A resolution by state Senator Henry Stern calling on other states to join California in refusing to share sensitive election data with President Trump’s Election Integrity Commission will move forward after clearing its first committee vote.

State Senator Henry Stern is the author of Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 11​ and presiding Chair of the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee.

Citing concerns over the legality of the commission, the sensitivity of requested voter data and the constitutional obligation of states to safeguard and oversee election practices; Senator Stern’s resolution urges each state to join California in refusing to provide their states’ voter data to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. S.J.R. 11 would also instruct the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the Secretary of State and Governor of all 49 states.

“On its face, the President’s Election Integrity Commission is nothing but a tax-payer funded attempt to fuel misguided conspiracy theories,” said State Senator Henry Stern upon introducing the resolution. “This measure is a rallying cry for other states to join a growing coalition of election officials, Attorneys General and civil rights watchdog groups in protecting the sanctity of electoral data by not yielding to the demands of this fraudulent commission.”

Since the formation of the Election Integrity Commission was announced by the White House in May 2017, election officials and legal experts have criticized its legality and the legitimacy of its overall mission. This is the first resolution of its kind that has been introduced by a state legislator, and joins series of other responses from across the nation ranging from legal challenges to secretaries of state outright refusing to comply, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla has lead the charge

“My position has been clear: California will not be providing personal voter data to Trump’s sham election commission,” Secretary of State Alex Padilla said.  “The President’s Election Commission is a waste of taxpayer money, created to justify his lies about millions of illegal votes and to advance measures to suppress voting rights. I am proud to support SJR 11, which urges elections officials across the nation to stand with California in denying this commission’s unprecedented and unsecure data request.”

“California’s voting rights advocates, elected representatives, and elections officials have worked together in recent years to make voting more convenient and to expand access to democracy, without sacrificing security,” said Jonathan Stein, Board Chair at California Common Cause. “The federal government should be studying California’s success instead of spending taxpayer time and money on a poorly run commission that appears to have pre-judged the matter it is studying.”

The resolution will go to a vote on the Senate floor and must be passed by each house before the September 15th deadline for this year’s legislative session.

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