This Man Exposed 40K Voters Purged by Mistake

Steve Tingley-Hock is not somebody used to being at the center of a scandal. The former database administrator, who lives in a small town in Ohio, first began running queries on voter data in order to learn new database software. But what started as a side project made national headlines in 2019, when his work exposed a 40,000 voter purge error in a list released by Ohio's Secretary of State.
VICE met up with Steve in his Marysville Ohio to learn about his unlikely path and why he continues to dedicate his days to running queries on voter rolls around the country, in order to make sure nobody is wrongfully losing their right to vote.
Follow Steve on Twitter, here: / ohvoterproject
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[@NewJerseyRaver]

What a patriot. He owes us nothing, but he’s protecting us.

[@frencusmcguire8547]

If everyone has everyone's back then we wouldn't need heroes. Heroes would be commonplace.

[@campkira]

when your own winner want to check his winning... that when you know there r problem...

[@0IIIIII]

Vote Democrat kids

[@Corn0nTheCobb]

@@campkira That's not a problem, that's just an honest person. Sounds like you're not

[@joshuataylor81]

Vote Republican kids!

[@a-aron2276]

This man needs a go fund me. And do the whole country.

[@luisavila8342]

Someone make him one plsssss

[@phorm57]

Yes he does, im not surprised vice didn't start one lmfao

[@Slavaisusukhrystu]

Any programmers/engineers ready to join his team? I, as a PoliSci student, pledge to write articles about this.

[@benargee]

There should be no data cost for this kind of analysis. This is something the state should be doing themselves already.

[@agoodballet]

I feel like he should receive the funding and be paid for his time. Maybe those smart ass computer people with Anonymous can help.

[@spoonkiller.]

Not every hero wears a cape!

[@Stanley-px3bt]

Agreed!

[@TheJulioGulio]

"Sometimes good guys dont wear white" oh wait nevermind

[@mgray999]

Some are a cape

[@raymondphilip6232]

*underpants

[@llama2dopeable]

@Kishan P. y

[@jmg6887]

GET THIS MAN THAT MONEY!

[@superformOG]

or make the public data free?

[@aowatson1]

@@superformOG nothing is "free". And economics changes at the zero boundary. See history of NYC water.

[@jmg6887]

@@superformOG like that's going to happen! 🤣

[@renni9813]

@Derka Derka Sadly that won't happen. Thankfully some stats are passing bills that will give their electoral votes to the candidate that wins the popular vote. Like a democracy should be. If every state passed this, the country would work like a democracy should.

[@catenaa4594]

Trump needs to get this guy all of the states!

[@something-else7171]

In Alabama the situation is so smelly that they charge 33K....imagine the amount of voting suppression

[@MsBhappy]

the US really is far from a democracy

[@lilcaesars100]

They suppress votes from black people been a history...

[@Kevin-xd2yv]

@@MsBhappy You're spot on, it's not a democracy, it's a constitutional republic.

[@bmcunning]

@@Kevin-xd2yv actually it is a democratic republic, and a republic is just a type of democracy. A republic is a representative democracy. There are also many key elements in America that are direct democracy.

[@gwolf7716]

@@Kevin-xd2yv then why all the bitching about votes if they don’t matter. Screw that thinkin cap on a bit tighter, buddy.

[@VampFaye]

As an Ohioian, I thank you for your due diligence.

[@Cornish_Co]

Same

[@Brett_S_420]

The GOP counters his finding this out with them deciding to shut down 800+ polling places.

[@laurahhh69]

He has some DUDE Diligence

[@bdgthekilla4582]

I think im to baked but this dude look like he was sent from the 1700s to save America

[@WHYZMAN_]

lol

[@corey1854]

You’re trippin man

[@eyeamstrongest]

lel

[@ConcietedMuchXD]

Wtf 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@Todis51]

Hahahaha

[@oldwalt4645]

"When I first started doing this it was just kinda a science experiment. I wanted to learn how to use a particular DBMS (database management system) called postgres, so I needed free data" This guy is my hero. Embracing open source, learning new technologies even after he's retired just for knowledge and applying them to a real world problem, and providing a true unbiased opinion and presenting facts based on just the data. I aspire to be him after my career is done.

[@stevetingley-hock6955]

lol you are assuming my career is done. I started this in addition to a full time job.

[@fairdose]

This guy needs to get in touch with investigative journalist Greg Palast who specifically investigates voter suppression issues.

[@TT-yu4hh]

Voter suppression?? Total bs unless the people purged are conservatives

[@bawskeeyeet7480]

@@TT-yu4hh OK whatever you think

[@MeatCatCheesyBlaster]

Only what I believe is true

[@bawskeeyeet7480]

@@MeatCatCheesyBlaster stop smoking rocks

[@TT-yu4hh]

@@bawskeeyeet7480 so, please explain any other " voter suppression"-

[@amylouisexo]

33k for alabama?? What you hiding

[@falahati]

Exactly; everybody is talking about funding this man. But what about the next guy? Why states can charge 33k for the list of people that they removed from voting anyway? These sort of information should be free and transparent so that it can be analyzed by everyone.

[@amylouisexo]

@@falahati I'm not from the US but that's definitely sus. Surely it should be readily available to anyone

[@7Deuce]

They’re hiding a lot. When you speak to people there, you can already tell something is off.

[@kenster8270]

Who knows, but neighboring Georgia got caught purging thousands of Black voters who had skipped one election without informing them, so that when/if they discovered that the state had purged them they had to re-register. Did I mention that these purged voters happened to live in overwhelmingly African-American areas?

[@7Deuce]

@@kenster8270 that's always how it is, been happening forever. It's another way to control the masses

[@maxboya]

You can tell by the truck he drives. An old 90s Nissan Frontier. He doesn’t care about material or money. He literally only cares about honesty and integrity. True American right here.

[@puprilla]

True americans care about money and the growth of our country. Thats why we left 🇬🇧

[@ericamonrreal925]

I just donated $10 to his non-profit, the Ohio Voter Project. Let's pitch in to help him continue doing great work and ensure future generations can continue to vote with confidence!

[@lizardsman601]

this man is a god sent help him fund his hard work we need this nationwide

[@wesleyhempoli5548]

Jesus christ. That makes no sense. Maybe try a period so you sound less schizo?

[@hilo63]

@@wesleyhempoli5548 Just read it backwards Works everytime.

[@Stanley-px3bt]

@@wesleyhempoli5548 We all understood his message. Did you?

[@Brett_S_420]

The GOP counters his finding this out with them deciding to shut down 800+ polling places.

[@marissatrevino1181]

@@Stanley-px3bt wat was the message if u don't mind breaking it down

[@woodstockadam172]

I'm a conservative and I believe in this man's work. He should be hired by each state's SOS to analyze their voter rolls since the government can't seem to keep up with this task.

[@jsizzlesaurusrex]

People act like conservatives don’t have values, but this type of thing used to be exactly what conservative values where all about. It just sucks that the Republicans have abandoned so much of these principles in favor of just “owning the libs”. Fox News and cnn need to be burned to the ground.

[@Brett_S_420]

They shouldn't even do this like they do. Maybe once every census. Nobody is out there voting twice.

[@Semi_Successful]

@@jsizzlesaurusrex Right?! I don't get how anyone would willingly choose to be labeled as either. Both have shown their major flaws. I'd much rather be independent and allow my own thoughts to choose the correct individuals who share my values.

[@Semi_Successful]

@@Brett_S_420 I voted for Trump Twice and ill do it again this election. thank you for keep denying and allow me to do this again.

[@adondriel]

If he's on their payroll, it's no longer as trust worthy, annoyingly

[@dougbeney6399]

Vice, you should link to his Twitter in the description so more people can follow him and his work.

[@VICE]

Good call. - twitter.com/ohvoterproject

[@dougbeney6399]

@@VICE Awesome, thank you!

[@caiofleury3924]

up

[@Apolloneek]

@@VICE pin this

[@melaniewhaley1808]

He'll be canceled. Watch

[@brantley2171]

Now this is a god damn great American right here!

[@geeet_eth]

This man must love SQL so much

[@segua]

Hahahahahhahahahahahaha

[@ThatDudeMidnight]

AHAHAHAHA

[@valentinfreundorfer5236]

Suspicious nerd: If he loved it so much, why didn't he inject himself with it?

[@toppie34]

this gave me vietnam war flashback moment

[@geeet_eth]

@@valentinfreundorfer5236 smart.

[@TheLadeef]

This is what a patriot looks like.

[@jag5798]

Polarized - great word for this time. No matter who you are voting for.

[@Berrysphoto]

Exactly... like I'm 19 and even I can tell how much more polarized politics are now than they were even 4 years ago let alone 8. The two party system, in my opinion, really is what is destroying our country. If we just worked together instead of fighting than maybe we would get somewhere. And that goes for both partys.

[@SLPC_]

Social media is what causes this - check out the documentary “the social dilemma” from Netflix and you’ll understand why

[@Slavaisusukhrystu]

So, I'm doing my best to fix the social issues that bug me.

[@native2704]

@@SLPC_ Specifically social media algorithms.

[@SLPC_]

@@Ibebrappin the whole world is polarised now - it isn't just america.

[@thebabslife]

This guy was in IT before IT was even IT. Respect

[@_TheShowStopper]

"I've been called a dinosaur more than once,...But it works, & it's cheap & it's very accurate"!!! Tell em my G! Lol it seriously, We need more people like him especially in the current situation we are all in. Keep on Doing It My Brother!!!

[@lolero123]

he seems like a very chill guy to have a beer with, love his hair too

[@kenster8270]

chill yet focused. and on the right side of history.

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

"The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself. That in its essence is fascism: ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or any controlling private power." - Franklin D. Roosevelt

[@Koi33.]

or by the bankers

[@TheRight-handedStranger]

I agree that’s why the Democrats should stop sending ballots to dead people and not purging them from the board of the election systems, or to cats, yes to cats who lived longer that 16 years old. I think that cat whose owner received a ballot for her to vote after she died at the age of 18 might have different opinions than the left😃😃

[@tripoverthis420]

@Chaos Revolution pretty much. Why vote if it is all rigged anyways, or there is outside/inside involvement. Half or so of the people are also pedophiles.

[@Goofballhero]

Banks and corporations have our government on a leash.

[@ruthiematteson6827]

And that is why he's the only President elected more than twice...and the reason career politicians made sure to cap it to 2 terms... God forbid we keep a good man who wants what is best for THE PEOPLE. Trump was villified solely because he was the same sort of guy... AMERICA FIRST.... and for the record... I have never voted Republican in my life.... but I stand behind President Trump. I don't care what any ignorant leftist thinks about it either. In my opinion, the left is trying to usher in communism. I say HELL NO

[@anthonyp5196]

Not all heroes wear capes

[@DarkShroom]

true, iron man, hulk, punisher, spiderman, the fantastic four, but to name a few!

[@williamthomas2278]

Dude his hair is his cape

[@kovy689]

This video holds to be very true now!

[@mariobenavidez3945]

This man deserves a medal!

[@PASTRAMIKick]

Damn If the USA does this, I can't even begin to imagine what goes on in my country Mexico, it's probably a few times worse.

[@picklesyah3321]

By “mistake” 🤔

[@jesseling144]

Prove otherwise

[@puddincup9879]

“Republican mistake “

[@FGP_Pro]

@@jesseling144 You sound like a criminal.

[@jesseling144]

@@FGP_Pro Why,thank you 😁

[@FGP_Pro]

@@jesseling144 Yes, of course, we know conservatives are amoral scum and you know it too. Good, we are agreed.

[@GobyTSB]

Never in my life have I seen someone more worthy of a Go Fund Me.

[@QuestionEverythingButWHY]

“Those who vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything.” ― Joseph Stalin

[@iamdmc]

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

[@sypher0101]

True. Last election we had reports that the counters were marking votes for Conservative candidates as invalid. Don't think anything was done about it, but just goes to show, if counters are bias, then anything can happen.

[@codyprice0295]

Wow!!! Where is this cited? Is there any evidence of him actually saying this?

[@DarkShroom]

yes except that was in the soviet union.... if you really think you could be the one guy that counts the votes now and use this to win the election, you're being unrealistic

[@atlguera564]

Words Brian Kemp literally...illegally lives by.

[@alexs1640]

The public overseeing government process is exactly what we need. They are public servants, we need more transparency, not less.

[@westsenkovec]

Very simple, vote in person with an ID. The end.

[@katieskorner8164]

Or use fingerprint id. Everyone has as least one.

[@flavortown289]

There is a huge amount of people that don’t have a drivers license and most fall lower on the economic ladder. It’s just a way for conservatives to suppress votes from poor communities.

[@ilovelife3328]

Crazy times we are in!

[@mattheweburns]

Hmmmm I wonder if there’s a positive correlation between erroneous purging with nefarious training in higher cost per data states? Thanks for the videos, cheers!!

[@420Kyle1620]

**see the 'thinking mans mullet'** Oh this guy is legit.

[@staticsnipezs1819]

Ok but my question is how the hell do you accidentally do something like this?

[@butters88871]

This happened to me in 2016. I was found as 'inactive' in the NY State registry for the democratic primary.

[@soulfireonfire6423]

That why adults need tk takd cate if their business and when voting time vines around and everywhere you look it talks about registering and checking to see if your registration is correct everyone should.

[@PatrickS7760]

Someone needs to get this guy a patreon account.

[@0poIE]

*People like this are truely patriotic about their country and people*

[@saigonrider]

33k, im calling it right now that number will soon rise after they realize someones onto them

[@71samrath]

This is what you call a patriot!!! I solute you sir..

[@denyel_]

Happened to me I’m devastated. I voted in the most recent elections! God bless this man

[@LSMG2004]

Thank you for your service, sir.

[@petergambier]

Well done Steve, amazing work, we need more people like your good self to do things right, diligently checking the facts and all the relevant data. We already have so many eroded rights, freedom of speech and Julian Assange for one. Our vote is more important now than at any other time, but I can't vote in the US elections, I'm a Brit. If we tripled your rate would you check out the purges on the other 50 states please? I'd love to know the reason why one states cost of accessing data was $23 whereas another's was $33,000, the plot thickens.....

[@MattHumphrey2408]

This happened to me in NY and then the deadline, so now I can’t vote. Ridiculous!

[@Chico-mv8lr]

They did that in Georgia too... look up “The Purged: The Vanished Voters of Trumps America”

[@Tim_Shu]

I saw that wtf, so bad

[@whiteeulogianraven7995]

That is why listening to Republicans claiming "fraud" is disgusting and shameful.

[@MsBhappy]

all southern states I am sure have a recent history of this

[@lizaltman1200]

@@whiteeulogianraven7995 because there was no fraud

[@whiteeulogianraven7995]

@@lizaltman1200 definitely not.

[@hadleymanmusic]

Check Louisiana. When I tried to change partys they screwed me.

[@Osmo-7777]

What fr?

[@abyssmp3]

that’s illegal wtf

[@biglefty08]

Great audit work right here

[@wrash]

Alright, say I'm intrigued and want to build and query around in these databases on my own; where do I get these datasets?

[@Hartleymolly]

impressed vice even aired/followed this.

[@PirrePirre]

Set up a Go found me for him? So he can do all other state also?

[@foureyes91dn]

As someone not from the USA, the more videos I watch about the USA relating to their governing, voting, individual rights etc. I get more and more convinced that it is so far from the "land of free" its backwards.

[@treasurerose6732]

Someone could get this man an official title and an office. He is doing the US An invaluable service. I’ll be checking out his website.

[@AK-ec1uw]

What a legend. Great work & thank-you from someone not even living in the USA. The world needs saving by people like you

[@SelenaHernandez]

Send him to my state!! California lol we need u

[@PogieJoe]

As an Ohioian, thank you sir!

[@marketslice5030]

Get this man a BATCAVE! 🦇 He's the hero Gotham needs but not the one it deserves.

[@joanaborges9450]

This man is awesome! Doing some great work :)

[@mrcomenttoe2009]

Thank you for your knowledge and truth thank you wish there was something I could do to help

[@lexeyd7264]

Wow!

[@donny3183]

The algorithm definitely doesn’t like this video😂

[@elchappo4166]

Good to see people doing things for the greater good💯💯💯👍🏼👍🏼

[@Jloveatpw0123]

I just want to know how can i help. And how can i but the data for my state.

[@rachellejanssen2655]

I worked at various companies that maintain massive databases. The kind of database queries that you'd perform is not only massive but also immensely complex. Some of them took up to 2 minutes to complete because I wrote them way too inefficient. I think with such huge databases it's inevitable that there are mistakes. The problem here though is that 40k votes can tip the scale... It could very well be a matter of resources in both manhours and money to complete, check, double-check and triple-check. These things should be subject to third-party reviews, like insurers or pension funds need to do. But who checks the government...?

[@obliviouschad2079]

why does he look like Mad eye Moody from Harry Potter?

[@maryharrison3291]

This guy needs security. There are people who don't want this known.

[@robvanlimpt6874]

This guy is a freaking hero

[@cupcakescholar2426]

I so appreciate Vice investigative journalism. Thank you for posting.❤️

[@randumone1990]

Ild be inclined to quary these people and find out who they voted for last elections.... Would interesting to see if they are mostly one colour (red or blue) or not

[@MsBhappy]

that would be some fascinating data.

[@doseofcrown269]

This is so bad

[@tomservo5007]

not as bad as Bush & Gore in Florida .. not yet

[@arkistrate]

WHATS MUSIC AT THE END, ANYONE?

[@seoulglo1999]

Huh, those early Nissan Frontiers must all have headliner problems. That looks like my truck on the inside! 0:57

[@cerberus9832]

Saw the titel and I was like "oh boy, what did they do this time at Games Workshop"

[@MattTyrrell]

Internets won with that comment!

[@nudetaynehatwobble]

Oh the titel?

[@AndyThomasStaff]

lmao he did this to learn postgres

[@barefeg]

40 years in IT, never used Postgres? Suspicious 🧐

[@Dante-fk4yi]

MySQL and

[@clearymc]

This is very important

[@rbfreitas]

Amazing work

[@dcameronrez]

But your vote counts so much 🙄 they don’t reveal which party was purged the most

[@mikehull8915]

That includes ballots thrown away and also how many dead voters have voted.

[@Brett_S_420]

Hmmm. Ohio is a deeply red state. I would imagine crap like that is why.

[@Brett_S_420]

@@mikehull8915 You are falling for propaganda. A little over 1,000 votes in twenty years were illegitimate. That is like 0.0001% how many do you think don't vote IN ONE COUNTY because Republikkkans close all the polling stations and cause a ten-hour wait? Pretty sure that one county in one election beats twenty years of what you are worried about.

[@chellefell1331]

if you think about it, he tells you which state he lives in, and the ages of most purged voters... from there, it's pretty simple to deduce whose registration is being purged

[@Sarah-gk3fl]

@@Brett_S_420 exactly. They don’t want democrats to vote which is exactly why DC still isn’t recognized as a state, therefore not letting them vote. Dc is deeply democratic.

[@hedgehog8245]

“mistake”

[@josephbeenchanged990]

Thank you sir ❤, vice as well.

[@joequezada1279]

Awesome stuff godspeed my friend

[@wizzzer1337]

in bf4 "it's a bipartiasan issue".... guess which party benefits from purging votes....

[@Brett_S_420]

The GOP counters his finding this out with them deciding to shut down 800+ polling places.

[@lazym91]

The republicunts

[@toddkent2644]

@@lazym91 democrats

[@nickc3657]

It’s absurd that you even have to register to be a voter

[@philliprose415]

True, if you show id verifying the area you live in you shouldnt have to register to vote, state I live in uses voter registration for jury selections , thats not right either!

[@delachaisesadler3054]

I stay in Mississippi and my registration was purged.

[@imperpekto12ify]

Wow! Thats freakin crazy!. Sir thank you for what you do!!!

[@LureThosePixels]

Legend

[@itstylhr9263]

Well we been knew it was rigged lol

[@Brett_S_420]

The GOP counters his finding this out with them deciding to shut down 800+ polling places.

[@johnlopez8821]

😘😘😘😘😘

[@eliyahubenysrael6272]

Thank you sir.

[@Tim_Shu]

Hasn't this been done before and the people were saying they've never left their state before or moved, so crazy

[@TSLAYER34]

A true hero of this man looking after our votes and also $33,000 for just looking up Alabama’s vote that’s like you buying a car or something. Give this man some money for helping to look up the other states

[@KeithGallOKC]

Hero status achieved!

[@EmptyMirrorMindful]

I truly appreciate his efforts, wonder how I could contact him? I purchased my states data and would be happy to provide to him. I literally was doing the exact same thing, ironically for the same reason, refreshing MySql database skills but to look for 2020 and previous vote 'anomolies' vs verifying voter registration data between state and county records. My problem is my state appears to drop and add voters all the time so when I requested the data, voter reg data didnt match what was exactly in effect at the time of last election. But, according to my start. There were 20,000 more votes roughly counted and reported than election history in what I received showed as a total count of people who actually voted in any method. In 2018 for Senate race, there were 84,000 more votes reported in election count total than the database shows total voters having actually voted. I would understand fewer, as in some didnt cast vote in the senate field, but more? Still working on how the update process works against the data timing pull. Another curiosity. 82% of registered voters in my state voted in the last election. Biden won. What an amazing turnout last year?! Oh, Democratic party managed, court cases in process against rule changes made by election officials without proper authorization from legislature. Just a side note. I am conservative, but independent. I have voted for either party depending on candidate in the past. I just looked at 2020 results from midnight to morning and thought at 20,000 foot level, something just couldnt possibly add up. And yes, a significant number of counties use Dominion. These are the facts so far. I havent started scrubbing the actual individual voter data against precinct or locations yet to find source but my next step.

[@videowatcher495]

Every state needs to hire this guy.

[@peter8488]

Republicans and the electoral college need to go.

[@theonewhoknows62]

It is not partisan. There so many additional influences. CCP is trying to be top dog and interfere. They like the left. The left likes them.

[@mikehull8915]

Wish he could help find all the ballots thrown away by postal workers

[@Brett_S_420]

It's nowhere near the amount of people that he just found out about. This happens in most red states. Then toss in all the people who can't wait in line for 10 hours in some places. All these add up to Republikkkans not "winning" a whole lot of suppression rigged races they control.

[@jm823]

A analysis of that information should be done to determine whether the purged individuals were poc and I guarantee that it will be a high percentage. "Everyone associated with the elections should want someone like me doing what I'm doing" but if there were more people doing what he's doing we wouldn't have the kind of elections that we currently have with a great number of poc being turned away from voting so good for you for being a "pain in the ass" and doing the right thing!!

[@crushingsnow7643]

amazing stuff!

[@blufilmsesa]

*Me just learning SQL getting motivated by this boy. SQL: that's not a primary key idiot.

[@davidkinoti4051]

All this with SQL, not even pandas

[@Fun_Drippin]

Its way easier to use sql for most queries. The biggest pain in the ass is making your tables and getting it all imported

[@barefeg]

Try manipulating a big db in pandas... terrible

[@sonofthesun2297]

Does purging eliminate your vote and make it non valid after you vote? Or does it not allow you to vote to begin with? Or does it just take you out as a registered voter where you’d have to register again to be eligible to vote? I might of missed that part but that’s the questions this video left me with.

[@yimmy7160]

Teach me your ways my fellow American, Steve. These crooks must be crooked

[@daveyboy8907]

Such bs.. They want chaos.