Michigan Wins Legal Battle to Protect Voter Information Privacy
In a recent ruling, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Michigan’s right to withhold certain personal information of registered voters, dealing a blow to the Trump administration’s efforts to access such data. The court’s decision supported a federal judge’s ruling in Lansing, Michigan, stating that the release of birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers is not mandated by law.
The Trump administration had been seeking key details from numerous states to ensure compliance with federal election law, citing concerns about “anomalies” and other issues. However, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, emphasized that the federal government is only entitled to a list of registered voters, similar to any member of the public.
Despite the administration’s intentions, Michigan argued that the government’s goals extended beyond election law compliance. They expressed concerns about the creation of a national voter file and the sharing of information with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to identify potential noncitizen voter registrations.
States Rejecting Data Requests
Michigan joins a list of states that have pushed back against the Trump administration’s requests for voter information, including Maryland, Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. In Georgia, a lawsuit seeking voter information was dismissed due to jurisdictional issues.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice and Associated Press reporting, at least 13 states have either provided or pledged to provide their voter registration lists to the government. These states include Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.
