WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States Department of Justice has filed lawsuits against West Virginia and Kentucky, alleging the states failed to provide unredacted voter registration records as requested.
The two states join Oklahoma, Utah and New Jersey in the latest round of litigation, according to a DOJ press release. The department said its voter roll-related lawsuits now involve nearly 30 states as well as the District of Columbia.
“Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi in the release. “This latest series of litigation underscores that this Department of Justice is fulfilling its duty to ensure transparency, voter roll maintenance and secure elections across the country.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division said the department would continue its oversight role in federal elections.
“Many state election officials, however, are choosing to fight us in court rather than show their work,” Dhillon said. “We will not be deterred, regardless of party affiliation, from carrying out critical election integrity legal duties.”
According to the DOJ, nearly all states were asked to provide election records and data, including voter registration lists containing driver’s license numbers, dates of birth, addresses and Social Security numbers. The lawsuits argue that the attorney general has authority under the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to request such information to ensure voter rolls are properly maintained.
West Virginia Secretary of State Kris Warner denied the request earlier this month, citing voter privacy protections under state law.
“West Virginians entrust me with their sensitive personal information,” Warner said in a Feb. 11 statement. “Turning it over to the federal government, which is contrary to state law, will simply not happen. State law is clear: voter lists are available in a redacted format from my office, but I’ll not be turning over any West Virginian’s protected information.”
Warner’s response came a day after a federal judge dismissed a similar lawsuit in Michigan, ruling that compelling disclosure of sensitive voter information could impose an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote under the First Amendment.
The cases remain ongoing.