A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking access to Arizona’s statewide voter registration list, dealing another setback to the Trump administration’s effort to obtain voter data from states across the country.
U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich, a Trump appointee, ruled that Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 does not authorize the Justice Department to compel Arizona to produce its voter registration records. The case focused on a legal interpretation rather than political considerations, the judge said.
“This case presents a legal question: is the Attorney General entitled to the SVRL under Title III,” Brnovich wrote. “It does not present a political question: should the Attorney General be entitled to the SVRL.”
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes praised the ruling, emphasizing the sensitivity of the voter information involved. In a joint statement, they said the data sought contained “the sensitive personal information of millions of Arizona voters” and affirmed their commitment to protecting voter privacy against federal overreach.
The Justice Department had requested the registration list last summer, claiming the need to verify Arizona’s compliance with the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act. The request included voters’ full names, dates of birth, home addresses, and either drivers’ license numbers or partial Social Security numbers.
Fontes declined to comply, citing both state and federal privacy protections, prompting the department to file suit in January.
This decision marks the sixth federal court loss for the Justice Department in lawsuits targeting states’ voter data, following rulings in California, Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. The department has filed multiple lawsuits against states and the District of Columbia over similar demands for voter information.
In related actions, the federal government acknowledged intent to use voter registration data in combination with Homeland Security databases to identify noncitizen voters. Reports have also surfaced about agreements between the Justice Department and Homeland Security to use voter data for immigration and criminal investigations.
The effort to expand federal access to voter data aligns with former President Donald Trump’s broader campaign claims of widespread voting irregularities, particularly focusing on noncitizen voting despite its rarity.
Trump has advocated for legislation called the SAVE America Act to require proof of citizenship to register and voter ID to cast ballots. He also signed executive orders aiming to impose proof-of-citizenship requirements and direct federal involvement in compiling lists of eligible voters. Many states have challenged these measures in court.
Why it matters
The ruling underscores legal limits on federal authority to demand sensitive state voter information, highlighting ongoing disputes over election oversight and voter privacy protections. These decisions impact how election data is shared and scrutinized, particularly amid persistent but unfounded allegations of widespread voter fraud. The outcome shapes the balance between state control of elections and federal efforts to enforce voter registration laws.
Background
The Justice Department’s nationwide push to access detailed voter data accelerated during the Trump administration, citing federal laws intended to maintain accurate voter rolls. However, multiple courts have rejected these requests as exceeding legal authority. Privacy concerns and protections at both state and federal levels have been central to these disputes, alongside fears that voter data could be misused for political or immigration enforcement purposes. The controversies continue amid a broader national debate over election integrity and voting rights.
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Sources
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