A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that New Jersey does not have to turn over its unredacted voter rolls to the Trump administration. This decision blocks the Justice Department's attempt to obtain sensitive voter data, including names, addresses, partial Social Security numbers, and driver's license numbers, for millions of residents. The judge found that the administration lacked the legal authority under federal civil rights and voting laws to demand such information.
This ruling aligns with similar decisions in other states. For instance, a federal judge in California, David O. Carter, previously rejected the Justice Department's attempt to obtain California's voter rolls, calling the effort an attempt to "amass and retain an unprecedented amount of confidential voter data" covering 23 million people. Carter expressed concerns that such a centralization of information could have a "chilling effect on voter registration" and decrease voter turnout, threatening the right to vote.
Legal experts and state officials lauded the decision. Dax Goldstein, election protection director at the States United Democracy Center, stated that the ruling vindicates arguments that there is no legal basis for the federal government's broad demands for sensitive voter information. Furthermore, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals previously denied a similar request by the Trump DOJ for voter roll data, emphasizing the court's role in checking executive power and promoting a cautious approach to voter data use. An appeals court has also upheld an injunction blocking a Trump executive order to create a federal voter list and limit mail ballot delivery. These rulings collectively represent a significant setback for the Trump administration's efforts to gather widespread voter data across the country.
