Trump Administration Snubs States Asking Why the DOJ Wants Their Voter Data

By Jim Saksa

Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold exits the U.S. Supreme Court on February 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. The court heard oral arguments in a case on whether or not former President Trump can remain on the ballot in Colorado for the 2024 presidential election. (Photo by Julia Nikhinson/Getty Images)
Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold exits the U.S. Supreme Court on February 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Julia Nikhinson/Getty Images)

The Trump Administration is ignoring a request from the top election officials in 10 states asking for more information on how the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) intends to use the state voter data they’ve demanded. 

The DOJ has been pressing states since May for their registration rolls, which include sensitive personal information of every single voter, claiming the agency wants to ensure compliance with federal voter laws. But the DOJ has shared that information with DHS for its Systemic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, which the Trump administration has expanded into a voter citizenship confirmation system that combines data from various federal agencies. The Trump administration began overhauling SAVE without providing notice required under federal privacy and administrative laws.

The agencies have released contradictory statements on how the data is being used, leading the secretaries of state from Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont and Washington to send a joint letter last month demanding clarity before they turn over the sensitive registration information and expressing concerns about the “potential lack of compliance with federal law.”  

The letter requested a response by Monday, but the deadline came and went without an answer from the federal government. 

“The Trump Administration’s requests for voter data are unprecedented. Americans deserve to know that when they register to vote, the Trump administration will not misuse their information,” Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold said in a press release. “As Secretary of State, I will always fight for Colorado’s voters and will continue to seek transparency from the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Trump Administration.” 

“The Department of Justice hasn’t shown any compelling reason for wanting the sensitive voter information of every American. They can’t even get their stories straight about what they plan to use it for or who will have access, and their demands appear to violate federal privacy laws and the Constitution,” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in an email. “The DOJ’s demands for sensitive, personal information should set off alarms for everyone who cares about privacy and democracy.”

“How are we supposed to trust Attorney General Bondi and Secretary Noem with Americans’ private data if they can’t even answer basic questions about what they’re doing with it?” Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said in an email. “This unserious administration would rather score political points than actually do their jobs for the American people.”

DHS and DOJ did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

In the original letter, the secretaries referred to contradictory statements reported by Democracy Docket that were made by Heather Honey, an election denier who works as an “election integrity” official at DHS, and a DHS spokesman. 

Many states have refused the DOJ’s demands, saying they violate privacy laws. The agency stepped up its pressure this fall, suing eight states for voter records — including California, Minnesota Maine, and Oregon.

*This story has been updated with comment from Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read.