In a groundbreaking move aimed at eliminating voter fraud, Alabama has unveiled its own innovative database capable of identifying duplicate and nonresident voters, as well as deceased individuals still listed on the state’s voter rolls.
Introducing the Alabama Voter Integrity Database (AVID), Secretary of State Wes Allen announced at a press conference that the state will be replacing the controversial ERIC system with this new solution.
“We are proud to be the first state in the nation to implement a system like AVID, and I am confident that it will result in the cleanest voter rolls we have ever had,” stated Mr. Allen during the press conference.
ERIC stands for Electronic Registration Information Center.
AVID, described by Mr. Allen as a historic four-pronged system, will include a nationwide comparison of the Social Security Administration’s death index and the U.S. Postal Service’s Change of Address database with Alabama’s active voter registration list.
Additionally, AVID will establish partnerships with five neighboring states to share voter data and collaborate with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to identify residents who possess state IDs from other states. “This is a capability we have never had before,” Mr. Allen explained.
The Eagle Forum of Alabama, an advocate for campaign reform, praised the replacement of ERIC, highlighting the fact that AVID is locally managed and operated, unlike the privately run ERIC system.
Becky Gerritson, executive director of the Eagle Forum, expressed her support for AVID and encouraged other states to consider developing similar systems to safeguard their voters.
Scrapping ERIC
Alabama is among a growing number of predominantly Republican-run states that have decided to abandon the ERIC system. ERIC was created by David Becker, a former attorney for Pew Charitable Trusts and a former prosecutor for the U.S. Department of Justice.
In 2022, Verity Vote published findings of an investigation revealing ties between the ERIC system and an NGO funded by Mark and Chan Zuckerberg.
Other states that have discontinued the use of the ERIC system include Florida, Louisiana, West Virginia, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Virginia, and Arizona. Texas and Wisconsin are considering legislation to terminate its use for validating voter rolls.
Some states have raised concerns about restricted data sharing under the ERIC system, including a rule that prohibits member states from identifying registered voters as non-citizens.
Furthermore, Alabama and other states have accused ERIC of collecting sensitive information on minors who are not yet eligible to vote, raising questions about the system’s practices.
Approximately 25 states still utilize the ERIC system, which some believe is deeply flawed and may have influenced the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Other states employ different programs to verify their voter rolls.
Voters exit after casting their ballots at a polling station setup in the fire department in a file photo. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Bogus Votes Concerns
In June, the National Conference of State Legislatures reported on the increasing number of states abandoning the ERIC system due to concerns that it facilitates election results based on fraudulent votes.
According to Christian Adams of the Public Interest Legal Fund, one of the main issues with the ERIC system is its failure to track and compare data across state lines.
“States need to share data because without cross-state communication, violations of federal law prohibiting double voting in the same election will go undetected,” Adams explained.
In March, Judicial Watch released a report exposing federal election violations by ERIC. The report described ERIC as a “syndicate founded by leftists” that is more effective at inflating voter registration rolls than ensuring their accuracy.
Former President Donald Trump has also called on Republican-led states to abandon the use of ERIC.
Americans vote at the Olbrich Botanical Gardens polling place in Madison, Wis., on Nov. 8, 2022. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
However, these claims have been debunked as conservative propaganda, with several liberal media outlets, including National Public Radio, dismissing the Republican audits of the ERIC system as “spreading misinformation.”
Danielle Lang, a voting rights litigator for the Campaign Legal Center, criticized Judicial Watch’s investigation, stating that it was flawed and based on suppositions, inaccuracies, and personal attacks.
Trevor Potter, founder of the Campaign Legal Center and former chair of the Federal Election Commission, has repeatedly condemned the January 6 protests against the 2020 presidential election results.
In his written testimony to a U.S. House select committee investigating the January 6 breach of the U.S. Capitol, Mr. Potter stated, “The rising threat of political violence from these lies prompted the incumbent national security and federal law enforcement apparatus to reassure the public that the 2020 election was ‘the most secure in American history’ with ‘no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised’ and no serious evidence of voter fraud.”
The ERIC system did not respond to inquiries from The Epoch Times.
‘Everything to do With Accountability’
Following the press conference, Mr. Allen revealed that when he visited the Washington D.C. address listed as ERIC’s headquarters, he discovered it was merely a virtual office.
“There was no ERIC headquarters at that address. No employees, no servers, no ERIC presence whatsoever. Instead, I found a rentable virtual office,” Mr. Allen shared.
According to Mr. Allen, an initial run of AVID has already identified 8,501 voters who cast ballots in Tennessee but are still registered voters in Alabama.
He also revealed that AVID has already detected over 30,000 active registered Alabama voters who have filed for a change of address with the U.S. Postal Service outside of the state.
“The switch from ERIC to AVID is not about party lines; it’s about accountability,” emphasized Mr. Allen in his conversation with The Epoch Times.
What are the four components of AVID that contribute to ensuring the integrity of Alabama’s voter registration system?
In a significant step towards eliminating voter fraud, Alabama has introduced its own innovative database that is capable of identifying duplicate and nonresident voters, as well as deceased individuals who are still listed on the state’s voter rolls.
Known as the Alabama Voter Integrity Database (AVID), Secretary of State Wes Allen announced the implementation of this new solution, replacing the controversial ERIC system, during a press conference.
“We are proud to be the first state in the nation to implement a system like AVID, and I am confident that it will result in the cleanest voter rolls we have ever had,” stated Mr. Allen during the press conference.
AVID is described by Mr. Allen as a historic four-pronged system. It will include a nationwide comparison of the Social Security Administration’s death index and the U.S. Postal Service’s Change of Address database with Alabama’s active voter registration list.
Furthermore, AVID will establish partnerships with five neighboring states to share voter data and will collaborate with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency to identify residents who possess state IDs from other states. Mr. Allen emphasized that this capability is unprecedented in the state’s history.
The Eagle Forum of Alabama, an advocate for campaign reform, has applauded the replacement of ERIC and highlighted the fact that AVID is locally managed and operated, unlike the privately run ERIC system.
Becky Gerritson, Executive Director of the Eagle Forum, expressed her support for AVID and encouraged other states to consider developing similar systems to safeguard their voters.
The implementation of AVID showcases Alabama’s commitment to ensuring the integrity of its voter registration system. By utilizing advanced technology and establishing partnerships, the state aims to prevent fraudulent activities and increase public trust in the electoral process.
The introduction of this groundbreaking database sets a precedent for other states to prioritize the security and accuracy of their voter rolls. With AVID’s capabilities in identifying duplicate, nonresident, and deceased voters, as well as collaborating with law enforcement to detect fraudulent IDs, Alabama is leading the way in safeguarding democratic
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