DOJ Expands Voter Roll Lawsuits to Arizona, Connecticut

The Justice Department on Tuesday sued Arizona and Connecticut in federal court, accusing the states of refusing to provide complete statewide voter registration records sought by federal officials as part of a widening election enforcement campaign.

The lawsuits, announced by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, allege that the states failed to fully comply with federal requests for voter roll data that the department says it needs to assess compliance with federal voter registration and list maintenance laws.

The litigation expands an effort the department says now includes lawsuits against 23 states and the District of Columbia.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement that the lawsuits are aimed at "transparency and election integrity" and warned more filings could follow if states do not turn over requested records.

"Accurate voter rolls are the foundation of election integrity," Bondi said in a statement.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon, who leads the Civil Rights Division, said accurate voter lists are critical to ensuring ballots are cast only by eligible voters and counted only once.

Dhillon said the department will hold states accountable when they do not comply with federal election laws.

In Arizona, the suit names Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, who has argued the federal request seeks sensitive personal information and could conflict with privacy protections.

Fontes publicly rejected the demand, saying state and federal law limit disclosure of certain voter information.

Connecticut officials have made similar arguments.

Attorney General William Tong criticized the lawsuit and said the state has been willing to cooperate within the bounds of privacy laws.

Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas has also said state law restricts release of certain identifying details contained in voter registration records.

The cases underscore a broader clash between the Trump administration and several states over how much voter information must be disclosed to the federal government and what safeguards apply to large databases that include identifying details.

The Justice Department has said its requests are tied to oversight of federal requirements that states keep voter registration lists accurate and up to date.

The department's complaints cite multiple federal statutes, including the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act, which set rules for maintaining voter rolls and preserving certain records.

The Justice Department also points to the Civil Rights Act of 1960, which authorizes federal officials to demand access to voter registration-related records for inspection and review to ensure compliance with federal law.

The lawsuits follow similar actions filed in recent months against a growing list of states.

In September, the department announced lawsuits against California, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania over similar demands.

In December, it sued Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, saying those states also failed to provide statewide voter registration lists upon request.

Justice Department officials have not publicly detailed every category of information requested in each state, but state officials and outside observers have raised concerns that the demands could encompass personal data beyond what is typically made available through public voter file disclosures.

The litigation is likely to test how federal record-access provisions interact with state privacy laws and limits on sharing sensitive identifying information and whether states can lawfully withhold portions of their voter registration databases while still meeting federal inspection requirements.