Trump administration sues states over voter rolls
Trump Administration Sues Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Other States Over Voter Rolls
WASHINGTON —The Trump administration has launched a new wave of lawsuits against six states, accusing them of violating federal election law by refusing to turn over unredacted statewide voter registration lists.
The lawsuits, filed by the Department of Justice on Thursday, target Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, New York, New Hampshire, and Minnesota. Federal officials argue that the states are obligated under the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act to provide complete records, including personal identifiers such as portions of Social Security numbers and driver’s license details.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the lawsuits are necessary to safeguard the electoral system. “Clean voter rolls are the foundation of free and fair elections,” she said, warning that states failing to comply with federal law will be held accountable in court.
State officials, however, blasted the lawsuits as unprecedented overreach. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson called the demand for sensitive voter data “not normal” and raised concerns about how the federal government would store and use such information. In Pennsylvania, Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt pledged to resist what he described as “unlawful and intrusive demands.”
Election officials in several of the states said they had already provided publicly available or redacted versions of the rolls but stopped short of handing over full, unredacted files, citing privacy and security obligations.
Critics of the lawsuits say the push could expose millions of Americans to privacy risks and identity theft. Civil liberties advocates also argue the cases could undermine states’ authority over elections, a power traditionally protected under the Constitution.
Supporters of the administration’s move insist that tighter oversight of voter registration lists is necessary to prevent duplicate registrations, remove ineligible voters, and strengthen election integrity. They point to prior concerns about outdated or incomplete records, though studies continue to show little evidence of widespread voter fraud.
The lawsuits follow earlier actions brought against Oregon and Maine, signaling a broader effort by the Trump administration to pressure states into full compliance with its interpretation of federal election law.
Legal experts predict lengthy court battles ahead, with rulings that could reshape the balance of power between federal and state governments in administering elections.
For now, state officials remain defiant, vowing to protect voter privacy even as they prepare for a protracted fight with Washington.
