Md. Election Officials Take Stance Against White House Voter Info. Request
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland election officials take a hardline stance on the White House's request for sensitive voter information. Dozens of states have refused to turn the data over in the past week.
A sharp exchange - as Maryland tries to protect its voter information.
Joining more than 40 other states - in rejecting a White House request for election data.
"This is an outrageous violation of citizens' privacy rights," says Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe.
The presidential advisory commission on election integrity is asking for:
- addresses
- dates of birth
- political party
- voting history
- and in some cases, social security numbers of all registered voters.
But it's off the table in Maryland. The Election Administrator writing to the commission, "I am denying your request," citing Maryland election law.
Governor Larry Hogan tells WJZ, "The state board of elections is a completely autonomous body and they make that decision. And they made it on the advice of the attorney general."
Red states are pushing back, too. Dozens saying they can't or won't comply with the request.
President Trump, who claims millions of fraudulent votes compromised the 2016 election, lashed out on Twitter, asking "what are they trying to hide?"
"Believe me, there's a lot going on. You ever hear these people, they say, 'there's nothing going on.' People that have died 10 years ago are still voting. Illegal immigrants are voting," he says.
Maryland's Attorney General Brian Frosh lashing out against the president -- calling the voter information request "repugnant" and that it "appears designed only to intimidate voters and to indulge President Trump's Fantasy that he won the popular vote."
WJZ reached out to the State Board of Elections, but we have not heard back.
The attorney general says there's no evidence of any voter fraud in Maryland in the 2016 election.
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