Secretary of State Matt Schultz says he thinks the criticism he’s been getting for filing emergency rules to clean up voter registration rolls may be premature. Faced with a small window for identifying and removing noncitizens from the Iowa voter registration rolls before Nov. 6, Schultz filed emergency rules to begin a process that might result in some Iowans’ ballots being challenged if they vote in the general election. However, Schultz repeatedly told The Gazette Editorial Board on Thursday that there are “multiple layers” of protection for voters who are identified as noncitizens not eligible to vote in the United States.
“We’re trying to provide more due process” than required by current Iowa law, he said. “We didn’t want what happened in Florida. We didn’t take that 3,500 number and forward it to the counties and say ‘You have to challenge these individuals.’” Based on Iowa Department of Transportation driver’s license information, the Secretary of State’s Office compiled a list of more than 3,500 people registered to vote who may be noncitizens ineligible to vote. More than 1,200 of those people had a voting history going back to 2010 and more than 1,400 have voted since 2010.
Full Article: Secretary of state defends change in election rules.