DOJ Sues 29 States for Unredacted Voter Rolls

The United States Department of Justice has sued 29 states and the District of Columbia to obtain unredacted voter rolls containing driver's license and partial Social Security numbers. The administration argues this data is essential to identify noncitizen voting and ensure the security of the 2026 midterm elections. While over a dozen Republican-led states have complied, several Democratic officials have condemned the demands as an invasion of privacy.

Federal judges have initially ruled that the department lacks the authority to obtain the full lists, but the government is appealing those losses. The DOJ is specifically accelerating its case against Michigan in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which partially granted a request for an expedited briefing schedule. Legal experts suggest this strategy may be intended to create a circuit court split to prompt a U.S. Supreme Court ruling before November.

Michigan officials, including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, argue that releasing such personal identifying information would violate state and federal statutes. Similarly, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read has challenged the request. Parallel to these lawsuits, the administration is pushing for federal proof-of-citizenship registration requirements and strict voter ID rules.