Grimes refuses to turn over voter information to President's committee

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes denied a request from the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which asks for information on Kentucky voters.

The commission formed by President Donald Trump, chaired by Vice President Mike Pence and co-chaired by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, was created to investigate the President’s unsubstantiated claims that millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election.

The commission asked every state to provide personal information on all registered voters dating back to 2006. The information that the commission asks for includes names, party affiliations, addresses, voting histories, birth dates, the last four digits of of voters’ social security numbers and any information about felony convictions and military status.

Grimes refused to hand the data over.

“As the Commonwealth’s Secretary of State and chief election official I do not intend to release Kentuckians’ sensitive personal data to the federal government,” Grimes said in a statement.

Grimes blasted the President saying that the commission was created on false information that three to five million illegal votes were cast in the 2016 election.

“Kentucky will not aid a commission that is at best a waste of taxpayer money,” Grimes said. “And at worst an attempt to legitimize voter suppression efforts across the country.”

States have until July 14 to submit the information requested by the commission.