Nebraska Releases Voter Data as West Virginia Defies DOJ

The United States Department of Justice requested sensitive personally identifying information from registered voters nationwide to assess compliance with federal voting laws and ensure election security. Response to these demands diverged sharply between Nebraska and West Virginia in February 2026.

Bob Evnen, the Nebraska Secretary of State, transferred electronic voter registration lists to the federal government on February 12. The data included voter addresses, dates of birth, driver's license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The transfer occurred after the Supreme Court of Nebraska denied an emergency injunction sought by the watchdog group Common Cause Nebraska. While the court allowed the data release, it scheduled an expedited hearing for March 31 to address the underlying privacy concerns.

Conversely, West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner announced on February 11 that his office would refuse to release unredacted voter data. Warner cited state law, which only allows the distribution of voter lists in redacted formats, and pointed to a Michigan federal court ruling that found no federal law granting the Justice Department authority to demand unredacted files.

Critics of the Nebraska transfer, including Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb and Common Cause Executive Director Gavin Geis, characterized the move as federal overreach and a violation of citizen privacy. Evnen maintained that the state would not remove voters from rolls based solely on federal recommendations without conducting independent investigations.