CA Legislative Counsel Legal Opinion re: SoS Not Allowing Registrations

[Wilms]

Who Or What Is Stopping The California SoS From Allowing Eligible Californians To Register To Vote?

Legal Opinion Concludes the Roadblock is the Secretary of State

By California State Senator Debra Bowen

April 19, 2006

Bowen Says She’ll Introduce Legislation If Secretary of State Continues To Refuse To Alter Deal With Bush Administration That Has Prevented Tens of Thousands of People From Registering To Vote

The only thing that’s preventing the Secretary of State from altering his regulations and data matching standards to ensure eligible voters can register to vote is the Secretary of State.

That was the conclusion reached in a legal opinion issued late Tuesday by the Legislative Counsel of California. The opinion states there is nothing in federal or state law requiring the Secretary of State to adopt the regulations and data matching standards he’s been relying on that have combined to prevent tens of thousands of eligible California voters from registering to vote. A copy of the opinion is attached as a PDF file to the electronic version of this release and as a paper copy to the fax of this release.

snip

According to the legal opinion:

"… the Secretary of State has the authority under existing federal and state law to adopt regulations that, pursuant to appropriate safeguards to protect the accuracy and integrity of voter registration data, would allow state and local elections officials to correct erroneous information regarding a driver’s license or social security number contained in a voter affidavit of registration, or, if that information is not provided by the affiant, to add that information to the affidavit.”

snip

On April 6, the Senate Elections, Reapportionment & Constitutional Amendments Committee held a three-hour hearing on the problems that have resulted from the Secretary of State’s regulations and data matching standards, though the Secretary declined to take part in the hearing. During her testimony, Wendy Weiser of Brennan Center for Justice noted the Secretary of State has adopted the most restrictive standards in the country that are preventing “thousands and thousands” of eligible voters from being able to register to vote.

snip

Following is a timeline of events:

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1209&Itemid=113

[Steve A Play]

1. Thanks Wilms, very important post!

Kicked & recommended! :kick: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[rumpel]

2. kick & r

[Hekate]

3. K&R

[formercia]

4. Like Florida in 2000

a compliant to the administration's wishes SOS to muck up the vote.