A federal court in Washington rejected a lawsuit by the U.S. Department of Justice that demanded the state hand over a full, unredacted voter list. Judge Kimberly Evanson, appointed under Biden, found the demand to be in violation of federal law.
The Trump administration sought data including dates of birth, driver's license numbers and the last four digits of Social Security numbers. The state of Washington offered to provide a version with confidential information removed, but federal authorities insisted on full access.
This ruling became the 25th consecutive victory for states in similar cases. The Department of Justice has lost every lawsuit filed against more than two dozen states and the District of Columbia that refused to hand over full voter databases.
Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs noted that such requests represent an attempt at federal interference in the administration of elections, which under the Constitution fall under the purview of the states. Democrats and civil rights advocates call the string of court victories an important check against the expansion of federal government powers.
Why does the administration keep filing lawsuits despite the courts' consistent rejections? The answer may lie in a broader strategy to screen voter lists for non-citizens.
The court's ruling strengthens the position of states in disputes over data privacy and the division of powers between the federal center and the regions. Similar cases continue to be heard, but so far the trend remains unequivocal.
