SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
The Democratic National Committee has issued a formal warning to the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office, signaling possible legal action if the state proceeds with an agreement that Democrats say could violate federal voting protections and expose sensitive voter information.
In a letter sent Friday, DNC officials cautioned Alabama against entering a proposed memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Justice related to voter registration list maintenance. According to the letter, the agreement would require Alabama to remove alleged ineligible voters from its rolls within 45 days of notification by the DOJ.
The warning letter, authored by DNC litigation director Daniel J. Freeman, followed testimony from a Trump-era DOJ official during a recent congressional hearing indicating that Alabama had expressed willingness to enter such an agreement.
The DNC argues that the proposed 45-day requirement would violate provisions of the National Voter Registration Act, including the law’s “quiet period” restriction, which limits voter roll changes close to federal elections, and the “Notice and Waiting Period” requirement, which mandates specific steps before removing voters suspected of changing residence.
Freeman wrote that federal law requires confirmation from the voter or multiple election cycles without participation before removal can occur, and that third-party allegations — even from the DOJ — cannot replace those safeguards.
DNC Chairman Ken Martin also raised concerns about voter privacy, warning that the agreement could lead to the improper sharing of personal information such as driver’s license numbers, Social Security numbers and party affiliations.
“As part of their big government power grab, Donald Trump and Pam Bondi want to force states like Alabama to hand over their voter files,” Martin said in a statement to APR. “The DNC won’t stand idly by as eligible voters are put at risk of being wrongfully purged.”
The letter states that rushed roll maintenance could disproportionately affect Democratic voters and result in errors that remove eligible voters. While the DNC acknowledged that Alabama may not yet have violated federal law, Freeman said the party is prepared to take further action if evidence of violations emerges.