The Trump administration is promoting a program to verify voter eligibility by cross-checking voter registrations against government databases, according to multiple reports. The effort is associated with broader claims by the administration that elections are affected by noncitizen voting, even though verified instances of such voting are described by critics as rare.
The program has processed at least 67 million registrations, largely from states run by Republicans, through systems run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Reports say tens of thousands of registrations have been flagged as potential noncitizens or as voters who may have died. Supporters argue that the checks are intended to improve accuracy, while critics contend that the verification could lead to removal or suppression of eligible voters if flagged records are acted on.
Democratic officials are challenging parts of the initiative in court, with critics warning that it could result in a “midterm purge” ahead of the November elections. The reports describe the administration’s push to federalize or strengthen certain election-related functions while also highlighting its election-related messaging.
