DOJ Challenges Washington State’s Handling of Voter Registration Data

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice Tuesday sued to force disclosure of detailed voter registration records in Washington state, arguing that a state election official improperly withheld information required by federal law.

Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs defended his September refusal to provide the full data set requested by the DOJ as legally mandated and privacy-protective.

The lawsuit argues that under several federal laws including the Civil Rights Act of 1960, the National Voter Registration Act and the Help America Vote Act, states must allow federal review of their voter registration records. The DOJ specifically cited these statutes in seeking access to complete statewide lists containing sensitive details like full birth dates and partial Social Security numbers.

Hobbs countered that his office only provides information already deemed public by state law — such as names, addresses, year born and voting history — refusing to release protected private data under state or federal restrictions. He maintained this position even after the DOJ requested comprehensive files for oversight of election systems across states.

“This is a matter of protecting citizens’ privacy,” Hobbs told reporters earlier this month while defending his office’s stance on confidentiality. “We don’t want their personal information put at risk.”

He added that providing more than what he considers public record could be misused by the federal government in ways not aligned with election oversight, potentially triggering issues under federal privacy rules.

The DOJ letter emphasized its constitutional duty to ensure all states comply fully with federal voting rights and registration laws. It noted that similar requests are being made in other state capitals nationwide regarding voter data sharing protocols.