Bennet Demands Termination of White House Voter Commission

Request Comes on the Heels of Thousands of Coloradans Withdrawing Voter Registrations Due to Privacy Concerns

Washington, D.C. - Last week, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity ("the Commission") Kris Kobach requesting immediate termination of the harmful Commission, which is having an alarming effect on voter participation in Colorado.

According to the Denver Post, more than 3,390 people across Colorado recently have withdrawn their voter registrations. In the letter, Bennet noted that, in Denver County, at least 472 people have withdrawn their voter registrations since July 3. In contrast, only 20 people canceled their registrations in the preceding two weeks. In Boulder County, 329 voters canceled their registrations in the first 10 days of July. In contrast, only 15 voters withdrew their registrations in the first 10 days of June.

"Given the spike in these registration withdrawals, I request that you immediately end the Commission and describe how you intend to reverse the damage that it has already caused in my state," Bennet wrote.

Bennet emphasized that the actions of the Commission have entirely undermined its stated purpose.

"The stated purpose of the Commission is ‘to increase the American people's confidence in the integrity of our election systems,'" Bennet wrote. "Yet, the entire premise for its origination has zero basis in any peer-reviewed study or analysis...This Commission was formed as the result of delusion, conspiracy theories, and truly ‘fake news,' but it is having a very real and dramatically chilling effect on voter participation."

Rather than focusing on "actual and substantial threats to our democracy," such as voter suppression and Russian interference in our election, Bennet continued, "the Administration instead has chosen to embark on a taxpayer-funded fishing expedition, which is further eroding trust and confidence in our democratic institutions and perpetuating fear in communities throughout our country."

Finally, Bennet highlighted Colorado as an example for increasing voter access to elections.

"In Colorado, we have taken great pride in expanding access for voter participation while protecting the integrity of our elections," Bennet wrote. "We have led the nation in adopting early voting, mail-in ballots, and same-day registration."

Click HERE for a copy of the letter.