The state of Michigan is allowed to protect the personal information of registered voters, following a recent decision by a federal appeals court. This marks another setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to access detailed voter information from various states.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 2-1 opinion confirming a lower court’s ruling in Lansing, Michigan. The court stated that the release of personal details such as birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and Social Security numbers is not mandated by the law referenced by the U.S. Justice Department.
Similar attempts by the federal government have been denied in several other states, including Maryland, Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. In Georgia, a related case was dismissed on technical grounds, leading to its refiling elsewhere.
Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Secretary of State, claimed that the federal government should be allowed access only to a basic list of registered voters, accessible to any member of the public. The Trump administration has argued that obtaining personal voter information is crucial for ensuring compliance with federal election laws, citing various anomalies and complaints.
Attorneys for Michigan argued that the federal request aims to develop a national voter file and potentially share information with the Department of Homeland Security. This move could be used to check if noncitizens are participating in elections.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice and Associated Press, at least 13 states have either provided or agreed to provide their voter registration lists to the federal government. These states include Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.
Leave a Reply