RNLA Salutes Pennsylvania’s Efforts at Voter Integrity

Yesterday, it was announced that Pennsylvania became the first northeastern state to join the consortium of states that identify voters registered to vote in more than one state.

“Protecting the integrity of every vote by making sure only those individuals legally entitled to cast ballots determine the outcome of our elections is a priority of Governor Corbett and of mine,” [Secretary of the Commonwealth Carol] Aichele said at the 2013 County Election Officials Conference meeting in Philadelphia.

 “One concern about the integrity of voter lists has always been whether someone who moves to another state could be registered and possibly cast votes in both states, which is against the law. Participating in this consortium is our best way to prevent that,” said Aichele, whose department oversees elections in Pennsylvania.

Several years ago, a handful of Midwestern states created a plan to cross-check voter registration databases. This program, called the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program, will include 24 states with Pennsylvania in the fold. Kansas operates the crosscheck program at no cost to participating states.

In 2012, Aichele said, the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program discovered more than five million potential duplicate registrations.

This is a very important development.  Historically Northeastern states, states with some of the most mobile populations, have resisted these efforts.  The number of former Philadelphians living in the nearby suburbs of New Jersey alone are undoubtedly significant.  The joining of the consortium is an important first step, now let’s hope other Northeast states such as New Jersey follow suit.