My Voting Data
As everyone rushes to the polls this year, I’ve been wondering what happens to my voting data. You may think that it’s all anonymous and counted once and then thrown away. Unfortunately, it’s not so simple nor the same across the country. In most cases, the rules about using that data and are set by each state. For instance, in the state of California, with over 1 million votes collected so far, those with access to the registration and voter data include:
- Candidates
- Parties
- Ballot measure committees
- Any person for election, scholarly, journalistic, or political purposes, or for governmental purposes, as determined by the Secretary of State have access. All voter information is confidential except for those listed above that may request lists.
On the other hand, some states are far more liberal with their voting data. For instance, in Arkansas, anyone can request the lists and related data.
What if you want to have your voter data deleted after the election?
The National Voter Registration Act specifies that a voter may be removed from the voter registration list at the registrant’s request. If an election official receives indirect or second-hand information that a voter has moved, it triggers a removal process (rather than the immediate removal of the voter from the list). See the section on Removing Voters from the Registration List below for more information.
Is my data shared across state lines?
Yes. The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) has been joined by well over half of the states. ERIC’s mission is to assist states in improving the accuracy of voter rolls and increase access to voter registration for eligible citizens. It provides states with a proactive rather than a reactive method of keeping up with their voter lists and keeping up with a mobile population. ERIC also uses resources such as the Social Security death index and NCOA data, which means it can be a “one-stop-shop” for many list maintenance and data comparison activities. It provides monthly reports to the states.
Can my voting record be kept private?
Your state may have programs that allow you to keep confidential at least some part of your voter record. People who qualify for protection include:
- Victims of domestic violence — every state EXCEPT GA, IL, MI, SC, SD, TN, WY
- Crime victims, people with protective orders, and family members — TX, OK, NY, MD, KS, HI, VA, DE, CA
- Law enforcement officers — VA, OK, MT, MO, MD, LA, HI, CA, AZ
- Spouses of law enforcement — TX, OK, HI
- Reproductive healthcare medical providers, employees, volunteers, or patients — CA
- Retired state and federal judges and attorneys — VA, TX, OK
- Foster parents — VA
- Uniformed service members — OK
- Pre-registered voters under the age of 18 — CO
- Victims and witnesses under protection — MO, MD
- Any voter who requests that their record be classified as private — UT, NV, DC, AK, AZ
