Celebrate Court Rejecting DOJ Demand for Vermont Voter Data

A federal judge has rejected the Justice Department’s effort to obtain Vermont’s unredacted voter-registration list, the latest court ruling involving the federal government’s efforts to obtain state voter data.

The Justice Department sued Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas after she refused to provide the state’s complete voter file. The requested information included voters’ names and addresses along with sensitive identifying information such as driver’s license numbers and partial Social Security numbers.

U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier dismissed the case Thursday, rejecting the Justice Department’s argument that Title III of the Civil Rights Act of 1960 authorized it to compel Vermont to turn over the statewide voter-registration list.

The court also found problems with the government’s written demand. Vermont had argued that DOJ failed to provide a sufficient factual basis for requesting the information, and Lanthier concluded that the demand lacked the required basis and purpose. Her decision follows similar rulings by other federal courts considering DOJ requests for state voter data.

The ruling means Vermont will not be required to turn over its unredacted voter file under the Justice Department’s demand at issue in this case.

Add your name to celebrate the court ruling rejecting the Justice Department’s demand for Vermont’s unredacted voter data and keeping voters’ sensitive personal information from being disclosed through this request.