The State of Maine joined the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), a non-profit consortium of 31 other states, to improve voter rolls’ integrity and promote voter confidence in the electoral process.
Joining the consortium will also allow Maine to exchange data with other states to identify people who have moved and registered elsewhere or deceased outside the state more efficiently.
“Joining ERIC is a big step forward in more efficiently conducting our voter list maintenance,” Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in a press release. “With ERIC, we’ll be able to contact eligible, but unregistered, voters so that they can participate in our democratic process, while also keeping registered voters’ information up-to-date so that as many citizens as possible can vote and have confidence that their vote matters.”
ERIC member states follow several technical protocols and policy guidelines to maximize the accuracy and inclusivity of voter lists while maintaining the privacy and security of voters’ data.
As of October 2021, the following states are members of the ERIC: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The District of Columbia is also a member.
