The Department of Justice’s request to obtain and use sensitive voter information is receiving pushback from typically Trump-friendly states, according to a report.
The Guardian reported that at least five red states have refused to hand over voter information, including driver’s license numbers and partial social security numbers.
The DOJ has not clearly stated its motives for wanting voter data.
In a Rhode Island courtroom hearing, the DOJ explained it planned to share data with the Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, and run it through its Save database, a faulty database intended to verify citizenship. The Guardian found internal Justice Department emails published in a recent lawsuit that verify the DOJ’s plan.
Voting experts have expressed alarm, fearing Trump’s false, stolen election claims and the DHS’s unreliable database could be used to challenge the 2026 midterm election results. In April, voting rights groups sued the administration for the same reason.
The Guardian found, as of April 1, the DOJ has sued 30 states and the District of Columbia for failing to turn over full copies of their voter registration lists. The lawsuit includes blue and purple states like California, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, Arizona, and Michigan, where pushback has occurred. But it also includes typical strongholds for the Trump administration, like Utah, Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Idaho.
According to the Guardian, in their refusal to hand over voter information, Republican states argue their constitutionally guaranteed authority over election administration. They also expressed concerns over data security, privacy laws and the overall questionable legal grounds of the DOJ’s request.
The Brennan Center’s Eileen O’Connor characterized the DOJ effort as aimed at undermining elections, while democracy experts noted the officials face pressure between principle and political considerations.
West Virginia, Utah, and Idaho officials have refused data transfers, arguing the requests violate state law and lack clear legal justification. Some states, including Mississippi, South Dakota, and Tennessee, complied with data demands but refused to sign agreements authorizing voter roll purges.
Only two states signed the full memorandum of understanding, reports CNN.
Election officials argue that states manage voter rolls more effectively than federal agencies. Though these officials typically support Trump, federal election interference crosses a line they won’t accept, reflecting concerns about mass disenfranchisement and improper data handling, including past security breaches involving Social Security numbers.
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