Democratic group says possible agreement between Missouri, DOJ could violate voter laws

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Department of Justice is asking Missouri and nine other states to sign an agreement that would require the state to remove registered voters from the rolls within 45 days of the DOJ's request, according to the Democratic National Committee.

The DNC sent a letter Friday morning to the Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, informing him that the agreement potentially violates voter rights laws.

The Secretary's office said in an email to ABC 17 News that it has not received the letter as of 11 a.m. on Friday, and that Missouri does not have an agreement with the DOJ.

DNC Litigation Director Dan Freeman wrote in the letter that the DOJ's proposal is illegal under the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act because it shortens the amount of time voters have to be notified of removal from the voter registration roll, and it allows the DOJ access to sensitive, personal information.

Under law, county election authorities verify voter addresses every other year by sending mail to the registered address, according to Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon. If that mail comes back, it's an indication that the voter has moved.

From there, the county follows up with the voter to find their new address, Lennon said. If the voter doesn't respond to that, the voter is then considered "inactive."

The voter would remain inactive until they update their information and can vote after doing so, Lennon said. If the voter has two federal elections to do so, which is about four years.

The DOJ's proposal would shorten that four-year window to 45 days.

"The real issue here is that federal law prohibits that type of immediate removal without safeguards for the voters to make sure, you know--database matches make mistakes and make sure that people don't lose their rights," Freeman told ABC 17 News.

Freeman also argues that signing the agreement could cause issues as primary and general election days inch closer because voting laws restrict voter removal to, at the latest, 90 days before either election.

Missouri's primary election is slated for Aug. 5, with the general election following on Nov. 4.

Freeman said Friday afternoon that he hasn't received any indication that Hoskins has received his letter.

"We're hoping through this letter that we'll explain to some secretaries that they shouldn't sign this MOU under these particular requirements because they're just running straight at a violation of federal law," Freeman said.

The DNC received a copy of the Department of Justice's memorandum of understanding, the agreement, from Colorado, and is assuming the DOJ sent similar versions to other states like Missouri.

Freeman said he doesn't know why the department wants voter rolls and the power to control which voters stay eligible. He also said it could be used to manipulate who gets to vote because Democrats tend to move and change addresses more often than Republicans.

"If you are undermining the protections for people who move around and just knocking them off the rolls, you're probably taking eligible U.S. citizens, and you're denying their voting rights, and you're helping Republicans to win elections by not letting Democrats vote," he said.

"As part of their big government power grab, Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to force states to hand over their voter files so that the Trump administration can create a national database with sensitive personal information like driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers, and party affiliation, opening the door to privacy concerns and further political retribution," DNC Chair Ken Martin wrote in a statement.

The DNC has requested the agreement and names of voters who were removed under the proposed agreement from the Secretary's Office.

Freeman said these documents and information could help the DNC in any lawsuits they pursue against states that violate voting rights.

"We're also letting them (secretaries of state) that if they start purging voters illegally, we have their eyes on them," Freeman said. "We're asking them for the information that we would need to bring a lawsuit, and we will be ready if they start violating voter rights."

The DNC also sent letters to nine other states that are in similar discussions with the DOJ.