The U.S. Justice Department sued Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia and the District of Columbia after they declined requests for detailed voter-registration records. These lawsuits are part of a wider DOJ effort that has produced 22 filings and, by AP count, requests to at least 26 states. State officials and privacy advocates warn that sharing full voter-roll data could violate state law and risk exposing sensitive personal information. The DOJ says withholding the data violates federal law and hinders efforts to protect election integrity.
DOJ Sues Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia and D.C. Over Voter Records in Widening Data Dispute
FILE - A voter leaves Albion Town hall after casting their ballot on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, in Albion, Wis. (AP Photo/Kayla Wolf, File)
MADISON, Wis. — The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday filed lawsuits against Wisconsin, Illinois, Georgia and the District of Columbia after state and local officials declined to turn over voter-registration information requested by the Trump administration.
Federal Push for Voter Rolls
The legal actions are part of a broader Justice Department campaign to collect detailed voting records and information about how states maintain their rolls. The department has filed 22 lawsuits seeking voter data so far; an Associated Press tally found the DOJ requested voter-registration rolls from at least 26 states in recent months.
Responses From States
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said his office provided public voter-roll data and explained its list-maintenance practices to the DOJ on Dec. 8, at the department's request. Raffensperger added that the state shared the data in accordance with state law and expects to work with the DOJ to remove federal barriers to cleaner rolls.
Hardworking Georgians can rest easy knowing this data was shared strictly in accordance with state law that protect voters' privacy. — Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger
In Wisconsin, a bipartisan state elections commission recently voted against complying with the DOJ request. Commissioners from both parties said supplying full voter-roll information — including full names, dates of birth, residential addresses and driver’s license numbers — would violate Wisconsin law.
The Justice Department should be serving the interests of the American people, not chasing conspiracy theories. As has been demonstrated repeatedly, Wisconsin’s elections are fair and conducted with integrity. — Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul
The Illinois State Board of Elections declined to comment on the lawsuit.
Scope And Concerns
The AP tally and DOJ filings identify multiple states that have been asked for or are the subject of suits, including California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Last week the department also sued Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Nevada. The Justice Department says 10 states are either in full compliance or working toward compliance.
Officials and privacy advocates have raised concerns about how sensitive information will be handled. The records the DOJ has sought reportedly include names, dates of birth, residential addresses, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers — data that privacy experts warn must be protected carefully.
The law is clear: states need to give us this information, so we can do our duty to protect American citizens from vote dilution. Today's filings show that regardless of which party is in charge of a particular state, the Department of Justice will firmly stand on the side of election integrity and transparency. — Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon
What This Means
The dispute raises questions about federal authority, state privacy protections and how to balance election security with individual privacy. Legal battles in multiple jurisdictions are likely to continue as courts consider whether federal requests for voter-roll data are lawful and how the data may be used and protected.
Associated Press writers Kate Brumback in Atlanta and John O'Connor in Springfield, Illinois, contributed to this report.
