Ohio Secretary of State Shares Voter Data with Trump DOJ, Sparking Privacy Concerns
If you are one of Ohio’s nearly 8 million registered voters, your personally identifiable information – including full name, address, date of birth, driver’s license, and partial Social Security numbers – may be accessible to the U.S. Department of Justice. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose quietly shared the state’s complete voter registration list with the DOJ last month, raising concerns about data security and voter privacy.
The move comes as the DOJ, under the direction of the Trump administration, has been requesting voter data from states nationwide. Justice Department officials state they have a statutory mandate to enforce federal voting laws , but critics argue this is a step towards building a national database of voters and an overreach of federal power.
Data Sharing and Legal Challenges
LaRose authorized the transfer of voter data on February 13th, with the understanding that the DOJ would use the records only for legitimate governmental purposes and adhere to federal data-privacy laws . However, concerns remain about how the data will be used and protected, particularly given the Trump administration’s past attempts to overturn election results.
Several states have resisted the DOJ’s requests for full voter registration databases, providing only publicly available information that excludes sensitive data like driver’s license numbers and Social Security numbers. The DOJ has filed lawsuits against over two dozen states to compel compliance, but multiple courts have sided with the states, finding no legal justification for the department’s demands .
Three federal courts in 2026 have ruled that the Department of Justice has no right to unredacted copies of state voter registration lists. One judge described the DOJ’s lawsuit as a threat to American democracy, stating that centralizing this information could discourage voter registration .
Ohio’s Decision and Concerns
Despite the legal challenges and privacy concerns, LaRose proceeded with sharing Ohio’s voter data. He expressed confidence that the federal government would follow data privacy laws, even after a significant data breach at the Social Security Administration .
Neighboring states Kentucky and West Virginia have refused to turn over their voter data .
Who is Frank LaRose?
Frank LaRose is the 51st Secretary of State of Ohio, serving since January 2019. A Republican, he previously served as a member of the Ohio Senate from 2011 to 2019 . He also served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class . LaRose was a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2024 but lost the primary election to Bernie Moreno .
In 2025, LaRose’s office referred over 1,000 alleged voter-fraud cases to the U.S. Department of Justice, many of which involved minor registration discrepancies . He also endorsed legislation requiring proof of U.S. Citizenship to register to vote .
Ohio Democrats have criticized LaRose’s decision to share voter data with the DOJ, accusing him of prioritizing politics over voters’ rights . The Ohio Democratic Party is exploring legal options to challenge the data transfer .