Personal ERIC ORR

ERIC – or the Electronic Registration and Information Center – is a non-profit organization established in 2012 with funding from Pew Charitable Trusts.

There are currently 32 states with “membership” in ERIC, plus Washington D.C. According to the terms of their contract ERIC provides two primary services to its members. 1) They compare various state databases with voter registration rolls, identify names not included on the rolls, and provide that list to the state. The state is then required to send voter registration applications to everyone on the list. 2) They provide states with information about potentially ineligible voter records based on comparison with the databases of other member states and a variety of third-party data sources.  In theory, this would give states what they need to insure voter roll accuracy.

So, why are voter rolls still a wreck? And what personally identifiable information is being shared about you with ERIC and their affiliates?

Here’s how you can find out …

A special thank you to our community for inspiring this project on last week’s Locals LIVE with Catherine! Keep the great ideas coming, and please consider sharing what you learn about ERIC in your state in the community chat during future LIVES!

Here's how you can ask your county

ERIC STATES

A Quick How To

1

IS YOUR STATE AN ERIC MEMBER?

Confirm that your state is an ERIC Member in the list above.
2

Download the Orr Template

Fill in the appropriate information in the Open Records Request template, as necessary, including Date, County or Government office or official, physical address and email address to send records to, and add your name in the signature field.

3

Send It

Email the ORR to your county elections administrator (or follow your county’s process for submitting ORRs). If you aren’t sure how to submit your ORR, give your county elections office a call and tell them you’d like to submit an open records request for information about your own voter registration record.
5

WHAT DID YOU FIND OUT?

If you learned something interesting, or would just like to share your county’s response, send it to Research@truethevote.org with the subject line “Personal ERIC ORR: County Response.”
4

Wait for a Response

Response timelines vary by state. Be patient and polite. If you haven’t heard anything after a week to 10 days, it’s okay to follow up.

Open Records Request Tips

  • Be specific enough that county officials know what you are seeking, but not so specific that you unintentionally miss something or give the county a reason to reject your request.
  • Be patient. You’ll find the process can be slow and sometimes require repeated communications to get movement on your request.
  • Be persistent but polite. As a citizen it is your right to request records from your government. You will occasionally have to be persistent to get the answers you are seeking.
  • If you have questions or run into problems, please email us at Research@truethevote.org with the subject line “Personal ERIC ORR: Questions/Issues.”
THE GOALS OF THE CITIZEN ORR PROJECT ARE SIMPLE
  1. Expanding True the Vote’s investigation
  2. Engaging citizens in the process of government accountability and transparency
  3. Empowering and equipping citizens across the country to take up the fight for accountability, transparency, and election integrity

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