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Former secretary of state urges Congress to shorten NVRA blackout, ease federal grant strings
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Summary
A former secretary of state told the House Administration Committee that the 90‑day National Voter Registration Act blackout prevents removing confirmed deaths from voter rolls and urged exemptions; a witness also warned that federal grant match rules can strain state budgets.
A former secretary of state told the House Administration Committee that the 90‑day ‘‘blackout’’ under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) can prevent local officials from removing verified deaths from voter rolls and urged Congress to consider shortening the period or adding exemptions for confirmed deaths.
The committee member questioned witnesses about the data sources and funding that state and local election officials use for list maintenance. They named the “save database” and Social Security death information as tools now sometimes available at no cost, and asked what Congress could do to help modernize and support list‑maintenance efforts.
A witness said broader access to datasets makes list maintenance more accurate. “Absolutely. Absolutely. The more the more datasets you can compare with, the better the system works,” the witness said, arguing that improved data matching helps identify ineligible registrations.
The witness also expressed reluctance about federal grants tied to required local matches. They said when a state legislature is not in session, officials may face the choice of spending local funds to meet a federal match or returning federal money. “I always come from the school of thought that elections are best run locally and funded locally,” the witness said, adding that the strings attached to some federal grants can make them impractical.
On the NVRA blackout, the committee member pressed whether the current 90‑day rule bars removal of confirmed deaths from voter lists during that window. The witness said yes and urged a narrower rule with explicit exemptions for confirmed deaths. “I would like it shortened and then certain exemptions like death,” the witness said, adding that removals should be based on confirmed information, not rumor.
The exchange did not result in a recorded vote or a formal directive in the provided transcript. The committee member concluded their questioning and yielded back their time.
Notes: The transcript refers to a ‘‘safe’’ program that previously charged fees and which the witness said ceased during President Barack Obama’s second term until last fall; the speaker described that history as context for current data availability. The hearing transcript did not record a formal bill, motion, or vote on the NVRA or changes to federal grant rules.
