Are there publicly-available lists of voters who've been purged?

[cyclonefence]

If so, wouldn't it be a good project for country Democratic committees to assign volunteers to visit each of them and help them to register properly, as Democrats (of course)? I'd be willing to spend time doing this, and I bet a lot of other retired people would, too.

[Dave Starsky]

1. I don't think that's possible.

For instance, if "Mickey Mouse" was deleted from the voter rolls, he probably wouldn't have a credible address or phone number.

Unless, of course, Mickey's name really IS Mickey Mouse, in which case, I imagine he would take the initiative to straighten this out on his own. Or change his name.

[cyclonefence]

2. I'm assuming that the vast majority of those purged

are not actually fraudulent voters but Democrats whose registration has some irregularity, such as failing to report a move to a new address. If names like "Mickey Mouse" were being purged, I don't think we'd be distressed by the Kobach commission.

[Dave Starsky]

4. Then you won't find those people...

In a publicly available database of those who have been purged.

[cyclonefence]

6. Why not?

The County Committee has a list of registered voters (of both parties); why wouldn't they be informed if someone is deleted from those lists? Voting lists are the heart and soul of election efforts at the local level.

I'll let you know how I fare.

[Dave Starsky]

7. Then I would ask the County Committee about it first.

That seems like a good place to start.

Let us know what they tell you.

[lapucelle]

3. "Helping" voters to register is tricky business,

especially when done by those affiliated with political parties.

I worked in two different states with lists of voters registered at some point as Democrats who were most likely to have been purged based on demographics and changes in state law, and, in some cases, due to the gutting of the VRA.

Laws for assisting people to register vary from state to state. Some were enacted to protect marginalized people from the pressure of strong arm tactics in the guise of persuasion or advice. Others are meant to to disenfranchise specific groups. Many are simply the bureaucratic rules designed to keep the system functioning properly and predictably.

Lawyers who were versed in the relevant state law were always there to explain the fine points and stress the importance of following the law and erring on the side of caution. Only after their vetting were we were allowed to pick up our lists. The last thing the party wants to do is to see registration invalidated because someone who meant to help actually harmed.

[cyclonefence]

5. I have been a committeeperson in the past,

and one of my duties was to register Democrats to vote. If a list of purged voters is available in Bucks County PA I can get it, and I know how to register people legally, or rather to assist people who've had a problem with their previous registration correct it so they are able to vote in 2018. Mileage may vary, of course, but here it is a simple matter.

The only thing I'm not sure of is if there is a list of purged voters available, and Monday I'll call the committee office and find out. I don't think many (if any) voters have been purged in my county, but it won't hurt to ask.

Anyone who is interested in assisting to register voters need only call your local (usually county) Democratic committee and ask how you can help. If it is a complicated procedure where you live, they'll tell you so.

[lapucelle]

8. I worked registration drives in PA.

We worked with inactive voter lists. The rules for assisting voters are less stringent in PA than in some other states.

I wouldn't do anything on my own. Go the the county DNC and tell them your idea. 2018 might be too far into the future right now to be working registration. We were bused from out of state in September and early October to help people register. The registration deadline for the general election was around October 10 or thereabouts.

We felt really good about PA, including the Katie McGinty race. We fought the good fight.