The Department of Justice (DOJ) is suing both Republican and Democratic states to enforce regulations that require clean and accurate voter rolls as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon emphasizes that these lawsuits are the first of their kind aimed at ensuring states comply with voter registration maintenance.
• The DOJ aims to ensure only eligible voters are on the voter rolls by filing lawsuits against states for not providing requested voter registration data.
• Some states have voluntarily complied with data requests from the DOJ, while others, citing privacy concerns, have refused to share their voter roll information.
• The lawsuits target states like Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Washington, D. C., which reportedly failed to provide full voter registration lists.
• As of now, the DOJ has sued 22 states regarding their failure to comply with federal requirements concerning voter rolls.
• The DOJ has legal backing from several federal laws, including the National Voter Registration Act and the Civil Rights Act.
• Dhillon states that she's negotiating compliance with some states, while indicating she will proceed with lawsuits against states that do not cooperate, specifically mentioning Georgia.
• The DOJ claims that some states previously faced litigation for attempting to clean their voter rolls, deterring them from performing necessary updates.
• The lawsuits are expected to result in the removal of individuals who are deceased or not citizens from the voter rolls.
• Dhillon argues that the privacy concerns cited by states are unfounded, as the information requested (such as Social Security details) relates to federal elections.
• Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger stated that Georgia has robust practices for maintaining clean voter rolls and is compliant with state laws protecting voter privacy.
The DOJ's initiative to clean voter rolls is aimed at ensuring only qualified voters participate in upcoming elections. The outcome of these lawsuits could significantly impact voter registration practices across multiple states, with the DOJ prepared to take cases up to the Supreme Court if necessary.
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