Wisconsin ERIC Information Sharing Challenge

Lawsuit filed by the 1789 Foundation and a Wisconsin resident against the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), Center for Election Innovation and Research (CEIR), ERIC and CEIR founder, David Becker, and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) challenging the use of driving records to check Wisconsin residents’ voter registration status. ERIC is a national organization that helps its member states improve the accuracy of their voter rolls and identify eligible unregistered voters. The plaintiffs claim that ERIC and CEIR obtained the driving records of millions of Wisconsin residents using WisDOT’s database despite their assertion that Wisconsin terminated its membership with ERIC in June 2016. Wisconsin remains a member of ERIC and has not terminated its membership since joining in 2016. The plaintiffs also argue the organizations’ use of individuals’ driving records violates the Driver’s Privacy and Protection Act (DPPA) and ask the court to ban ERIC and CEIR from obtaining and using personal information from driving records for voting or election-related purposes. 

In December 2024, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed their claims against CEIR and WisDOT.

STATUS: The plaintiffs filed their complaint on Oct. 28, 2024. Litigation is ongoing.

Last updated: January 3, 2025 12:41 pm EST