Staff Reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced it has filed federal lawsuits against five states — Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey — for failure to produce their full voter registration lists upon request. This brings the Justice Department’s nationwide total to 29 states and the District of Columbia.
“Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest series of litigation underscores that This Department of Justice is fulfilling its duty to ensure transparency, voter roll maintenance, and secure elections across the country.”
“The Justice Department will continue to fulfill its oversight role dutifully, neutrally, and transparently wherever Americans vote in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many state election officials, however, are choosing to fight us in court rather than show their work. We will not be deterred, regardless of party affiliation, from carrying out critical election integrity legal duties.”
According to the lawsuits, the Attorney General is uniquely charged by Congress with broad authority to request election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. This Act allows her to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of statewide voter registration lists that can be cross-checked effectively for improper registrations.
Oklahoma State Election Board’s response:
“We have no comment at this time, since we have not yet been served with a lawsuit. However, Secretary Ziriax stands by his previous letter to the DOJ where he stated that Oklahoma did offer the state’s voter list, but is bound by state law to protect voters’ personally identifiable information such as driver license numbers and Social Security numbers.”
