DOJ Issues Opinion Backing Demands for State Voter Rolls
The Department of Justice released a formal legal justification for its efforts to obtain unredacted voter rolls from states despite several federal court rulings against the practice. Officials say the data is needed to ensure ineligible people are not registered while critics warn the move could wrongly flag naturalized citizens.
The United States Department of Justice issued a formal legal opinion on May 12 justifying its demands for unredacted state voter rolls, even as six federal courts have ruled that states have no obligation to provide these sensitive lists. The escalation reflects deep partisan divisions over voting access and election security ahead of November midterms. For investors, the legal battle signals potential shifts in federal data-collection authority and privacy standards.
### DOJ Challenges State Privacy Resistance The Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) concluded that the Justice Department can compel states to provide election documents under civil rights law. This opinion targets dozens of states that refused to hand over data including partial Social Security and drivers license numbers. While the OLC guidance is not binding on states, it confirms the DOJ will not retreat from its data collection efforts.
