As November approaches, threats to election workers detailed on co
WASHINGTON — Legislation to ban noncitizens from voting — which is already illegal — is needed to prepare for the November election, Republicans on the House Administration Committee said at a hearing Wednesday.
But Democratic secretaries of state in battleground states told committee members they were more concerned about the specific threats they and election workers face from election misinformation.
Three Democratic secretaries of state, Adrian Fontes of Arizona, Jocelyn Benson of Michigan and Maggie Toulouse Oliver of New Mexico, said noncitizens voting in federal elections do not pose a problem, although Republicans Push for legislation to ban it.
“There is no evidence that non-citizens are voting, and if there is, it is easy to prove because voting records are public. Although many organizations spend a lot of money trying to make people believe that non-citizens are voting, these groups cannot actually provide Any evidence,” Benson said.
The Democratic secretaries of state added that they are being forced to respond to threats as former President Donald Trump continues to spread lies about his victory in the 2020 presidential election, and worry that the lies are leading to an overall distrust of the election results.
The riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 was an attempt by a pro-Trump mob to prevent Congress from certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Three Republican secretaries of state who attended the hearing, Frank LaRose of Ohio, Cord Byrd of Florida and Mac Warner of West Virginia, argued that requiring citizens Federal legislation for proof of identity registration is necessary to prevent non-citizens from voting and ensure citizenship. Study finds non-citizens vote Rarely happens.
“The truth is, it’s rare, but we keep it rare through enforcement,” LaRose said of such votes. “It is my duty to achieve this goal. Unfortunately, this duty is not as easy to fulfill as it should be.
Bill was pulled from the floor
House Republicans are currently trying to attach Human Resources 8281A stopgap government funding bill passed in July requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. A vote was scheduled for later Wednesday, but Louisiana House Speaker Mike Johnson Pulled the billBecause he didn’t have enough votes to pass.
However, It died as soon as it reached the Senate President Joe Biden has pledged to veto it.
House Administration Committee Chairman Bryan Steil, R-Wis., said he is still working to pass H.R. 8281 before the November election.
“With federal elections coming up, we must take a closer look at how each secretary of state will enforce federal and state election laws to ensure every legal vote counts,” Steyer said in his opening remarks.
Several Republican-led states introduced ballot initiatives this November that would ban non-citizens from voting, including in idahoIowa, kentucky, missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, south carolina and Wisconsin.
This is also a top priority for current Republican presidential candidate Trump, who has made immigration a core campaign platform and falsely said that non-citizen voting cost him the popular vote in 2016.
The top Democrat on the committee, Joe Morrell of New York, noted that the election is here, ballots will be sent to military personnel overseas and states are preparing for early voting in the coming weeks.
He expressed concern about threats to election workers and misinformation about election security.
“Election officials are working in an election season that continues to be disrupted by a steady stream of misinformation and disinformation,” he said in his opening remarks. “For months, we have heard from the former president and others who have either refused to say they would accept the election. The result is either acceptance “if they are free and fair” – undermining Americans’ confidence that our elections are, in fact, fair and secure.
More consistent funding sources
Morelle said Congress needs to do more to help election officials, including providing continued funding in election security grants.
He said that in fiscal year 2024, Congress appropriated approximately $55 million in election subsidies to states and U.S. territories.
Oliver and Benson said a continued stream of federal funding would also help them address misinformation about the election.
Benson said her state regularly raises funds and a “predictable and sustainable funding stream” would help, especially when dealing with threats of violence and intimidation.
She added that she knew all eyes would be on the battleground state of Michigan, noting that during the last presidential campaign, her state was able to release results within 24 hours. Michigan’s 2020 presidential election results are being challenged by Republicans.
“We will never sacrifice voting accuracy and security for efficiency,” Benson said. “We understand the urgency of this movement and the fact that the eyes of the nation tend to be on our state.”
Biden’s order on voter registration
Republicans on the committee disputed the executive order three years ago President Joe Biden has directed federal agencies to help register eligible voters.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that registration to vote and the act of voting are simple and convenient for all eligible persons,” according to the executive order.
Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., took issue with the initiative and argued it was partisan because it helped Democrats in elections.
“That’s where the anxiety and anger is,” he said, referring to Americans’ distrust of elections. “It’s definitely a good fit for Democrats.”
Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., agreed, saying that while voter registration is important, it’s not something the federal government or its agencies should be responsible for. She asked Republican secretaries of state if they had been contacted about the executive order.
LaRose said that because he sued the Biden administration over this, “I think they knew better than to ask me.”
Byrd said he has instructed Florida agencies not to participate, and Warner said he has sent a letter to the White House asking them to rescind the executive order because he believes it is unconstitutional.
Threats to election workers
Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., said she was concerned about threats to election workers.
Oliver said misinformation about the election led to distrust among voters. The discussion about non-citizen voting is one example, she said.
“When voters are misled, they lose trust in the system,” she said. “Non-citizen voting does not occur in any systematic way in New Mexico or nationwide.”
Torres asked how this misinformation affects their jobs and those of election workers.
Benson, who was elected Michigan secretary of state in 2018, said someone showed up at her home and threatened her.
“While I was inside trying to hang up Christmas decorations with my 4-year-old son, people showed up at my door screaming into the loudspeaker ‘You are a murderer and you should be arrested and tried for treason,'” she said. “This is the reality of all this. This is the people this is affecting.
Benson said lies and misinformation about the election results “have made us afraid to go to work, afraid to go grocery shopping, afraid to take our kids to school, afraid to go into our backyards because we don’t know what might be lurking in the bushes.” ”.
“This is not just what we experienced last week, but what we experienced over the past four years,” she said.
