Democrats want Idaho out of Voter Cross-Check system

Idaho Democrats are calling on Secretary of State Lawrence Denney to pull Idaho out of the voluntary Interstate Voter Cross-check system.

The Idaho Democratic Leadership outlined what they believe are endemic security problems with the system, its lack of effectiveness in detecting fraudulent voters, and the danger it poses to legitimate voters.

Idaho sends hundreds of thousands of voters’ files to the Kansas Secretary of State, including dates of birth and partial social security numbers, where it is then stored on an unencrypted server in Arkansas.

“Idaho’s voters are being put at risk every year we participate in this unsecure program, there’s no other way to say it,” said House Democratic Leader Mat Erpelding/(D-Boise). “Furthermore, it has proven completely ineffective in rooting out voter fraud. We are sending sensitive voter information to an unsecure server halfway across the country as part of a program that doesn’t work. Why we continue to participate in this system is beyond me.”

The initial purpose of the Voter Cross-Check was to detect voters who are registered in more than one state. 28 states, including Idaho, participate in the program.

“Part of the job of the Secretary of State is to protect Idaho voters and their right to cast ballots in elections. The Voter Crosscheck system puts voters’ rights at risk in countless ways,” said Senate Democratic Leader Michelle Stennett/(D-Ketchum). “Idaho needs to pull out of this program before any more damage is done.”

Erpelding and Stennett said they were exploring legislation for the 2018 session that would pull Idaho out of the system.