MARYLAND News (11/1/2024) – Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown has issued a cease and desist order to the Center for Voter Information and Voter Participation Center (CVI/VPC), directing the organization to immediately stop sending letters to Maryland voters that, he alleges, threaten to publicly disclose the voting status of those who do not participate in the upcoming election.
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The Voter Participation Center, as described on its website, is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2003 with the stated mission to help members of what it calls the “New American Majority” register and vote. The organization claims to have assisted over six million individuals in registering and voting since its inception. The Center describes itself as “data-driven,” using commercial and public records to identify unregistered, eligible voters. In collaboration with local election officials and various partners, the organization works to increase voter registration and turnout. It also notes its success in facilitating registration by mail, touting itself as the leading organization in this method within the United States.
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Despite this stated mission, Maryland voters recently reported receiving mailers from CVI/VPC, termed “Voting Report Cards,” that outline their voting participation history from the past four elections. These letters also compare each recipient’s voting history to that of two nearby neighbors, whose names and addresses were partially redacted. The communications allegedly suggest that, if the recipient does not vote in the upcoming election, their voting status could be shared with their community. Maryland election law allows public access to voter registration and voting history but strictly prohibits any efforts to influence voter decisions through intimidation, threats, or coercive tactics.
The cease and desist order from the Attorney General’s Office, prompted by complaints from recipients, accuses CVI/VPC of attempting to pressure voters by threatening to expose their voting status if they abstain. Attorney General Brown has demanded that CVI/VPC immediately cease distributing these letters, commit to refraining from similar communications in the future, and agree not to publish any voter participation records post-election.
Story by multiple RFHC contributors
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