Senators say many states publish addresses of registered voters, putting many survivors at risk 

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration with oversight jurisdiction over federal elections, and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) are urging the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to protect victims of domestic violence, stalking, and trafficking by allowing states to use coronavirus emergency election grants to develop and improve programs that mask their addresses or locations in public voter files. 

Minnesota has a successful address confidentiality program, “Safe at Home”, but some states do not have these programs, at a time when domestic violence is rising. Senators Klobuchar and Smith say there is a need to expand access to address confidentiality programs to help survivors of violence in all states safely exercise their fundamental right to vote.  

In a letter to the Commissioners on Monday, the Senators pushed the EAC to issue guidance that would allow states to use grant funding appropriated by Congress to develop programs that help ensure victims’ physical locations are kept private, allowing them to safely register to vote and receive election mail. 

“Many states include the physical address of registered voters in publicly available records. However, the safety of many survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, or trafficking depends upon their ability to keep their physical location confidential. Given that reported instances of domestic violence have risen sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that survivors of domestic violence be able to shield their physical address from any voter registration forms and public databases,” the senators wrote. 

“Nearly 40 states offer some type of an address confidentiality program, though they vary widely in implementation and the protections they give to voters.  Funding to help expand and improve these programs is necessary. It is essential that everyone have a safe and secure way to participate in our democracy and that survivors can register to vote and receive a mail-in ballot without putting their health and safety at risk,” the senators continued.

In April, Klobuchar, Smith, and colleagues sent a letter requesting that any future legislation to address COVID-19 includes support for victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

In March, Klobuchar, Smith, and colleagues sent a letter, calling on the Administration to ensure service providers have the flexibility and resources to help victims and survivors of domestic violence. 

Senator Smith has had many conversations with domestic violence service providers across Minnesota, and they’ve shared with her how important it is to address confidentiality programs so survivors can exercise their constitutional rights safely.

Klobuchar has also been a leader in the fight to ensure that every American can safely cast a ballot in the next election.

Earlier this month, Klobuchar, Smith and colleagues sent a letter to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calling on the Administration to issue updated and comprehensive guidance on safety measures to keep voters, poll workers, and election workers safe during upcoming elections, both for mail voting and in-person voting.

In March, Klobuchar and Wyden, joined by Smith and others, introduced the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020 which now has 34 other co-sponsors, to expand early in-person voting and voting by mail to all states and provide states the funding and resources to improve the safety of elections during the coronavirus pandemic and implement measures to protect voting rights.

In April, Klobuchar wrote an op-ed in the New York Times on the need to expand mail voting, early voting, and online voter registration. In March, Klobuchar and Wyden wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post, highlighting the need “to protect the foundation of our democracy by ensuring that every eligible American can safely cast a ballot in the upcoming elections.”

Full text of the letter can be found HERE and below:

Dear Commissioners:

We write to urge the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to issue guidance that would allow states to use emergency election grants provided under the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) to create, develop, and improve address confidentiality programs (also referred to as Safe at Home programs) in order to protect the safety of survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many states include the physical address of registered voters in publicly available records. However, the safety of many survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, or trafficking depends upon their ability to keep their physical location confidential. Given that reported instances of domestic violence have risen sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is critical that survivors of domestic violence be able to shield their physical address from any voter registration forms and public databases.  Address confidentiality programs allow survivors to receive election mail, including absentee ballots, without disclosing their physical address. This pandemic will require more voters to cast their ballots by mail than ever before, and it is crucial that survivors be able to safely receive and send election mail.

Nearly 40 states offer some type of an address confidentiality program, though they vary widely in implementation and the protections they give to voters.  Funding to help expand and improve these programs is necessary. It is essential that everyone have a safe and secure way to participate in our democracy and that survivors can register to vote and receive a mail-in ballot without putting their health and safety at risk.

Accordingly, we urge the EAC to issue guidance allowing states to use HAVA funds to implement and expand address confidentiality programs in order to protect survivors’ right to vote.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

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