Michigan’s Voter Data Privacy Upheld in Federal Court
In a notable decision, a federal appeals court ruled that Michigan is not required to disclose sensitive personal information of its registered voters. This decision marks another setback for the Trump administration’s efforts to access specific voter details from various states.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a 2-1 opinion stating that the release of birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers is not mandated by the legal statute referenced by the U.S. Justice Department. This ruling supports a prior decision by a federal judge in Lansing, Michigan. The court’s opinion can be viewed here.
Similar legal actions have been unsuccessful in other states, including Maryland, Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. In Georgia, a case was dismissed due to a filing error but was subsequently refiled.
Michigan’s Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, emphasized that the federal government is entitled only to a list of registered voters, similar to what any individual could request.
The Trump administration argued that acquiring detailed voter information is crucial to verify Michigan’s adherence to federal election laws, citing “anomalies” and other concerns in their filings.
Legal representatives for Michigan suggested that the administration’s objectives might extend beyond this, potentially involving the establishment of a national voter database and collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to identify noncitizen voters.
Despite the push for state-level voter data, at least 13 states have agreed to share or have already shared their voter registration lists with the federal government. These states include Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming, as reported by the Brennan Center for Justice and the Associated Press.
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