June 30, 2017

The Honorable Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr.

100 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401

Governor Hogan,

We understand that the State of Maryland has been sent a letter by a federal
commission requesting access to records of Maryland voters, including personal
identifying information. We find this request deeply disturbing. The Co-Chairman of the
commission in question, Kris Kobach, has a long history of undertaking efforts aimed at
disenfranchising voters (see for example Fish v. Kobach, No. 16-3147, 10th Cir. 2016).
Further, the commission was formed to investigate clearly false allegations of mass
voter fraud in the 2016 elections that have been repudiated by Republican and
Democratic leaders, elections administrators, and elections experts. This commission is
essentially a witch hunt aimed at undermining faith in our democratic processes.

Regardless of the intent of the commission, however, a mass request by the

federal government for records of millions of Marylanders is unprecedented and raises
serious concerns about the security of that data and the uses to which they could be
put. Under current law in Maryland, such data are only shared for the purposes of
electoral campaigns, and only with registered Maryland voters who sign an affidavit
affirming the uses to which the data will be put. Election Law Article 3-506 is very clear
that such data may only be released when the person to whom they are being released
affirms that they will not be used for any purpose other than the electoral process.

The federal commission which is requesting this data has signed no affidavit as
required. A federal commission is not a registered Maryland voter. And the data are
being requested for purposes which are clearly not electoral. Therefore, we believe that
releasing this data would violate Maryland law. We urge you to protect the privacy of
Marylanders and the integrity of our voter data, and refuse the request from this
commission.
Sincerely,

Delegate Kumar Barve Delegate David Moon

Chair, Environ. & Transportation Cmte
Delegate Maric Morales
Delegate Al Carr
Delegate Joseline Pea-Melnyk
Delegate Luke Clippinger
Delegate Pamela Queen
Delegate Kathleen Dumais
Vice-Chair, Judiciary Cmte Delegate Kirill Reznik

Delegate Ana Sol Gutierrez Delegate Shane Robinson

Delegate Shelly Hettleman Senator Will Smith

Senator Cheryl Kagan Delegate Jimmy Tarlau

Delegate Ariana Kelly Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher

Delegate Marc Korman Delegate Alonzo Washington

Delegate Brooke Lierman Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins

Delegate Eric Luedtke Delegate Karen Lewis Young

Senator Rich Madaleno Senator Craig Zucker

Vice-Chair, Budget & Taxation Cmte

Delegate Aruna Miller

Cc: Secretary of State Wobensmith, Elections Administrator Lamone