Fighting Voter Suppression
Common Cause v. U.S. Department of Justice
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched an unprecedented and unlawful effort to invade the privacy of millions of American voters and threaten their right to vote. It has demanded that every state and the District of Columbia turn over their entire voter database, including Social Security Numbers, political party affiliation, and voter participation history. And at least a dozen states have complied, submitting their voters’ information for federal review. But the Department of Justice has no authority to dictate when a voter registration should be cancelled, and we are suing to stop the federal government’s overreach and ensure that voters’ information remains secure and free from unlawful interference.
Status: Ongoing
View Case
Learn About Fighting Voter Suppression
Featured
Massachusetts
Sep 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
League of Women Voters of Massachusetts v. Trump
On March 31, 2026, President Trump issued a sweeping Executive Order titled “Ensuring Citizen Verification and Integrity in Federal Elections,” seeking once again to seize control of election administration from Congress and the states. The Order directs federal agencies to compile lists of U.S. citizens and transmit them to states before every election, directs the U.S. Postal Service — an independent agency established by Congress — to create a list of “approved” mail voters, and instructs USPS to refuse to deliver ballots from voters not on that federally created list. If implemented, the Order would threaten the ability of millions of eligible citizens to cast their ballots, particularly military members, overseas citizens, the elderly, recently naturalized citizens, and voters with disabilities who rely on mail voting.
Washington, D.C.
Oct 2025
Fighting Voter Suppression
League of Women Voters Education Fund v. Trump
On March 25, 2025, in a sweeping and unprecedented Executive Order, President Trump attempted to usurp the power to regulate federal elections from Congress and the States. Among other things, the Executive Order directs the Election Assistance Commission—an agency that Congress specifically established to be bipartisan and independent—to require voters to show a passport or other citizenship documentation in order to register to vote in federal elections. If implemented, the Executive Order would threaten the ability of millions of eligible Americans to register and vote and upend the administration of federal elections.
On behalf of leading voter registration organizations and advocacy organizations, the ACLU and co-counsel filed a lawsuit to block the Executive Order as an unconstitutional power grab.
All Cases
103 Fighting Voter Suppression Cases
Iowa
Mar 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
Selcuk v. Pate
Just two weeks out from the November 2024 presidential election, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate issued a directive to county clerks to challenge more than 2,000 voters at the polls on Election Day and force them to vote a provisional ballot that will count only if the voter can prove their citizenship.
The Secretary’s list of more than 2,000 voters does not adequately account for Iowans who have recently become U.S. citizens through naturalization, and thus risks disenfranchising scores of eligible voters based on national origin. The Secretary’s eleventh-hour gambit violates several provisions of the U.S. Constitution and federal law, and we have thus filed emergency suit to enjoin the directive.
Explore case
Iowa
Mar 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
Selcuk v. Pate
Just two weeks out from the November 2024 presidential election, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate issued a directive to county clerks to challenge more than 2,000 voters at the polls on Election Day and force them to vote a provisional ballot that will count only if the voter can prove their citizenship.
The Secretary’s list of more than 2,000 voters does not adequately account for Iowans who have recently become U.S. citizens through naturalization, and thus risks disenfranchising scores of eligible voters based on national origin. The Secretary’s eleventh-hour gambit violates several provisions of the U.S. Constitution and federal law, and we have thus filed emergency suit to enjoin the directive.
Georgia
Mar 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
United States v. Raffensperger
The Department of Justice sued Georgia, demanding the state produce its full, unredacted voter file, which contains highly sensitive and personal data on every voter in the state. This suit appears to be part of the DOJ’s efforts to build a national voter database without congressional authorization, improperly question the validity of state voter rolls, and intimidate eligible voters in Georgia and across the country.
Explore case
Georgia
Mar 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
United States v. Raffensperger
The Department of Justice sued Georgia, demanding the state produce its full, unredacted voter file, which contains highly sensitive and personal data on every voter in the state. This suit appears to be part of the DOJ’s efforts to build a national voter database without congressional authorization, improperly question the validity of state voter rolls, and intimidate eligible voters in Georgia and across the country.
Hawaiʻi
Mar 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
United States v. Nago
The Department of Justice sued the Hawai‘i Secretary of State, demanding the state produce its full, unredacted voter file, which contains highly sensitive and personal data on every voter in the state. This suit appears to be part of the federal government’s efforts to build a national voter database without congressional authorization and to improperly question the validity of state voter rolls.
Explore case
Hawaiʻi
Mar 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
United States v. Nago
The Department of Justice sued the Hawai‘i Secretary of State, demanding the state produce its full, unredacted voter file, which contains highly sensitive and personal data on every voter in the state. This suit appears to be part of the federal government’s efforts to build a national voter database without congressional authorization and to improperly question the validity of state voter rolls.
Minnesota
Feb 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
United States v. Simon
Representing the League of Women Voters Minnesota, Common Cause, and two Minnesota voters with past felony convictions, the ACLU Voting Rights Project and ACLU of Minnesota have filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit over the federal government’s demand that Minnesota turn over its entire voter registration rolls, including with voters’ sensitive personal data such as drivers’ license numbers and partial social security numbers.
Explore case
Minnesota
Feb 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
United States v. Simon
Representing the League of Women Voters Minnesota, Common Cause, and two Minnesota voters with past felony convictions, the ACLU Voting Rights Project and ACLU of Minnesota have filed a motion to intervene in a federal lawsuit over the federal government’s demand that Minnesota turn over its entire voter registration rolls, including with voters’ sensitive personal data such as drivers’ license numbers and partial social security numbers.
Georgia
Feb 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
Pitts v. United States (Amicus)
The FBI raided Fulton County, Georgia, seizing ballots and other records from the 2020 election. This unprecedented seizure is a continuation of yearslong efforts to challenge Georgia’s 2020 election results, now aided by federal law enforcement. Fulton County is fighting back, suing for the return of the records.
Explore case
Georgia
Feb 2026
Fighting Voter Suppression
Pitts v. United States (Amicus)
The FBI raided Fulton County, Georgia, seizing ballots and other records from the 2020 election. This unprecedented seizure is a continuation of yearslong efforts to challenge Georgia’s 2020 election results, now aided by federal law enforcement. Fulton County is fighting back, suing for the return of the records.