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Federal Judge Dismisses Justice Department’s Lawsuit Seeking Oregon Voter Rolls
A federal judge in Oregon dealt another blow to the Biden administration’s nationwide effort to obtain detailed voter information from states, dismissing a Justice Department lawsuit that sought Oregon’s unredacted voter rolls.
U.S. District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai announced the dismissal during a hearing Monday, stating he would issue a comprehensive written opinion in the coming days. The court docket confirmed that Oregon’s motion to dismiss had been granted.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield welcomed the decision, saying, “The court dismissed this case because the federal government never met the legal standard to get these records in the first place. Oregonians deserve to know that voting laws can’t be used as a backdoor to grab their personal information.”
The Justice Department declined to comment on the ruling.
The case gained additional scrutiny after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz over the weekend, requesting voter roll access as one of three “simple steps” to “help bring back law and order.” Bondi’s letter came amid tensions in Minneapolis following increased immigration enforcement actions, including the fatal shooting of an ICU nurse by federal immigration agents.
In recent months, the Justice Department has filed similar lawsuits against at least 23 states and the District of Columbia, seeking highly detailed voter information including names, birth dates, residential addresses, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. The administration claims it needs this data to ensure compliance with federal election laws.
However, the effort has faced consistent legal setbacks. Last week, a federal judge in Georgia dismissed a similar case after ruling the government had filed in the wrong jurisdiction. Earlier this month, a California federal judge rejected another such lawsuit, calling the government’s request “unprecedented and illegal.”
In the Oregon case, Judge Kasubhai specifically questioned whether the Justice Department had properly established legal grounds for its request. While the department argued it had authority under the Civil Rights Act of 1960 to demand voter records, Kasubhai determined that their August letter to Oregon officials failed to satisfy the law’s requirement for stating a clear basis and purpose.
“I read the congressional record of the time when the law was passed, and found it was ‘unequivocal’ on the release of records being associated with investigations involving discrimination in elections,” the judge noted during proceedings.
The department’s nationwide data collection effort has alarmed election officials and privacy advocates. State officials across the country have consistently argued that fulfilling such requests would violate both state and federal privacy laws. Election administrators have expressed concerns that federal officials might use the sensitive data for purposes beyond what has been stated publicly, such as searching for potential noncitizens on voter rolls.
Constitutional experts note that the Justice Department’s initiative raises significant questions about federal authority in election administration. The Constitution grants states and Congress the power to run elections, not the executive branch. Additionally, federal law contains provisions specifically protecting individual voter data from being shared with federal agencies.
When initially approached in July, Oregon officials responded that the department lacked authority to request the voter list and offered to provide only the publicly available version. The Justice Department countered by claiming multiple federal laws gave it the necessary authority and that it would comply with privacy regulations.
The ruling in Oregon represents the third major defeat for the administration’s voter data initiative in recent weeks, raising questions about the future viability of the remaining lawsuits still pending across the country.
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16 Comments
This ruling is a win for Oregon and a setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to obtain detailed voter information from states. It will be interesting to see if they pursue other legal avenues or try to work with states in a more collaborative way.
I’m glad the court upheld Oregon’s stance on protecting voter privacy. Maintaining public trust in the electoral process is so important, and this decision helps to do that.
The judge’s decision to dismiss the DOJ’s lawsuit is a positive development for voter privacy and state autonomy. It will be important to monitor any further legal actions or legislative efforts related to voter roll access.
The dismissal of the DOJ’s lawsuit is a positive development, but I expect this debate over voter rolls to continue. It’s critical that any efforts to access this information are done in a way that respects voter privacy and state sovereignty.
This is an important ruling that underscores the need to balance transparency in elections with the privacy rights of voters. I’m curious to see if the DOJ will try to appeal or pursue other legal avenues.
I agree that this is a complex issue and I’m glad the court took the time to carefully consider the legal standards and rule in favor of protecting voter privacy.
This ruling is a win for Oregon and for the broader principle of protecting voter privacy. It will be interesting to see how the Biden administration responds and whether they pursue other legal or legislative avenues to obtain voter information.
I agree that this is a complex issue that requires balancing transparency and privacy. The court’s decision seems well-reasoned and I’m glad to see it upholding Oregon’s stance.
Interesting development in the ongoing debate around voter privacy and access to voter rolls. It will be important to see the judge’s full reasoning in the written opinion.
I’m curious to hear more about the legal standards the judge used to dismiss this case. Transparency in the electoral process is critical, but so is protecting voter privacy.
This seems like another setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to obtain detailed voter information from states. I wonder if they will appeal the decision or pursue other avenues to access these records.
It’s good to see the court upholding Oregon’s stance on protecting voter privacy. Hopefully this will discourage similar efforts in other states as well.
The dismissal of the DOJ’s lawsuit is a positive development for voter privacy and state autonomy. It will be important to monitor whether the Biden administration takes any further action on this issue.
The judge’s decision to dismiss the DOJ’s lawsuit is a win for voter privacy and state autonomy. It will be interesting to see how this plays out in the broader political landscape.
This ruling is a setback for the Biden administration’s efforts to obtain detailed voter information from states. While transparency in elections is important, voter privacy must also be protected. I’m curious to see how this issue plays out going forward.
I’m glad the court upheld Oregon’s position on this matter. Protecting voter privacy is critical for maintaining public trust in the electoral process.