At the Polls: Why do we take voting rights away in America?

The Department of Justice sued the Illinois Board of Elections, 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.

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.

Santa Ana, CA — A federal judge dismissed the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) lawsuit against the State of California in United States v. Weber, in which the DOJ sought to compel the state to turn over its full, unredacted statewide voter registration list—including voters’ sensitive personal data—to the federal government. The lawsuit was part of a broader series of actions by the DOJ seeking similar information from jurisdictions across the country. The dismissal comes after the League of Women Voters of California (“LWVC”), represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, and the ACLU Foundation of Southern California, intervened on behalf of voters to defend voter privacy and the integrity of the democratic process. The groups maintained that state law and federal privacy protections prohibit the disclosure of highly sensitive voter information. In response to the ruling, the organizations released the following statement: “The court has recognized the fundamental importance of protecting voters’ sensitive personal information and dismissed this illegal federal overreach. Voters should never have to choose between their privacy and their fundamental right to vote. States must retain authority to manage elections in ways that safeguard sensitive information, and federal agencies must respect the limits on their power. Today’s ruling affirms that the federal government is not entitled to unfettered access to private voter data.” In September 2025, the DOJ sued California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, seeking to compel disclosure of the statewide voter file that includes registered voters’ full names, residential addresses, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. California declined to provide this data, citing state privacy laws and offering redacted versions instead. LWVC and the ACLU moved to intervene to defend voter privacy and challenge the DOJ’s legal claims, which raised serious concerns about federal authority over state-managed election data and the potential misuse of sensitive information. A link to the ruling can be found here: https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2026/01/128-CA-MTD-Order.pdf

The Department of Justice sued the Wisconsin Elections Commission and its members, 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.