Better ways to improve election results than police at the ballot box • Indiana Capital Chronicle

Secretary of State Diego Morales’ recent letter on election interference wasn’t just wasteful (according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle, the office spent $35,000 in federal grants to send online information to 600 people), it was another example of how Indiana elected officials are taking our state in the wrong direction on election issues.

We have been going backwards on electoral reform for years and we need a new path that leads to a new, motivated and engaged electorate. Given the record turnout in this year’s primary elections, this must happen soon.

While the issue of election interference is an important one, especially given examples of possible intimidation attempts at polling places, the Secretary of State’s office appears to be promoting close involvement of local police forces in monitoring polling places to ensure the safety of poll workers. But that is precisely the wrong approach.

Efforts to protect our elections from threats of intimidation must take into account the history of police targeting and intimidating voters of color at the ballot box, especially given that many communities continue to face racial discrimination and excessive police presence. In some places, particularly in communities of color, the presence of police forces does not create a welcoming environment and could cause intimidation and lower voter turnout.

According to the Indiana Civic Health Index, Indiana ranked 50th in voter turnout in 2022. Our top election official must therefore be aware that efforts to increase poll worker safety could not only be perceived as voter suppression in some communities, but could also negatively impact voter turnout. We hope to meet with Morales and his office soon to share these concerns and offer our advice on dealing with voter interference, which relies heavily on deescalating these situations before they escalate into incidents that affect both election officials and voters.

Introduction of ERIC

Another preemptive measure to boost public confidence and improve election results would have been a far better use of the $35,000 spent on Morales’ election interference mailers. Membership in ERIC – the Electronic Registration Information Center – costs $25,000 and would put Indiana into a group whose goal is to improve the accuracy of voter rolls AND increase access to voter registration.

Before we can join ERIC, however, Morales must convince lawmakers to repeal the stupid law they passed several years ago that effectively prohibits the state from participating in this joint effort to maintain voter rolls in a well-planned and executed manner.

It was never clear why state lawmakers and then-Secretary of State Connie Lawson felt the need to proactively take ERIC membership off the table, although I suspect it had something to do with Lawson’s appointment to the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity. That group was led by former Vice President Mike Pence and fell apart shortly after its formation because it focused on falsehoods and misinformation.

ERIC is the opposite of such a group. It was founded in 2012 by the Pew Charitable Trust and seven different states: Colorado, Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, Utah, Virginia, and Washington; since then, 17 more have joined. The ERIC data center uses tools that allow states to securely and reliably compare voter data to improve the accuracy of voter rolls. It also identifies unregistered people who are eligible to vote so member states can conduct targeted outreach efforts when needed.

ERIC’s two-pronged approach to maintaining voter rolls should guide Minister Morales’ approach to voter intimidation. ERIC recognizes that clean voter rolls and increased voter registration can not only coexist, but can be achieved together. Likewise, we can stop voter rigging while ensuring that all voters feel welcome. It just requires a more nuanced approach than policing at the ballot box.