White House Push to Undermine Midterms Gains Momentum with National Voter Database
The Department of Justice is moving forward with its ambitious plan to create a first-ever national voter database, assembling complete voter registration lists from states that have surrendered their sensitive information. The list includes private details like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and addresses linked to individual names, along with birth dates.
In effect, the federal government has merged its immigration database into a "voter verification" tool aimed at removing eligible voters from rolls based on supposed discrepancies. Critics argue this plan bypasses federal privacy protections but may not be viewed as alarming by some Americans who already provide this information voluntarily to the government through various channels like TSA facial profiling and tax reporting.
However, experts caution that this data grab poses a significant threat because it undermines state authority in election administration – an authority established by America's Founders to prevent centralizing too much power in federal hands. The timing of this initiative is particularly concerning given President Trump's past claims about "dysfunctional elections" and his penchant for mobilizing federal immigration agents into cities perceived as blue.
The national voter database also poses significant risks, including false matches that could flag eligible voters as non-citizens, inadequate cybersecurity safeguards to protect against hacking, and no guarantee that the data will not be used to subvert election outcomes. Experts warn that once such a comprehensive database is created, it could be exploited by the administration to question the validity of election results or even send ICE agents into polling places in an effort to intimidate voters.
Furthermore, the federal government may use this database as leverage to seize control over state voting operations or suspend elections altogether – something unprecedented in U.S. history. Even Trump's repeated claims of voter fraud and alleged "rigged" elections have inspired many states to resist sharing their voter data with the Department of Justice, only for the agency to sue them.
Currently, eight states have fully surrendered their voter registration lists, while a dozen others have only provided publicly available information. However, 23 states, including Republican-controlled Georgia, have pushed back against the DOJ's demands and are resisting the plan. Voting advocacy groups, such as the ACLU and Common Cause, have also joined these efforts.
In contrast to this unfolding crisis, many county and state election supervisors emphasize their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the electoral system, often citing the safeguards in place to prevent voter suppression. When confronted with Trump's unfounded claims about elections being "rigged," they express frustration at his continued propaganda and urge him to desist.
For now, it appears that a majority of states are pushing back against this national voter database initiative, which would have significant implications for American democracy if successful.
The Department of Justice is moving forward with its ambitious plan to create a first-ever national voter database, assembling complete voter registration lists from states that have surrendered their sensitive information. The list includes private details like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, and addresses linked to individual names, along with birth dates.
In effect, the federal government has merged its immigration database into a "voter verification" tool aimed at removing eligible voters from rolls based on supposed discrepancies. Critics argue this plan bypasses federal privacy protections but may not be viewed as alarming by some Americans who already provide this information voluntarily to the government through various channels like TSA facial profiling and tax reporting.
However, experts caution that this data grab poses a significant threat because it undermines state authority in election administration – an authority established by America's Founders to prevent centralizing too much power in federal hands. The timing of this initiative is particularly concerning given President Trump's past claims about "dysfunctional elections" and his penchant for mobilizing federal immigration agents into cities perceived as blue.
The national voter database also poses significant risks, including false matches that could flag eligible voters as non-citizens, inadequate cybersecurity safeguards to protect against hacking, and no guarantee that the data will not be used to subvert election outcomes. Experts warn that once such a comprehensive database is created, it could be exploited by the administration to question the validity of election results or even send ICE agents into polling places in an effort to intimidate voters.
Furthermore, the federal government may use this database as leverage to seize control over state voting operations or suspend elections altogether – something unprecedented in U.S. history. Even Trump's repeated claims of voter fraud and alleged "rigged" elections have inspired many states to resist sharing their voter data with the Department of Justice, only for the agency to sue them.
Currently, eight states have fully surrendered their voter registration lists, while a dozen others have only provided publicly available information. However, 23 states, including Republican-controlled Georgia, have pushed back against the DOJ's demands and are resisting the plan. Voting advocacy groups, such as the ACLU and Common Cause, have also joined these efforts.
In contrast to this unfolding crisis, many county and state election supervisors emphasize their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the electoral system, often citing the safeguards in place to prevent voter suppression. When confronted with Trump's unfounded claims about elections being "rigged," they express frustration at his continued propaganda and urge him to desist.
For now, it appears that a majority of states are pushing back against this national voter database initiative, which would have significant implications for American democracy if successful.
I'm low-key freaked out about this national voter database thingy... like what's next? 
They're already trying to merge immigration and voting info, it feels like they're trying to control every aspect of our lives. And the fact that 8 states have already given up their data is super concerning - what's stopping them from just hacking into everyone else's voter rolls? 
We need some serious pushback on this one, stat! 
. Like, I get that they want to make sure everyone's voting rights are protected, but this feels like a huge overreach of power to me. I mean, what's next? They're gonna start monitoring our internet activity and stuff too 
. And can we talk about how this is basically just another way for the government to exert control over states that they don't agree with? It's like, come on, guys, let's keep our democracy free and fair 
. Either way, I think we should be super careful about how this plays out and make sure our voices are heard on this issue 
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think about all the ppl who already share their info with the government voluntarily and now they're gonna be forced to hand it over 
this whole thing is just a slippery slope, my friend 
Also, aren't we already kinda giving up some personal info when we get ID cards and driver's licenses? It's like, do we need a database of every single voter in the country?! 
and then use that to supposedly "verify" voter eligibility? Sounds like a setup for some major voter suppression to me 
. At some point, we need to stand up to the federal government and say that our electoral systems are sacred 
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And what's up with this plan to use it for "voter verification" – sounds like they're trying to weed out people who might not vote for them 
. The fact that some states are pushing back against it is awesome, but we need to keep a close eye on this and make sure our elections stay free and fair 
and i'm not even sure if this is a good idea or just another way for them to control us... i mean, we already do all this stuff voluntarily like with tsa and taxes but at least that's not a mandatory national database that could be used against us i think it's time we started paying more attention to our electoral rights and making sure our voices are heard at the polls 
. And what's up with the timing of this initiative? Doesn't it feel like they're trying to undermine our elections for some unknown reason? 
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