State requests withdraw from Electronic Registration Information Center

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Alabama’s newly elected secretary of state has informed the Electronic Registration Information Center of the state’s withdrawal.

In the letter sent Wednesday, secretary of state-elect Wes Allen informed the non-profit organization that Alabama would officially withdraw from all of the programs following his inauguration in January 2023.

“Upon my swearing in, we will immediately and permanently cease to transmit any information regarding any citizen in the State of Alabama to your organization and will no longer participate in any aspect of the ERIC program,” the letter added.

The Electronic Registration Information Center is a nonprofit organization that collects information from member states and then cross-references the data to help states manage and clean up their voter rolls. ERIC provides reports to states of voters that have died, moved, possible duplicate registrations, and voters that have potentially voted twice.

Allen made a campaign promise to make his first act as secretary of state to withdraw from ERIC.

“I made a promise that I would withdraw Alabama from ERIC, and I am keeping that promise,” Allen stated. “I have informed them, via certified letter, that upon my inauguration on Jan. 16, 2023, Alabama will immediately and permanently cease to transmit any information regarding any citizen in the State of Alabama to their organization and that we will no longer participate in any aspect of the ERIC program.”

Currently, 31 states are members of the organization: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia is also a member.

Alabama currently pays approximately $25,000 per year in membership fees to ERIC, in addition to frequent transfers of sensitive data to their databases. Allen’s withdrawal will put an end to those payments and data transfers.

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