Allen: Alabama to leave voter registration partnership

By KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama will withdraw from a 32-state voter registration database, the incoming secretary of state announced on Wednesday — a decision that drew sharp criticism from his outgoing counterpart. Republican Wes Allen, who will be sworn in as secretary of state in January, sent a letter announcing the state will withdraw from the Electronic Registration Information Center, a database allows states to share voter registration data. Allen cited privacy concerns as the reason to withdraw. The Republican made a promise during his campaign to withdraw from ERIC. Secretary of State John Merrill, also a Republican, issued a statement from his office saying ERIC provides needed information to maintain voter rolls and has identified suspected incidents of voter fraud.