Credit reporting company Experian working with Mississippi on voter roll maintenance

• The Secretary of State’s office says the partnership will bring a new level of reliable data for county election commissioners to utilize in maintaining Mississippi’s voter rolls.

Mississippi’s Secretary of State has entered into an agreement with one of the largest credit reporting companies to ensure county election officials receive reliable and accurate voter information to maintain the Magnolia State’s voter rolls.

Under the new partnership with Experian, county election commissioners will continue to receive the U.S. Postal Service’s National Change of Address information, but all will receive “reliable” commercial data from the credit reporting agency as well.

County election commissioners will also receive information from the Social Security Death Master File for the first time to help supplement the existing processes to identify voters who have died.

Secretary of State Michael Watson’s office said in a statement that this new level of data, in addition to agreements with surrounding states to identify dually registered voters, will continue to build on the accuracy of Mississippi’s voter rolls and strengthen the integrity of elections.

Since the United States Census Bureau estimates around 12 percent of people move each year, the Secretary said it is imperative their office continually receives updated information to prevent double registration.

The Secretary of State’s office said in accordance with federal and state laws, registered voters who have been identified as having a new address will be sent a confirmation card and then placed on “Inactive” status.   

The office noted that “inactive” voters are not immediately removed from the voter rolls and still have an opportunity to vote or correct their registration by the following ways:

1. If a voter returns the confirmation card and states they have not moved, they will be returned to “Active” status at their current address.
2. If the voter has moved within the county of their current registration and returns the confirmation card, they will have their voter registration address updated to their new address within the county.
3. If the voter has moved outside of the county and returns the confirmation card, they will be removed from their previous county’s voter rolls and will need to register in their new county of residence.
4. If the voter does not return the card, they will remain on the voter rolls as an “Inactive” voter through two federal general elections. During this time, a voter may be moved to “Active” status at any time by updating their information with their county circuit clerk.

Watson’s office stressed “an inactive voter who goes to vote on election day will still be given the opportunity to vote by affidavit ballot.”

During a January press conference, Watson addressed election integrity, telling reporters that in their first work with Alabama, some 8,000 double registrants were found. He said these individuals were registered to cast ballots in both states.

Mississippi has signed memorandums of understanding with Alabama, Tennessee, and Arkansas to ensure voters were not double registered in those states, the Secretary said. He said then that his office was working with Florida and Georgia on similar MOUs.

The idea that a person is on the voter rolls in two states may seem minor but as Watson said, “It is illegal.”