DOJ Appeals Massachusetts Voter Data Ruling After Federal Judge Rejected Records Demand
The Department of Justice has formally appealed the dismissal of its lawsuit against Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth William Galvin, escalating a legal dispute over federal access to state voter registration records.
The appeal follows an April ruling by U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, who concluded the DOJ’s request for unredacted voter data failed to satisfy requirements contained in Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960. Sorokin ruled that federal officials did not provide the factual basis required by law when demanding access to Massachusetts voter records.
The Justice Department maintains that voter registration data is needed to evaluate state compliance with federal election laws, including voter-list maintenance requirements. Federal officials have pursued similar requests across the country as part of a broader election-integrity initiative.
Massachusetts officials argue the federal government’s request sought highly sensitive voter information without adequate justification. Galvin previously described the request as an attempt to obtain private voter information without a clear legal basis. Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell called the dismissal a victory for voter privacy and election integrity.
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The Massachusetts case is one of more than two dozen voter-data disputes filed by the DOJ nationwide. Federal courts in California, Oregon, Michigan, and other states have also rejected similar lawsuits, though several decisions are now under appeal.
Election-law organizations and voting-rights groups reacted quickly to the appeal, renewing concerns about federal access to voter databases, while supporters of the DOJ effort argue states should cooperate with federal election-law enforcement.
The appeal now moves to the First Circuit, where judges will decide whether the original dismissal should stand or whether the DOJ can continue pursuing Massachusetts voter records.
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