While Case is Pending Federal voting data collection on hold

StlToday

A federal commission seeking voter data from Missouri and other states has asked election officials to hold off on transmitting the information it requested in June.

In response to a lawsuit seeking to block the commission from collecting the data, Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity said states should wait to turn over the data while the case is pending.

“Until the Judge rules on the (temporary restraining order,) we request that you hold on submitting any data,” noted commission officer Andrew Kossack in a memo to states.

Although Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has said he would provide all publicly available information to President Donald Trump’s panel, spokeswoman Maura Browning said Monday that the information has not been sent.

The decision to put a hold on the collection of the data comes after officials in both parties have raised red flags about complying with the commission. Along with privacy concerns, there are legal restrictions on how such material can be used.

Ashcroft’s office has been flooded with calls from anxious voters.

U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, is among those expressing concern.

In a letter to Ashcroft sent last week, Clay asks what actions Ashcroft is taking to safeguard Missouri elections from foreign tampering in the wake of allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

“The real threat to democracy and the integrity of our election process is from the widespread and clearly dangerous attempts by foreign adversaries to hack, penetrate and manipulate state and local election authorities,” Clay wrote.

“I hereby request that you swiftly identify and report back to me what specific steps you will take within your own office and among all election authorities at the county level in Missouri to safeguard voter registration rolls, voter tabulation software and our overall electoral process from this very real danger of foreign sabotage,” Clay added.

Ashcroft has repeatedly said he was only providing information that is already available to the public for a $50 processing fee. The voter information is typically used by political candidates to canvass for voters.

Said Browning, “We are preparing a response to the congressman.”

The lawsuit filed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center seeks to block the commission’s data request until its impact on privacy can be weighed. The American Civil Liberties Union also has filed a lawsuit against the commission, arguing they are violating public access rules.