Secretary of state wants delay in plan for voter database

JAMES WARDEN   Associated Press   27 January 2005

BISMARCK, N.D. - Secretary of State Al Jaeger is asking lawmakers to delay plans for a state voter database, which is supposed to be ready for the June 2006 primary election.

His office is presently focused on finishing plans to install vote scanners, and voting machines that are accessible for people with disabilities, in North Dakota's counties, Jaeger told the House Government and Veterans Affairs Committee on Thursday.

The voting machines are required by a new federal law, and take precedence over the voter database, he said.

Jaeger wants the Legislature to approve a bill to delay the deadline for two years, to the June 2008 primary. The House will vote on the measure later.

North Dakota's counties already collect the information that will be used in the database, but there is no central location to access the counties' data, the secretary of state said.

Danette Odenbach, a voting coordinator for the state Association of Counties, said the database will use voters' driver's license numbers to identify them.

The database will be used to print county poll books for elections. Information in the poll books will be open to the public, the legislation says, but voters' identifying numbers will not be disclosed.

The project came up during Jaeger's re-election campaign last year. The Republican incumbent's Democratic opponent, Doug Melby, said the database was unnecessary and should be discontinued.

Jaeger said the voter file will give all counties equal access to information, and will help eliminate duplication in cases in which a voter moves within North Dakota, and is listed as an eligible voter in two different counties.

"It allows all counties to take advantage of the processes big cities enjoy now," he said.

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