Federal Judge Dismisses Justice Department Lawsuit Against Arizona Over Voter Data Access

A federal judge in Arizona dismissed a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice seeking access to the state's detailed voter registration list. The ruling, issued on Tuesday, found that Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 does not grant the Justice Department authority to demand the statewide voter registration list.

This marks the latest setback in a series of similar lawsuits by the department against multiple states. U.S. District Judge Susan Brnovich, in her decision, stated that the case was a legal question rather than a political one. She emphasized that the Attorney General is not entitled to the voter list under the cited federal law.

The lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled without significant changes.

Secretary of State Adrian Fontes declined the Justice Department's request last summer, citing state and federal privacy laws. The department had sought voters' full names, dates of birth, home addresses, and either driver's license numbers or partial Social Security numbers.

Fontes argued that releasing such sensitive information would violate privacy protections. Following the ruling, Fontes and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued a joint statement praising the decision. They described the requested data as containing sensitive personal information of millions of Arizona voters.

“Arizona acted correctly in refusing this request, and today's ruling vindicates that decision. A department official stated last month that the government aimed to conduct an individualized assessment of the voter registration data. In a related case involving Rhode Island, the federal government acknowledged plans to cross-reference voter data with a Homeland Security database to verify citizenship status. CBS News reported on a deal between the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to use voter registration data for immigration and criminal investigations. Similar lawsuits have been dismissed in California, Oregon, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. At least 13 states have provided or promised to provide their voter data to the department, including Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.”

The Trump administration has pursued expanded federal involvement in elections, including efforts to address alleged voter fraud. Earlier this year, another executive order directed the administration to create lists of confirmed U.S. citizens eligible to vote in each state and restricted absentee ballot mailing.

Nearly two dozen states are suing over that order. The Justice Department has sued at least 30 states and the District of Columbia for voter data, often citing the need to ensure accurate voter registration lists under federal law. In Georgia, a similar lawsuit was dismissed due to being filed in the wrong venue, leading to a refiling.

and Federal Authority

Democratic and some Republican officials have objected to these data requests, arguing they violate privacy laws. The Arizona ruling reinforces state authority over voter data management. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the dismissal.

CBS News reached out to the department for a statement. This decision comes amid ongoing debates over election integrity and federal oversight. Arizona's voter registration list is not subject to request by the Attorney General under the interpreted federal law, according to the judge's ruling.