NEW ORLEANS — Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin responded to questions about the new 25,000 signature threshold saying that the number was not arbitrary and was, in fact, calculated.
“We looked at the numbers from the canvas last year using that at a base line and then we looked at what the estimate would be if we performed a second annual audit and we added that to it and that got us to the right near the 25,000 mark,” Ardoin said.
The NOLATOYA group wanted the original 50,000 number to be slashed by about 32,000 but Ardoin said no.
“I stood my ground on it I was very I did not want to have some arbitrary number I wanted it to be based on some logical process by which we could attempt it because we didn’t have the time and don’t’ have the time to go through all the data that the other side was trying to present but I felt like if we could come up with the number this way logically by using both sets of numbers then I think we were in the ballpark to move forward,” Ardoin said.
The deal does not mean the voter rolls are not accurate, according to the judgement. Ardoin said the rolls are as accurate as they can be with the information they have. While the voter rolls are maintained frequently through annual canvases and the Registrar of Voters, Ardoin says they could be better.
Ardoin says this would not have happened had they been able to do a supplemental canvas. Legislation pushed forward by the Secretary of State was denied. The Governor’s office provided WWLTV with the Governor’s rulings on the proposed legislation. The governor vetoed both the 2021 and 2022 proposals because he believes a supplemental canvas would be repetitive and unnecessary.
Many have also questioned if cutting the amount of registered active voters will purge the rolls. Ardoin says the deal doesn’t move anyone from active status to inactive status right now. He says they will be investigating the recall groups claims but as of right now it’s just a change of the number. Ardoin said the claims of voter suppression are inaccurate.
“What I’m most disappointed in is the reaction whether it's the mayor or others claiming this is a racial issue, claiming this is a voter purge. Nothing could be further from the truth and the fact of the matter is nobodies voter status is changing period the end,” Ardoin said.
A lawyer for the Mayor said the team will be looking at their legal options to challenge the deal.