Georgia Website That Lets People Cancel Voter Registrations Briefly Displayed Personal Data
ATLANTA (AP) — In a push to streamline the process of canceling voter registrations, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger recently launched a state website aimed at assisting people who have relocated out of state or passed away. However, the rollout on Monday was marred by a significant glitch, which temporarily exposed sensitive personal information of voters, including dates of birth, driver's license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. This data is crucial for verifying identity and processing cancellations, stirring a debate about the potential for misuse of such a platform.
The glitch, acknowledged by Raffensperger’s spokesperson Mike Hassinger, lasted less than an hour but has raised alarms among Democrats who worry about the security of voter information. “If someone knows my birthdate, you could get in and pull up my information and change my registration," remarked State Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, a Democrat from Stone Mountain. Following the incident, Democratic staff presented a document that they allege was generated by the flawed system, which included Butler's personal information.
The incident highlights ongoing tensions around voter registration practices in Georgia, where both Democrats and Republicans have long argued about the validity of registrations on the rolls. This issue has gained renewed momentum amid a broader national campaign orchestrated by allies of former President Donald Trump, who have claimed without evidence that there is widespread voter fraud, particularly in relation to out-of-state voting. Though the concerns have fueled a wave of removal efforts, evidence supporting these claims remains scant.
Traditionally, canceling a voter registration in Georgia has been a cumbersome process for residents, often necessitating the mailing or emailing of a formal request to their previous county of residence. In contrast, the newly established website is presented as a convenient tool for expediting this process, ensuring that the state's voter registration database remains current without relying on inefficient mail systems. "This is a convenient tool for any voter who wants to secure their voter registration by cancelling their old one when they move out of state," Raffensperger stated. He also suggested that real estate agents encourage their clients to cancel their voter registrations concurrently with their property sales.
Despite the convenience it offers, the website has faced skepticism due to heightened fears of voter fraud, particularly among Republican lawmakers. In response to these concerns, the Georgia legislature passed a law earlier this year designed to facilitate the removal of individuals deemed to have moved or registered elsewhere, often in a manner that critics argue violates established state and federal regulations.
An Associated Press examination of the state's largest counties revealed that in the early months of 2023 alone, over 18,000 voter challenges had been initiated, although a significant majority were dismissed by county officials. Notably, across the state, hundreds of thousands of challenges were launched between 2020 and 2022, indicating a rising trend of aggressive voter roll purging.
Under the new system, people who need to cancel their registrations can input personal details into the website, which subsequently notifies county officials to process the removal. For those lacking access to the necessary personal data, the system provides a blank sworn statement requesting cancellation. However, this is where the glitch surfaced: for a brief period, the system erroneously pre-filled sensitive personal information, making it dangerously easier for unauthorized users to manipulate voter registration status. Butler expressed her alarm, stating, “I was terrified to find that information could be accessed using only a person's name, date of birth, and county of registration.”
In response, Hassinger maintained that the error was temporary and attributed it to a planned software update. “The error was detected and fixed within an hour,” he asserted. Despite appreciating the swift resolution, Butler and other Democrats remain skeptical about the site's security. “This portal is ripe for abuse by right-wing activists who are already submitting mass voter challenges meant to disenfranchise Georgians,” argued Tolulope Kevin Olasanoye, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Georgia. He urged Raffensperger to consider disabling the website altogether to prevent further instances of data exposure and the potential for voter manipulation.
As the governance of voter registration remains a contentious issue in Georgia, this incident emphasizes the delicate balance between ensuring an accurate voter roll while safeguarding against cases of unauthorized access and fraud. The ongoing debates will undoubtedly continue to shape the narrative surrounding electoral integrity in the Peach State.