Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Over Wisconsin Voter Records as Privacy Fight Widens
A federal judge in Wisconsin has dismissed the Justice Department’s lawsuit seeking the state’s unredacted voter registration list, adding another defeat to the federal government’s push for sensitive voter data from states across the country.
U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson ruled May 21 that Wisconsin’s voter registration list is not a record the federal government can compel under Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960. The order denied the government’s motion to compel, granted motions to dismiss, and directed the clerk to close the case.
The case centered on the DOJ’s request for Wisconsin’s unredacted voter file, including driver’s license numbers or the last four digits of voters’ Social Security numbers. Wisconsin election officials refused, citing state privacy laws.
Peterson’s ruling said the federal government’s claim failed because voter registration lists are not the type of records covered by the statute. The judge also noted that voter lists are regularly updated under federal election law, making them different from preserved election records such as voter applications or registration forms.
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The decision is part of a broader legal fight over federal access to state election data. The Justice Department has requested voter registration lists from 48 states and Washington, D.C., and has sued 30 states and D.C., according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Eight cases have been dismissed.
The DOJ has argued that it needs the records to enforce federal election laws. State officials and voting-rights groups have warned that handing over unredacted voter files could expose private information and expand federal control over state-run election systems.
The Wisconsin case is closed for now, but the national fight is not. The department has appealed several dismissals in other states, making voter privacy and federal election authority a live legal issue heading into the next phase of litigation.
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