what you want, I do not care, but make sure you refer to the REALLY good bipartisan point I’ve just raised. We are all at risk in this mess, that’s the truth, and sometimes the truth hurts. Data has a way of getting hacked. If you do not believe me, use Yahoo email, or shop at Target, or do a little online research at how data can be easily hacked. Now do you feel wonderful that our government is harvesting your data? Your social? Your phone numbers and address? Feel comfortable. I do not, and that’s truly a bipartisan feeling.
Katie Semore says
Stupid comments continue and I bet they all have a (R) after their names.
Florida Voter says
I agree with @PCer. Let me quote a comment of mine from March 3 and you can tell me if this also fits this topic. In particular, look at what I said for:
step 4: “enemy” = “illegal aliens that voted @Freddy; “all the felons” @tulip; “democrats” @Anonymous @Freddy @justin; “have a (R) after their names” @Katie Semore. And
steps 1 and 5: see paragraph 10 “President Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud”
——————
Step 1: erode the public’s confidence in a Free Press
Step 2: lie about large and small issues so many time that the public will start to believe any information from any source
Step 3: alienate a segment of the population turning them into “the enemy”
Step 4: use “the enemy” to remove freedoms and individual dignity
Step 5: erode the public’s confidence in branches of the government trying to check the administration’s power (“so called judges” anyone?)
Step 6: decrease oversight of the police / military
Step 7: appoint Generals to posts traditionally use as civilian checks on military power
Step 8: greatly increase military budget and power
Step 9: use the military to start policing the People
There you have a new totalitarianism regime.
JM says
Trump won, Get over it. Trump 2020
Lou says
During the Obama administration we had a large and vocal group protecting “State’s Rights” against Federal enroachments. Where are they?
Edith Campins says
No, I don’t want them to have my information. It is an invasion of my privacy and a waste of taxpayer dollars.
No proof has been provided that there was any significant voter fraud in the national elections. The commission has made no provision to safeguard the data once it is in their possession. I am confident that the states have enough fraud counter measures in place to prevent fraud. This is all about Trump’s fragile ego and his anger about not winning the popular vote.
And why do Republicans keep bringing up Hillary?
Elwood P. Suggins says
And of course, based on your incisive comment, you are the shining beacon of clarity and reason.
Concerned says
when Obama was in office I had a Friend that freaked out over the suggestion that the government was tapping everyone’s cell phones.
But we’re just supposed to go along with Trumps witch hunt and freely allow my very personal voting history and identification because Trump is paranoid and egotistical? I don’t think so.
How do I unregistered to vote?
JasonB says
Let me guess, the guy who tried to vote twice to “test the system” was a republican.
Anon says
It just kind of freaks me out that I can google anyone’s first and last name and the first things that pop up (if they’re registered to vote) is their full and current address. Why does this need to be public information? Kind of scary!
Dave says
Why is it that most of those that are opposed to getting to the truth about voter fraud respond with insults and character assassination rather than a logical, fact based argument? The information being requested is already public and you probably share more personal data with the world via social media. I do think it’s great that they are cancelling their registration and I hope they forget to re-register before the next election.
Marlee says
One of many laws in question is the Paperwork Reduction Act, a 1980 law requiring federal agencies to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget before requesting information about the public. The law requires the requesting agency to explain why it needs to collect the information, how it intends to do it, and how it intends to protect the information it collects. The reviews can take months.
The committee’s vice chairman, Kris Kobach does not appear to have submitted any such information for review before he sent out a letter to election officials on June 28 requesting voter information.
Brian says
Flagler County is a Republican stronghold. Nobody cares about this stuff.
Mark101 says
People Tricky Rick Scott has already said he would NOT provide our social security numbers or drivers license numbers. The rest of the data is public knowledge and has been for a lot of years. Google it. You will find, info, like where you have lived, children, relatives, work history, your party classification and other data including criminal history. .If someone wants your data all they have to do is search for it on line and pay for it, but its does not include social security or drivers license numbers.
I think this idea of Trumps is lame and a plain outright insult to voters. People wanting to opt out from voting, well all that does is harm your party and could even get this nut reelected. So if you opt out, instead just change your party to Democrat and lets get rid of Trump in 2020.
another vet says
Since most people who are registered dont bother to vote anyway whats the big deal? Those people are the same ones after not voting complain about the mess the country is in
Richard Hamilton says
I was on the point of being struck off during the state purge in 2012 because the state confused me with a canadian of the same name. But Kaiti and her staff were on the ball as usual.
What confuses me is that a company that workex for the Republican National Committee already has a massive database that includes a vast amount of sensitive data….why doesnt the congressman just ask them…apparently..this database was left publicly exposed a few weeks ago…or was that just fake news…
“Detailed information on nearly every U.S. voter — including in some cases their ethnicity, religion and views on political issues — was left exposed online for two weeks by a political consultancy that works for the Republican National Committee and other GOP clients.
The data offered a strikingly complete picture of the voting histories and political leanings of the American electorate laid out in an easily downloadable format, said cybersecurity researcher Chris Vickery. He discovered the unprotected files of 198 million voters in a routine scan of the Internet last week “
Brad W says
The fight is valid which is why you don’t lay down your weapon and leave the fight. To walk away from voting plays right into what they want. The best strategy to win elections and power is not to drive more people to the ballot box, but less.
Mark says
If you don’t want the information given out then why do you put up with the state collecting the information in the first place? Do you have something to hide? Or do you just want something to be offended about? If you put it out there you can be sure it is collected by someone and it will be spread all over!
Ws says
Some of these comments are so funny. Most of the voter information is already public record and it seems lots of people commenting don’t even know that😂😂😂
Anonymous says
This is the biggest crock of crap I’ve ever heard of. I would like to see the phone log to elections office and have verification done to the nature of incoming calls–it would then be verified that election offices are not being flooded with calls from concerned voters of having their information turned over to the government. We all know the IRS has all our information. Law enforcement finds people running from the law and felons aren’t registered to vote. The elections department has no more information that the government doesn’t already have on all of us. Drivers licenses are all ready in a nationwide data base, the government already has our social security information, registration of birth etc. There is no reason for panic unless something is trying to be kept hidden—like corruption and inefficient elections offices having ineligible voters on the rolls. There has to be a ton of people voting in multiple states with no nationwide voter database in existence for all states. Thousands of felons were on the voter rolls just a few years ago…how did they all slip in or remain before something was exposed about that? The Secretary of State should have already included Florida voters in a nationwide database, but he’s not doing his job and making excuses. Voters information is available to people during election time and information for voters is available in court records, property records and all over the Internet by simple searches. If elections offices have nothing to hide, give what is being asked and let it be scrubbed…..it can only make elections more fair and clean up the deceit.
Wishful Thinking says
Best move yet….. get rid of no citizens, illegals registering in different names and different addresses using phony ID’ ( SAW it in person in Hialeah Florida and wrote an article in the Hialeah Home News about it millions of years back in 1981….. Not a fortune teller I predicted a national election fiasco and 19 years later – BINGO …
We have to submit our birth certificate or citizenship papers – originals only – no copies – photos and fingerprints to get a U.S. passport to spend our USA money in foreign countries – but to vote we hardly have to show crap……. Biggest joke of all is that between Google and other web sites the entire internet savy world can see everything about us – even directions to our home – so get off your phony soapboxes. It is what it is and time that one way or another our FEDERAL government should be able to protect our precious vote from being taken away by those not qualified to vote and those who vote multiple times…. Nothing in our lives is private anymore that can negatively affect others and that is the way it should be….
Mimi says
Do you think some of the people that unregistered might still be registered in another state?
palmcoastgirl says
I agree with Tulip and JM!
omg says
They are IDIOTS. i can see everything he wants online now. BUT GREAT less liberal voters registered to vote.
Anon says
Edith, this information is already out there. Anyone can google your name and find your address, date of birth, political affiliation, and your phone number. Everyone’s privacy has already been invaded. Thanks internet. And a helpful tip to everyone, don’t use your real name on message boards.
Lou says
omg who are the IDIOTS?
What is wrong with “liberal” voters in a democracy.?
Smarterthanmost says
Love this, people’s heads exploding. This is the greatest thread ever, all you people up in arms and “where can I unregister” haven’t a clue, all this information is currently available if you want to spend the money. And I would bet most of you are active on social media and every intimate detail of your life. Grow up people, there are over 300 million people in this country, we are nothing but a piss ant to everyone.
Liv'n la vita says
Well said my friend, will I agree with all of your talking points and having experience many these very action in numerous forgein countries. I am afraid your words are falling on deaf ears as many of these people have never even left the county yet alone the state. Their belief I. Fox News gospel has them believing in the propaganda bible and will not believe otherwise even if it jumped up and bit them in the ass. These are truely scary times because yes is does seem that we are heading towards a police state run by an individual who live in an alternate reality and yet citizens of this country think they are watching a Hollywood sitcom…my friends wake up before any and Freedom you think you are taken away perminatly….republicans, you complain about Goverment intervention and meddling in daily life as a taboo, well guess what it’s i. Your face more than ever. People wake up before it is truely too late…just look around the world at the countries with these types of leaders and the above list meets all the requirements.
logic2017 says
yeah, exactly what we need, A centralized list of all the voters and their information in the hands of the Trump admin. You might as well put a digital bow on it email it to hackers everywhere.
Watching Closely says
Millions of people have wondered across the years how Hitler’s Germany came to happen…why didn’t the people of Germany stop it? This is why…there were too many people blinded by their own rage and greed to see the big picture. As long as their own little world was fine, then sux to be anyone else. THAT is how it happened. At least there are enough of us resisting and saying this is NOT OK that hopefully we can prevent the complete downfall of this country.
I am so NOT interested in reading these posts from the right…that parrot what they are told by 45 and his team of thugs and fox. Not one of them seems to have an original thought among them. You could pull a string out of their back and their mouth would move and they would say whatever they heard 45 or Fox say this week. How very very sad.
However, the pendulum is swinging back to the left. And that is very very good.
PublicRecords says
ANYONE can go down to the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections office and purchase a CD containing ALL of the information about ALL voters in Flagler County. That’s how I know a neighbor was untruthful when he told me he always voted for a certain one of the two major parties. The public records proved he did not. Public records are public. Get it?
happening now says
Twenty years ago, in Flagler, there were applications everywhere to register to vote. Think this is a throw-back from all those who were not legal ………
Downtown says
Might just be a case of fear. Fear of getting arrested for voter fraud. Get my name off the list before I get found out and busted, they say.
Mr.G says
Whats to be scared of ? they know wen u were born n where you are what you make & own already NO PICTURE ID NO VOTE .. I got no problem with it .. if you want food stamps you need pic id etc . its hilarious .. the bigger problem is taking down AMERICAN HISTORY In the form of statues n all THATS WHAT HITLER DID TRYED TO ERASE HISTORY .. WAKE UP AMERICANS..
Mr.G says
EXACTLY
Watching Closely says
The insane comments from the right continue. OMG people..the ONLY one that has been found so far illegally voting…. voted TWICE for TRUMP….!!!! I’m all for digging those people out, you betcha! It isn’t the dems who have attempted to steal every election because that was the only way they could win….!!
Sherry says
Even requesting this kind of “very personal’ information for a “centralized” database is a form of “Voter.
Suppression”! Read the excellent book “1984” by George Orwell. . . and you will clearly see his predictions and the resulting CONTROL by “Big Brother” happening right under your noses.
Note how the complete “hypocrites” who “demand” less federal/centralized government. . . and are all for “states’ rights”. . . are now defending this massive OVERREACH of the current administration! As trump says, he could murder someone on fifth avenue and his (despicable) supporters would still defend him. Here is a perfect example!
Those who say that much of this information is “public” may have a point. . . . BUT! BUT! BUT! Putting it all in ONE database is vastly different! You are supporting giving ALL that personal information to the RUSSIANS or anyone else who wishes to continue to manipulate our elections on a massive scale. . . with just a few key strokes.
That kind of “Centralized Database” would be ripe for abuse and criminal activity. . . like identity theft! Think of it this way. . . Yes, a lock smith has the tools and “could” break into your house. BUT. . . what if a less honest person had a switch to automatically throw open the doors to the house of every voter in the USA?
Giving up your “right to privacy” absolutely means that you give up your “rights to control your own life”!
Fascism controls our current administration and Republican party. . . through the Alt Right. trump is building a totalitarian regime, and his idiotic supporters are right there applauding him. “There are none so blind as those who refuse to open their eyes and see”!
However, we should ALL heed the call to protect our rights, by Registering To Vote and turning out on election day. The only way to “Stop the Madness” is to vote the “Fascist Totalitarians” OUT! Keep your registration, encourage your friends and neighbors to register to vote! Then go to the polls and take our country back!!! VOTE DEMOCRATIC!!!
Knightwatch says
To all you conservative Republican hypocrites…if President Obama or President Clinton proposed a national database of personal voter information you would have pulled your guns out of your behinds and stormed the White House. You know this is true! But, when your idiotic alt-president (and I do mean your, not mine!) calls for this just to try and prove the known falsehood of millions of illegitimate votes, you roll over like fearful dogs, twist your small brains into knots, and justify this egregious (that means worse than bad) overreach of a psychopathic little man.
I’m trying to be polite here but it’s very hard.
CM says
So if this information is so public why are they requesting the records from state and voter registration offices. Go get your public information from other sources apparently it’s all out there anyway (sarcasm here). True, some information is public and people do post too much personal information but there are folks who like to keep there information private and they should have that right if they choose, it doesn’t make them illegal, a felon or a bad person. Just a private citizen.
Anonymous says
Sounds like Fidel, Putin and Trump are all on the same page! It’s a bad situation for a democratic country. All those Idiots supporting anything for a party that’s using their mediocrity. It’s deplorable! At least Fidel had health care for his people. Wake Up!
capt says
To all my fellow democrats that are going to pull their voters card, man are you really nuts. What this will do is give Trump a ticket back into the white house. Get real. What this sounds like is all of those “celebrities” that said if Trump wins, they are moving OUT of the United States of America. Well guess what,. Trump won and these “Celebrities ” are still here. This knee jerk action is just whats Capt Twitter Dee wants, less Democratic voters. If you want trump to get re-elected, you pulling your voters card FOR REAL and not re-up PERIOD, ya right. Can we get any more like celebrities.
The Truth says
@capt: You do realize that you could pull your registration now while this investigation is going on and register again before the 2020 election, right?
The Truth says
I find it laughable that Rebpulican’s are defending this move and don’t feel it’s overstepping at all, yet if Obama would have done this they would have been crying from the rooftops. It would have been run 24/7 as a Fox News Alert and guys like Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones and other blowhards would be claiming how your freedoms are being taken away from you.
This president is a joke. I am a registered independent because quite frankly I’ve lost faith in both major political parties but this is beyond anything we’ve ever seen before. We have a man who lies, calls the media the fake media because they run stories that end up being true that he doesn’t like and claims he’s going to start a cyber security initiative with the country accused of hacking our election. I feel as though the US is in a reality TV show. Anyone with a working brain can see the ridiculous things this man does on a daily basis and set aside your political bias. Ask yourself this, if Obama did this how would the reaction would have been?
Capt says
@truth, sure I do but why. I will leave my voters card where it resides today not removing it as some suggest when they feel life is not fair because Trump wants to do something stupid. Hell thats the reason my voters I’d stays put. And you’re spot on, the US is a reality show run by rich people to support rich people.
tulip says
@ the truth even if you pull your voter registration, it will still be all over the internet. Ever notice how many years old info there is on the internet? All these people who are hyperventilating over this are wasting valuable breath.
pc says
Liberals are criminals…dont trust them!
Scottie says
Thank you, Marlee, for the sane explanation of the disastrous situation. The current White House administration is without ethics. They are ignorant of geography, history, US Constitution, human rights, honesty and the importance of voting rights!