More than 30 percent of a small sample of felons remained on Maryland's voter registration rolls after they were convicted of their crimes and should have been removed, according to an audit released on Tuesday.
The review by legislative auditors of the Maryland State Board of Elections found that the statewide voter registration database needs better oversight, and criticized the state board for what it said were insufficient checks of local elections operations.
Many of the problems noted by auditors were raised in past years. Because so many remain unresolved, the state agency will be required to provide frequent updates on its progress.
State elections officials said the review was fair, but added that they do not have enough staff or money to provide the level of oversight that the reviewers demand. Elected officials who review the audit work say they do not think the problems are significant enough to raise questions about this year's election.
The auditor's check of 22 felons who were registered voters before their convictions showed that as of September 2009, seven were still listed as registered voters.
State elections administrator Linda H. Lamone said the finding on felons reflects errors that often occur in spellings of names and dates of birth in court and voter registration records. Local boards, she said, "are really reluctant to strike that person from the rolls" without being certain it's the right person.
Sen. Verna L. Jones, a Baltimore City Democrat and a ranking member of the General Assembly's Joint Audit Committee, said the report gives her no reason to doubt the accuracy of voter registration lists.
"I don't think it should alarm us," said Jones. "I believe the system is reliable enough for elections to go on."
House Chairman Steven J. DeBoy, a Democrat who represents parts of Baltimore and Howard counties, said he is "very confident we're going to have a very clean election."
Of the 14 findings in the audit, six — including flaws in monitoring voter registration databases, local boards and cash receipts — appeared on the agency's previous audit report three years ago and were not corrected. Legislative auditor Bruce A. Myers said that's one uncorrected problem over the limit established by a recent law, meaning the elections board will have to file quarterly reports with the auditor on its progress in fixing those flaws.
Some of the issues identified by auditors highlight a longstanding disagreement with the elections board.
Lamone said she does not have the staff in place to provide the level of oversight that auditors want. The charge of poor oversight has been on audit reports dating back to 1995.
"I have a staff of 30 people run the entire elections operation," Lamone said, arguing that she does not have the staff to conduct the sort of intense oversight the auditor seems to want. She said she'll be asking for more staff, but in the current budget situation does not expect to get the help.
The audit mentions that the state agency required the 24 local election boards to verify up to 10 additions and 10 deletions of names from the voter list each month. That requirement does not increase during periods of heavy registration activity, nor does it go up when officials find errors.
The report said the state board did not have an audit performed on maintenance and security of the centralized statewide voter registration system, which is maintained by a contractor. Auditors said the elections board was "essentially relying on the contractor's assertion that this critical database is secure and properly functioning."
Lamone said she started making changes in the agency while the audit was under way last summer and fall. She said "virtually every one" of the 14 findings has "been addressed or is in the process of being addressed."
"I thought the auditor did a very fair and thorough job," Lamone said. Her written response, however, said the report does not acknowledge her agency's "extensive oversight activities of the voter registration system and data."