Why are Republican-led states pulling out of the Electronic Registration Information Center? After all, ERIC was designed to make voter fraud more difficult. So why are they against it? There are at least two reasons.
For one, ERIC also serves as a tool to help eligible, but not yet registered, citizens become registered voters. But MAGA Republicans are doing everything they can to suppress voter turnout. They’ve openly admitted that higher voter turnout threatens their candidates’ electability.
In addition, states using ERIC’s multistate voter database have found it effective in cleaning up their voter rolls by identifying people who have died or moved out of state. But despite their loud, unending drumbeat about “massive voter fraud,” MAGA Republicans really don’t want to eliminate the perception of widespread fraud. That would deprive them of one of the most effective arrows in their quiver of lies and innuendo.
A possible third, overarching reason is that ERIC produces verifiable, actionable data. It is much easier to maintain their dark, murky world of lies, fear, and conspiracy theories by denying the shining light of truth. It’s not unlike Dracula slipping into his coffin before dawn rather than be burnt by the light of day.
