A federal judge has rejected the Department of Justice's attempt to obtain Minnesota's full voter registration list, marking the 23rd consecutive loss for the DOJ in similar cases across the country
A federal judge in Minnesota has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice seeking access to the state's complete voter registration database. The decision, issued Monday, blocks federal efforts to obtain personal voter information including names, birthdates, addresses, and partial Social Security numbers from Minnesota's records.
The lawsuit, brought against Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, was part of a broader campaign by the DOJ to collect voter data from multiple states. According to court documents, the department had requested sweeping access to millions of voter records, a move that state officials described as unprecedented and lacking clear justification.
Judge Rejects Federal Data Request
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez ruled that the federal government could not use civil litigation as a means to conduct what she described as a "fishing expedition" for information. The judge noted that ordinary litigants are not permitted to seek discovery before establishing a valid claim, and the federal government is not entitled to special privileges in this regard.
This ruling means the Department of Justice remains unsuccessful in its attempts to compel states to release voter data. The agency has now lost similar cases in 23 jurisdictions, including Michigan, Oregon, California, Maryland, Colorado, Wisconsin, Maine, Arizona, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Illinois, New Jersey, Kentucky, Virginia, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Nevada.
Background and Broader Context
The DOJ's push for voter information began after the 2020 presidential election, following false claims of widespread voter fraud promoted by President Donald Trump and his allies. In Minnesota, Secretary of State Steve Simon said the scale of the federal request was unlike anything previously seen, raising concerns about privacy and the purpose behind the data collection.
Investigations into voter fraud have produced minimal results. For example, a recent federal probe in Minnesota led to subpoenas for 130 individuals, but only one case was referred for prosecution, according to reporting by ProPublica. State and federal officials have repeatedly stated that voter fraud remains extremely rare.
Federal-State Tensions Over Data Access
The Department of Justice has shared voter information with the Department of Homeland Security, which has sent agents to states like Minnesota to investigate potential illegal voting. However, internal communications obtained by ProPublica revealed that some federal agents lacked a basic understanding of how to conduct such investigations, further fueling skepticism among state officials.
Efforts by federal agencies to access state-held data have faced resistance in other areas as well. For instance, a coalition of states recently challenged a Department of Homeland Security subpoena seeking commercial driver's license records, as reported in a recent Farmington Voice article on state privacy battles.
What Happens Next
With the Minnesota case dismissed, the Department of Justice's strategy to obtain voter data through the courts appears increasingly unlikely to succeed. State officials say they will continue to protect the privacy of voter information unless compelled by clear legal authority. No further court dates are scheduled in the Minnesota case, and similar lawsuits in other states have also been rejected.
The ongoing disputes highlight the tension between federal agencies seeking data for investigations and state governments' responsibility to safeguard residents' personal information. As of now, Minnesota's voter registration records will remain confidential, and no immediate changes to state policy are expected.
In Minnesota, the Secretary of State's office is responsible for maintaining voter registration lists and ensuring the integrity of elections. The office works with local election officials to process registrations, update records, and protect sensitive information. Residents with questions about their voter data or privacy rights can contact the Secretary of State's office for more information.
