Center Calls for Independent Investigation to Look Into Rhode Island Voter Registration Irregularities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Center Calls on Governor, Attorney General to Initiate Independent Investigation Into Potential Illegal Voter Registration Practices
Resignations In Order?
Bi-Partisan Support for Investigation and Comprehensive Election Reform Analysis
Providence, RI – Following the release today of city-by-city and district-by-district voter registration and 2016 election voting research by Ken Block, via his Simpatico Software Systems data analysis company, the Rhode Island Center for Freedom & Prosperity calls on the Governor and/or the Attorney General to initiate an independent investigation.
“Claims that the State of Rhode Island is violating federal elections law, specifically the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA), must be formally investigated and addressed,” urged the Center’s CEO, Mike Stenhouse.“This shocking data means our current registration practices may need to be amended, with individuals appropriately held accountable, if voters are to maintain confidence in our State’s elections integrity. Today, our Center calls on the Governor to publicly respond. The magnitude of these findings potentially shake the very foundation of our state’s democracy.”
The Center also demands a public statement from the Office of the Secretary of State and from the Board Of Elections, specifically declaring whether or not current voter registration practices are in compliance with federal law.
According to Block’s research, results from the 2016 General Election show that more than thirty percent (over 143,000 votes) of the total votes cast were from voters who did not have a validating drivers license or social security number on file in Rhode Island’s voter registration system. In every city and town in the Ocean State at least 20% of all votes cast last November, were by individuals without such personally identifying information (PII) on record. In five towns, over 40% of voters had no listed PII.
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The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.
As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.
While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.
We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.
Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.
Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!
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“That the voter registration process in Rhode Island may have been corrupted is a very serious issue. Whether or not this has led to actual voter fraud is one of the reasons a thorough and nonpartisan investigation is required,” continued Stenhouse. “For starters, any public official knowingly involved in any unlawful registration process, should resign immediately.”
Given the apparent disinterest in this issue by Secretary Of State, Nellie Gorbea, the Center argues that this issue cannot be adequately self-policed, therefore its call for an independent investigation. Earlier this week, Stenhouse, as guest-host for the award winning public affairs television program, State of the State, interviewed Ken Block about his research and the surprisingly dismissive reaction from the Secretary Of State. The 30-minute interview can be watched here.
The Center has already received bi-partisan support for its call for an independent investigation and for potential future legislative action. State Representatives Jared Nunes (D, Coventry) and Blake Fillippi (R, Block Island) have pledged to support and work with the Center, and other concerned parties, on these calls to action.
The Center further recommends additional actions regarding reforms to the state’s overall election process:
- Executive order or legislation requiring Rhode Island’s Secretary of State to backfill PII information for the hundreds of thousands of voter registrations that are missing this information.
- Review of Rhode Island’s “Motor Voter” and automatic registration policies to determine if they comply with federal law
Review of state’s absentee mail ballot, emergency voting, and voter ID laws to ensure they comport with the reformed voter registration process - Consider a constitutional amendment to codify appropriate reforms so as to ensure election integrity for future generations
- State or Federal lawsuit on behalf of potentially disenfranchised voters, in order to assure prompt and clear action to cure any legal defects in advance of the next election cycle
Contents of Block’s letter of complaint to the US Justice Department, along with detailed city-by-city and district-by-district charts can be viewed here.
The RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity is the Ocean State’s leading voice against the wreckage caused by our state’s progressive agenda.
As the state’s leading research organization, advancing family and business friendly values… the mission of our Center is to make Rhode Island a better place to call home – to raise a family and to build a career.
While progressives value government-centric, taxpayer-funded dependency… our Center believes in the value of hard work and the free-enterprise system.
We understand that in order for more Rhode Island families to have a better quality of life, that more and better businesses are needed to create more and better jobs.
Your donation will help us fight the union-progressive movement and, instead, advocate for pro-family, pro-business policies and values.
Please make a generous, tax-deductible gift to support our Center today!
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