Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Administration's Bid for Michigan Voter Data

In a decisive ruling, a federal judge in Michigan has turned down the Justice Department's request for sensitive voter data, marking another setback for the Trump administration's ongoing legal battles over voter registration lists. U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou's decision on Tuesday aligns with a trend of courts dismissing similar lawsuits aimed at acquiring voter information from various states.

Judge Jarbou granted Michigan officials' motion to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting that federal voting laws do not mandate the release of such records. This ruling adds Michigan to a list of states, including Oregon and California, where judges have similarly rejected the Justice Department's attempts to access voter rolls.

Last July, the Justice Department sought an electronic copy of Michigan's voter registration list, requesting detailed personal information for over 8 million voters, including names, birth dates, addresses, and either driver's license numbers or partial Social Security numbers. However, state officials indicated they would only provide a public version of the voter registration list, which excludes sensitive data.

Following this refusal, the Trump administration escalated the matter by filing a lawsuit against Michigan, seeking a court order to compel the state to release its complete voter registration list. In her 23-page ruling, Judge Jarbou referenced three federal laws—the Help America Vote Act, the National Voter Registration Act, and the Civil Rights Act—concluding that these statutes do not permit the federal government to obtain such private voting records.

Moreover, she cautioned that interpreting the National Voter Registration Act as requiring the disclosure of private information could impose an unconstitutional burden on voting rights protected by the First Amendment. Notably, Judge Jarbou was appointed by President Trump during his first term and serves as the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan.

Since May, the Justice Department has pursued complete voter registration lists from nearly every state and the District of Columbia, as reported by the Brennan Center for Justice. At least 11 states have complied or expressed intentions to do so.

However, Michigan stands among two dozen states facing lawsuits from the Justice Department in its quest for access to voter rolls. The Trump administration argues that these records are essential for ensuring accurate voter rolls and eliminating ineligible voters to mitigate potential fraud in federal elections.