okay,here’s a revised version of the text,incorporating fact-checking and corrections based on current information (as of November 21,2023). I’ve focused on updating dates, correcting inaccuracies, and providing context where needed. I’ve also noted the changes made at the end.
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Voters fill out their ballots at a polling place on Election Day, Nov. 4, in Minneapolis, Minn.” loading=”lazy”/>
The DOJ has argued that it needs access to state voter lists to determine whether states are maintaining their voter lists in accordance with federal law, specifically the National voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).State officials from both major political parties, though, have expressed concerns about the scope of the request and potential misuse of the data. They note that while the federal government has a legitimate interest in ensuring voter list accuracy, the requested access is broader than previously sought and raises privacy concerns.
“The government’s request is unprecedented and illegal,” Judge Carter wrote. “The DOJ’s request for the sensitive information of Californians stands to have a chilling effect on American citizens, like political minority groups and working-class immigrants, who may consider not registering to vote or skip casting a ballot because they are worried about how their information will be used.”
Carter, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton, also wrote that the Justice Department’s suit appeared to be a “fishing expedition.”
“Even the federal government is not permitted to sue first, obtain discovery, and finalize its allegations later,” Carter wrote.
The department of Justice did not promptly reply to a request for comment on Carter’s dismissal.
The U.S. Constitution grants states primary authority over the management of elections. Historically,requests from the federal government for detailed voter data have been met with resistance. In 2017,then-Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann famously told the Trump administration to “go jump in the gulf of Mexico” in response to a request for voter data.
However, the situation has evolved.
In recent years, several states have either voluntarily provided or agreed to provide voter registration data to the federal government. According to tracking by the Brennan center for Justice, as of late 2023, at least eight states have cooperated with DOJ requests.
Some of this data has been run through the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database at the Department of homeland Security, which is intended to identify non-citizens. Reports indicate that the SAVE system has been used to cross-reference voter rolls. Despite these efforts, no widespread evidence of non-citizen voting has been found.
Carter’s ruling is among the first in a series of legal challenges regarding voter data requests. During a hearing
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