Orange County Rejects DOJ Demand for Unredacted Voter Records Amid Lawsuit

Orange County officials have refused to comply with the Department of Justice's demand to release unredacted voter registration records of 17 individuals identified as ineligible to vote, amid a federal lawsuit alleging failure to maintain accurate voter rolls. The county's Board of Supervisors was divided, with Republican members urging cooperation with the DOJ to avoid conflict, while Democratic members opposed releasing sensitive information without a court order, emphasizing legal concerns and privacy protections. Similarly, Maryland's top elections official expressed concern about the DOJ's request for an extensive unredacted voter database of over 4 million individuals, calling it an overreach that casts unwarranted suspicion on voters. The DOJ has intensified scrutiny under the Trump administration of election processes and voter eligibility, particularly focusing on alleged noncitizen voting, prompting resistance from local officials wary of federal overreach and privacy violations. County and state election officials have engaged with DOJ investigations but have sought to limit disclosure of sensitive voter information unless compelled by court orders. This situation highlights the ongoing tension between federal efforts to enforce election integrity and local jurisdictions' efforts to protect voter privacy and autonomy.