Imperfect ERIC Data Leading to Potential Purge of Wisconsin Voters

Steve Chamraz of TMJ4:

ERIC is a service shared by 29 states and the District of Columbia to keep voter registration files up to date by comparing voter data with other public records like vehicle registrations.

In October, the Wisconsin Elections Commission used the ERIC list to contact voters who appeared to have moved.

If a voter had indeed moved, they were asked to re-register.

If they had not, the form gave instructions on how they could confirm their address and keep their current registration active.

It’s a process state election officials, ERIC and conservatives agree is not flawless.

Vebber says it doesn’t need to be.

“It doesn’t require perfect information. The statute says upon receipt of ‘reliable’ information. Certainly I think 95% is reliable,” Vebber said.

Milwaukee elections chief Neil Albrecht disagrees.

“I think something that has a 5 or 10 percent proven error rate should really meet the definition of unreliable data,” Albrecht said.

He supports the position of the state election commission and wants to wait two years before anyone gets deleted, ensuring no one loses the chance to vote in 2020….

We visited four wards in the heart of Milwaukee’s north side, from Capitol to Hampton, and roughly 35th Street to 48th.

It’s an area home to 513 voters conservatives want immediately deleted from the rolls.

Over the course of two days we tried to contact 114 people in this neighborhood and on the list.

We succeeded 43 times.

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