Federal judge rejects DOJ’s demand for Washington voter data as national losses reach 25: Officials say

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A 25th loss raises the stakes
Washington’s voter records will stay shielded after a federal judge rejected the Justice Department’s demand for an unredacted file. The decision became DOJ’s 25th straight trial-court loss in the campaign. The ruling matters to more than 5 million voters because the database included birth dates and identification numbers. It tests federal power over state-run elections. Depositphotos
Judge closes Washington’s case
U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson dismissed the case on September 22, 2026. She ruled that the federal law cited by DOJ did not cover Washington’s statewide voter database. The dismissal was with prejudice, preventing DOJ from rewriting the complaint in that court. Evanson denied the government’s request to force disclosure within 5 days as moot. rafapress/Depositphotos
DOJ sought the unredacted file
The dispute began with a September 8, 2025, letter demanding Washington’s unredacted voter list. DOJ wanted names, full birth dates, addresses, and driver’s license numbers or partial Social Security numbers. The department asked officials to transmit it electronically. It said the information was needed to investigate Washington’s compliance with federal voter-list maintenance and election-record laws. Depositphotos
Washington offered a limited list
Secretary of State Steve Hobbs refused to release fields protected by Washington law. His office offered names, addresses, birth years, voting histories, registration dates, and registration numbers. Hobbs withheld full birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and the last 4 Social Security digits. That split preserved public access to voter-roll information while blocking sensitive personal identifiers. Little-known fact: DOJ filed the Washington lawsuit alongside cases against Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont on December 2, 2025. ALesik/Depositphotos
3 federal laws drove the demand
DOJ cited the National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, and Civil Rights Act of 1960. It argued that federal oversight requires access to records used for voter-list maintenance. The department says accurate rolls support fair elections and reliable registration systems. Washington countered that none of those statutes authorized a transfer of confidential data.

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Why 22 months mattered
The Civil Rights Act requires election officials to retain federal election records for 22 months. DOJ argued that Washington’s voter file fell within that preservation rule. Evanson read the law more narrowly. She found that Congress covered papers and records tied to federal elections, not every document an election office creates or controls in the course of its operations. Little-known fact: The National Voter Registration Act applies to 44 states and Washington, D.C. 6 states are exempt because of their registration systems. Depositphotos
A living database changed the case
Washington’s voter file is continuously updated as officials add, change, and remove entries when registrations evolve. That mattered because the statute applies to records that come into an election official’s possession. Evanson found that the state creates and maintains this system. A changing database cannot be preserved like a fixed election record, weakening the DOJ’s statutory argument. Depositphotos
Civil rights history limits the demand
Congress enacted the provision to preserve evidence of racial discrimination and voter suppression. Evanson said that history did not support turning it into an inspection system for every state voter file. Her order said Congress never gave DOJ the power to consolidate voter data. The decision tied federal access to the statute’s text and original purpose. T.Schneider/Depositphotos
DOJ said the cases largely matched
At an August 4 hearing, DOJ acknowledged that Washington’s case was largely identical to the department’s other voter-data lawsuits. It argued that judges elsewhere had misread federal law. The suit was slowed by improper service on state officials. Those delays did not decide the merits, but they extended a dispute filed in December 2025. Depositphotos
The national record reaches 25
Washington became the DOJ’s 25th consecutive district-court defeat in its effort to obtain sensitive voter files. No federal trial judge has accepted the department’s legal theory so far. The government has appealed many dismissals, so the fight is continuing. An appeals court has rejected the DOJ’s position in Michigan, adding higher-court resistance to the trial-level losing streak.

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States split over sharing voter data
DOJ has sued 30 states and the District of Columbia over demands for voter information, a voting-rights case tracker shows. State responses have split along political lines. At least 16 Republican-led states provided or promised unredacted files, the Brennan Center reported. That patchwork means sensitive data may receive different protection depending on a voter’s residence. Ale_Mi/Depositphotos
5 million records stay protected
The blocked database contained confidential information tied to more than 5 million registered Washington voters. Some entries belong to people who registered years or decades ago. The ruling does not make the voter roll secret. Names, addresses, birth years, and voting histories remain available under state rules, while birth dates and identification numbers receive protection. Could Washington’s repayment push force more struggling small businesses to close? Take a closer look at the financial pressure facing owners and the wider risks for local communities. MichaelVi/Depositphotos
Appeals could decide the next round
A dismissal with prejudice closes the DOJ’s complaint in court, but the DOJ may appeal to the Ninth Circuit. The department had not announced its next step after the ruling. Appellate decisions could create binding rules across state lines. Until then, Washington’s order adds support to the view that federal statutes do not authorize these sweeping demands. Could a new AI warning reshape how Washington regulates fast-moving technology? Take a closer look at the safety concerns pushing lawmakers to reconsider the rules. Do you think the federal government should have access to states’ detailed voter records, or should states keep sensitive voter data private? Share your view in the comments. This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing. Read More From This Brand:

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