Courts Curb DOJ Access To State Voter Rolls In Multiple States
On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, a federal appeals panel barred the Justice Department from obtaining Michigan's unredacted statewide voter registration list in a 2-1 decision.[1]
Judges Andre Mathis and Guy Cole Jr. wrote that Title III of the 1960 Civil Rights Act does not authorize the DOJ to demand names, birth dates, driver's license numbers or partial Social Security numbers.[1] Judge John Nalbandian dissented.[1] The 6th Circuit also affirmed a lower court ruling that warned forcing release of confidential voter data could impose an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote.[1]
President Trump directed Attorney General Pam Bondi in March 2025 to obtain state voter information, and beginning in May 2025 the Justice Department sent letters to nearly every state and D.C. seeking unredacted registration lists. Dozens of states refused on privacy-law grounds, and the department filed 31 lawsuits against 30 states and the District of Columbia between September and December 2025. Federal judges had already dismissed similar suits in California, Oregon and Michigan. A federal judge in Maryland dismissed the department's suit on June 23, rejecting DOJ demands for detailed voter files that include names and partial Social Security numbers.[2]
The 6th Circuit is the first federal appeals court to rule on the Justice Department's multi-state legal push.[1] Officials in 30 states plus D.C. refused DOJ requests, and nine district courts have dismissed the department's suits.[1] Election officials and privacy advocates said the rulings protect voter privacy and state control over registration systems.
The mainstream summary does not mention that Michigan's statewide voter registration file encompasses approximately 7.9 million registered voters, highlighting the scale of data at stake in this legal battle. This context underscores the significance of the court's ruling, as it not only protects individual privacy but also impacts a substantial number of voters across the state. Additionally, while the mainstream account notes the DOJ's legal actions, it omits that the department sought unredacted voter registration lists from at least 47 states, indicating a broader scope of the federal push against state privacy laws than suggested by the focus on Michigan alone. The National Conference of State Legislatures reports that the DOJ filed 31 lawsuits against 30 states and D.C., reinforcing the idea that this issue is not isolated but part of a nationwide trend of federal attempts to access sensitive voter information.
Furthermore, the mainstream summary frames the rulings primarily as protective of voter privacy, but it does not delve into the implications of federalism and state control over elections. The Hoover Institution's report points out that the U.S. Constitution delegates election procedures to states, creating tensions that lead to federal overreach attempts. This structural explanation adds depth to the understanding of why states are resisting the DOJ's demands, reflecting a broader conflict over election administration and the preservation of local authority in a polarized political environment.[3][4]
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📊 Relevant Data
Michigan maintains a statewide voter registration file covering approximately 7.9 million registered voters.
MI Voter Data: Registration by Party, Turnout & Primary Rules — Independent Voter Project
The Justice Department requested unredacted voter registration lists from at least 47 states and filed 31 lawsuits against 30 states plus Washington, D.C.
Federal Requests for Statewide Voter Lists — National Conference of State Legislatures
📌 Key Facts
- On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled 2-1 that the Justice Department is not entitled to Michigan's unredacted statewide voter registration list.
- Judges Andre Mathis and Guy Cole Jr. held that Title III of the 1960 Civil Rights Act does not authorize DOJ to demand Michigan’s file containing names, birth dates, driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers for all registered voters.
- Judge John Nalbandian dissented from the 6th Circuit’s decision.
- The 6th Circuit became the first federal appeals court to rule on the Trump administration’s series of lawsuits seeking unredacted voter registration lists from more than two dozen states.
- The 6th Circuit affirmed U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou's earlier ruling in Michigan, which found the cited federal statutes do not authorize disclosure and warned that forcing release of confidential voter data could impose an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote.
- Officials from 30 states and the District of Columbia refused DOJ requests for unredacted rolls, and nine district courts have dismissed the department’s suits to date.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled 2-1 that the Justice Department is not entitled to Michigan's unredacted statewide voter registration list.
- Judge Andre Mathis, joined by Judge Guy Cole Jr., held that Title III of the 1960 Civil Rights Act does not authorize DOJ to demand Michigan's file containing names, birth dates, driver's license numbers and partial Social Security numbers of all registered voters.
- Judge John Nalbandian dissented from the 6th Circuit decision.
- The 6th Circuit became the first federal appeals court to rule on the Trump administration's series of lawsuits seeking unredacted voter registration lists from more than two dozen states.
- The article notes that officials from 30 states and the District of Columbia refused DOJ requests for unredacted rolls, and that nine district courts have now dismissed the department's suits.
- The 6th Circuit affirmed U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou's earlier ruling in Michigan, which had found the cited federal statutes do not authorize disclosure and warned that forcing release of confidential voter data could impose an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote.