Nov. 5 marked a resounding victory for Donald Trump and his wing of the Republican Party. However, while the presidential race is over, the work to prove our elections are valid and lawful must continue.

Accountability in our elections is paramount to trust in our elections. The election accountability movement, often labeled as “election denial” by critics, has never been about challenging previous results. Rather, it has always focused on identifying vulnerabilities within our election systems to ensure they remain resilient against future threats.

Thankfully, over the past three years, dedicated groups of volunteers nationwide have worked tirelessly to secure and protect our election system. They are trained data scientists, computer programmers, statisticians, attorneys and dedicated registered voters. Central to their effort has been the verification of the accuracy of the states’ official voter registration databases. They have conducted canvassing efforts to confirm the validity of registration addresses and meticulously analyzed the voter registration database to identify ineligible entries.

One such group is our Maryland chapter of United Sovereign Americans (MDUSA) which is part of a national election accountability organization. A recent Oct. 23 thread on the United Sovereign Americans X account fully explains the importance of our accountability strategy.

The results of our efforts are compiled in an Election Accuracy Report sent to the Maryland State Board of Election on Feb. 27, 2024. A March 4 article titled, “The Sad State of Maryland’s Voter Rolls” meticulously walks the reader through our process and the incontrovertible evidence we have collected.

The MDUSA report was intended to provide Maryland state elections officials an opportunity to respond and work with us to address these concerns openly. However, the Maryland State Board of Elections never responded to our report. As a result, we filed a lawsuit to compel them to address the inaccuracies we identified in the report.

Our analysis of Maryland’s voter registration database indicated there are tens of thousands of questionable or inconsistent registration records, including 1,699 duplicate registrations; 3,366 active registrations without a certified U.S. Post Office mailing address; 5,680 active registrants who permanently moved at least four years ago; 605 active registrations with non-residential addresses such as a P.O. Box; 883 registrants under the voting age of 16; and 1,218 active registrants who are deceased, among other irregular records.

While these inaccuracies may seem minor individually, collectively they can and do undermine the integrity of Maryland’s election system.

It is important to emphasize that our primary goal is to address the vulnerabilities that could lead to ineligible or fraudulent voter registrations.

The objective is to create a responsive, automated system that would identify corrections in real time. This system would greatly reduce the risk of ineligible and fraudulent registrations, while also ensuring that eligible voters’ information is accurately reflected.

The focus would be on systemic improvements such as voter ID and signature verification requirements, enhanced data verification processes to eliminate duplicate and invalid registrations, stricter controls for address certification to ensure all registrations have accurate residential information, regularly updating records to reflect current residency and eligibility statuses, and advanced technology to detect and rectify age discrepancies and other anomalies.

With these kinds of improvements, we can prevent minor issues from becoming significant threats and ensure the highest possible standard of accuracy in our voter registration data.

A secure election system relies on accurate and up-to-date voter rolls that reflect only eligible Maryland voters. Many may not know that our voter registration database is considered critical infrastructure by the Department of Homeland Security. As such, Maryland’s election officials have an affirmative duty to maintain their accuracy.

While the Maryland State Board of Elections strives to fulfill this duty, they often fall short due to a combination of limited resources, insufficient staffing and gaps in legislation — such as the lack of voter ID and signature verification requirements. Additionally, there is an overreliance on the underperforming nonprofit Election Registration Information Center, which further complicates efforts to ensure the integrity and accuracy of our voter rolls.

Our goal in Maryland has been to foster collaboration, not create conflict. We reached out to the State Board of Elections to help create an opportunity to restore public trust. With 63% of Americans expressing a lack of confidence in the future of our electoral system, the need for transparency and reform has never been more urgent.

Without lawfully conducted elections, the voices of citizens are silenced. We urge both state and federal officials to take this opportunity seriously. A broken electoral system requires repair, not deflection or denial. As we move forward, let this moment be a turning point where we prioritize our commitment to accountability, transparency and the restoration of trust in the democratic process.

The American people deserve nothing less.

Kate Sullivan is a member of Maryland Election Integrity and the Maryland chapter of United Sovereign Americans.