Thread: Trump commission: American voters don’t have right to ‘informational privacy’

Trump commission: American voters don’t have right to ‘informational privacy’


President Donald Trump waves as he walks from Marine One to board Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport, in Morristown, N.J., Monday, July 3, 2017, en route to Washington from Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. (AP Photo/Carolyn ... more >

By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times - Wednesday, July 5, 2017

President Trump’s voting integrity commission fired back at critics Wednesday, saying the Supreme Court has never recognized a constitutional right to “informational privacy” that would prevent the panel from collecting and studying voter registration data from all 50 states.

In court filings, the Justice Department and integrity commission Vice Chairman Kris W. Kobach also said the panel has taken solid steps to prevent information from being hacked, and said they have no plans to release most voters’ information to the public.

Mr. Kobach last week asked states to provide names, addresses, partial Social Security numbers, voter history, military status and prior felony convictions.

He said only information that is public record needs to be submitted.

But his letter spurred a feverish backlash, with both Democratic and Republican officials saying they will refuse to cooperate. The Electronic Privacy Information Center also went to court in Washington, D.C., arguing the panel broke privacy laws and didn’t have safeguards to protect the information should state officials provide it.

The Justice Department said the lawsuit was misguided.

“EPIC’s claim of a constitutional right to informational privacy fails because neither the Supreme Court nor the D.C. Circuit has held that a federal constitutional right to informational privacy exists,” the government’s lawyers said.

They went on to say that even if such a right did exist, it wouldn’t apply in this case because Mr. Kobach has only asked for publicly available information, meaning states can refuse to share data that they don’t already share with others.

“Because the Commission has only requested public information from the states, EPIC could never show that a constitutional right to informational privacy – even if it were to exist – has been violated,” the lawyers said.

U.S. District Judge Collen Kollar-Kotelly has fast-fracked the EPIC lawsuit.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ation-privacy/

Why are they asking for felony convictions and military service? Why ask for the last four digits of someone's social security number? You can break into a lot of financial records with name, address and last four digits of your SS number. Too much information. I'm with the states on this one. Need to back up and find another way to work with the states, state by state, in the states, using their database so long as yo can swear you won't mess it up.

Anyone who claims there is right to privacy in voter registration and believes that voter registration can ask for party affiliation isn't making any sense.

Voter registration used to be private. You couldn't look up someone's voter registration and no one with the data would dare tell you whether they were registered a Democrat or Republican or something else let alone hand out any of their personal information, not even their address or name. You got NADA. Now, we're just a bunch of puppets in a database. Sometimes I hate what technology has done to the American Way. And I blame the PRESS for the deterioration of our privacy, dignity and respect in this country. All for a stupid scoop like they're the National Inquirer. Well actually, these days, the National Inquirer is way up the line on most of 'em.

Originally Posted by Judy

Why are they asking for felony convictions and military service? Why ask for the last four digits of someone's social security number? You can break into a lot of financial records with name, address and last four digits of your SS number. Too much information. I'm with the states on this one. Need to back up and find another way to work with the states, state by state, in the states, using their database so long as yo can swear you won't mess it up.

1. Convicted Felons loose their right to vote
2. Under Obama, illegal aliens were allowed to serve in military
3. the number sequence in an 'EIN' number is different from Social Security Numbers and this can be used to help identify
fraudulent votes by EIN which is only issued to businesses and illegal aliens
4. Voter Registration records is public, not private. Debt collectors use this to find debtors.

Voting as an Ex-Offender

In all but two states, voting age citizens convicted of a felony are barred from voting for some period of time.

Laws vary in each state.

While many states restore voting rights to individuals automatically after they exit jail or prison, others permanently disenfranchise people with a past felony conviction or require they petition the government to have their right restored.

This is a short up-to-date state guide to voting for ex-offenders. For more, visit the resources on the right.

Overview

Voting rights retained while incarcerated for a felony conviction in:
Maine and Vermont.


Voting rights restored automatically upon release from prison in:
The District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Utah.


Voting rights restored automatically once released from prison and discharged from parole (probationers can vote) in:
California, Colorado, Connecticut, and New York.

Voting rights restored automatically upon completion of sentence, including prison, parole, and probation in:
Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction and/or the outcome of an individual petition or application to the government in:
Alabama, Delaware, Mississippi, Nevada, Tennessee, and Wyoming.

Voting rights can ONLY be restored through an individual petition or application to the government in:
Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, and Virginia.


State by State

A | C | D | F | G | H | I | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W
Alabama

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: some individuals may apply to have their voting rights restored immediately after completing their full sentence, but those convicted of certain felony offenses–such as murder, rape, incest, sexual crimes against children, and treason–are not eligible for re-enfranchisement. However, if convicted of a felony that does not involve “moral turpitude”, then the individual does not lose their right to vote.
Contact the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles at 334-242-8700 for more information.
Alaska

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Arizona

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. If convicted of only one felony, voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. However, if convicted of two or more felonies, the right to vote can only be restored through a judge or if pardoned. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Arkansas

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


California

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Colorado

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Connecticut

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Delaware

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Most ex-offenders can regain the right to vote immediately after completion of their full sentence. Except for people convicted of certain felonies–including murder, manslaughter, bribery or public corruption, and sex offenses are barred from voting unless they receive a formal pardon from the governor. As of July 2016, it is not necessary to have paid all fines, fees, and restitution in order to register.
District of Columbia

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Florida

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: many can apply to the clemency board five years after completing their sentence, but others convicted of certain felonies—such as murder, assault, child abuse, drug trafficking, and arson—are subject to a seven year waiting period.


Georgia

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Hawaii

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Idaho

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Illinois

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Indiana

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Iowa

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. In addition to completing all terms of their sentence, ex-offenders must also pay all outstanding monetary obligations to the court. Once this is complete, individuals convicted of a felony can apply to have their voting rights restored—which can only be done through the governor or the president of the United States.


Kansas

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Kentucky

Kentucky’s constitution permanently bars all individuals with past felony convictions from voting, unless the governor restores the right to vote. Contact the Secretary of State or your local election office for more information.


Louisiana

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Maine

The right to vote is never taken away from individuals convicted of felony, even while incarcerated.
Maryland

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, but can register and vote upon release, even while on probation or parole (as of April 2016). Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Massachusetts

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Michigan

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Visit the Michigan Department of State’s website for more information.
Minnesota

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Mississippi

In Mississippi, only individuals convicted of one of 21 specific felony crimes lose the right to vote. All others retain their voting rights, even while incarcerated. Re-enfranchisement for those that have lost the right to vote can only be granted through a bill passed by both houses of the legislature or through the governor. [The 21 felonies (in alphabetical order) are: armed robbery, arson, bigamy, bribery, carjacking, embezzlement, extortion, felony bad check, felony shoplifting, forgery, larceny, murder, obtaining money or goods under false pretense, perjury, rape, receiving stolen property, robbery, statutory rape, theft, timber larceny, and unlawful taking of a vehicle.]
Missouri

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote. Individuals who have been convicted of an election offense, whether a felony or misdemeanor, are not allowed to vote
Montana

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Nebraska

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored two years after the completion of all supervised release (except if convicted of treason). Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Nevada

In Nevada, voting rights are restored automatically after sentence completion if convicted of a non-violent felony. However, those convicted of a violent felony and all second-time felony offenders (whether violent or non-violent) can only have their rights restored by the court in which they were convicted.
For more information visit the Nevada Secretary of State’s website.
New Hampshire

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
New Jersey

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
New Mexico

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
New York

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of parole, and people on probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
North Carolina

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
North Dakota

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Ohio

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Oklahoma

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are eventually automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release, but only after a period of time equal to the length of sentence passed. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote at that time.
Oregon

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Pennsylvania

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Rhode Island

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


South Carolina

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
South Dakota

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated and on parole. Convicted felons must serve their full term of incarceration, parole, and probation before they may register to vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Tennessee

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Individuals convicted of a felony since 1981–except for some felonies such as murder, rape, treason and voter fraud–may apply to the Board of Probation and Parole to have their voting rights restored once their sentence is completed.
Texas

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Utah

Individuals incarcerated for a felony conviction are ineligible to vote. Voting rights are automatically restored upon release from prison, and people on parole or probation can vote. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.


Vermont

The right to vote is never taken away from individuals convicted of a felony, even while incarcerated.
Virginia

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Non-violent felons (including sale of drugs) will have their voting rights automatically restored upon release from prison, but must fill out this online form. Those convicted of violent felonies, crimes against minors, and electoral offenses must wait three years before applying for a gubernatorial restoration of voting rights. On April 22, 2016, Governor McAuliffe restored the rights of all Virginians with a prior felony conviction who have completed the terms of incarceration and have been released from supervised probation or parole. The April 22nd order does not create automatic rights restoration. The order only restores the rights of individuals who are eligible as of April 22nd. Going forward, the Governor will continue to review eligibility and restore rights on an ongoing basis. Individuals can always check their status on the Secretary of Commonwealth’s website: www.commonwealth.virginia.gov/ror


Washington

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote. However, the Secretary of State’s website states that persons who have “willfully failed to make three payments in a 12 month period” on any court imposed fines may have their ability to vote revoked by the prosecutor.
West Virginia

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Wisconsin

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of all supervised release. Ex-offenders should re-register to vote.
Wyoming

Individuals convicted of a felony are ineligible to vote while incarcerated, on parole, or on probation. Voting rights restoration is dependent on the type of conviction: first-time non-violent felony offenders can apply to the Wyoming Board of Parole five years after completion of sentence. All others must apply to the Governor for either a pardon or a restoration of rights, but must wait ten and five years, respectively, after completing their sentence.

http://www.nonprofitvote.org/voting-...n-ex-offender/

10/19/2010

Felon voting rights expanded in 23 states

Originally Posted by Judy

Why are they asking for felony convictions and military service? Why ask for the last four digits of someone's social security number? You can break into a lot of financial records with name, address and last four digits of your SS number. Too much information.

I'm guessing because you can use that information to determine whether or not it is legal for that person to vote. In many states prohibit felons from voting. Knowing the last four digits of the SSN helps differentiate between people who share the same name and birthday. You could also tell if the supplied SSN is fake. By matching up Federal data with state data it can be determined if the registered person is a citizen. In general, states lack the ability to do that themselves. If you don't trust the Trump Administration to keep your SSN secure then you shouldn't have voted for him as President because the President is Chief Executive of the Federal government--including the Social Security Administration.

Originally Posted by lorrie

1. Convicted Felons loose their right to vote
2. Under Obama, illegal aliens were allowed to serve in military
3. the number sequence in an 'EIN' number is different from Social Security Numbers and this can be used to help identify
fraudulent votes by EIN which is only issued to businesses and illegal aliens
4. Voter Registration records is public, not private. Debt collectors use this to find debtors.

Okay, do the state voter registration databases have this other information? I think the request is branching into other agencies than the agency responsible for voter registration. They need to focus on illegal alien voting. That's where the big numbers are going to be. Not sure how they do that, but that's the one they need to focus on, seems to me. I don't think the states are going to gather up all this information and send it to the Commission, and I personally understand why.

No, not all states require all this information to register to vote. You can see forms with the requirements for each state at https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form/ . New Jersey, for example requests either the NJ Driver's License Number, the last four digits of the SSN, or a certification that the person has neither. The request specifies only publicly available data.