Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Seeking New Mexico Voter Data
A federal judge dismissed the Department of Justice’s lawsuit seeking New Mexico’s unredacted voter registration data, handing state officials a major privacy and election law win.
U.S. District Judge Judith C. Herrera ruled that DOJ did not meet the legal requirement for demanding the records. The court said DOJ failed to identify a factual basis showing New Mexico violated the National Voter Registration Act or Help America Vote Act, or to explain why unredacted personally identifiable information was needed.
The court dismissed the complaint with prejudice and denied DOJ’s motion to compel as moot, meaning DOJ cannot fix this case simply by amending the complaint.
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver said federal and state legal protections for Social Security numbers and dates of birth exist to protect voter identity. Attorney General Raúl Torrez said New Mexico voters can rest easy because their personal information will not be turned over under the dismissed demand.
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The legal consequence is straightforward. New Mexico does not have to provide the unredacted voter roll in this case unless an appellate court changes the outcome.
The ruling also lands inside a broader national dispute. The Brennan Center says DOJ has sued 30 states and Washington, DC, over voter information demands, with 15 lawsuits dismissed.
Social reaction centered on voter privacy and federal overreach. Democracy Docket called the dismissal another win for voters on X, while the Albuquerque Journal posted the ruling as a federal court rejection of DOJ’s demand for detailed New Mexico voter registration data.
The next question is whether DOJ appeals. Until then, the New Mexico ruling adds another court rejection to the federal government’s voter roll litigation campaign.
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