Trump DOJ Seeks Sensitive Voter Data From Multiple States Amid Resistance

The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice, is intensifying efforts to obtain comprehensive voter registration data from states ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, seeking sensitive information such as names, addresses, birthdates, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. These requests, led by DOJ Civil Rights Division head Harmeet Dhillon, aim to ensure state compliance with federal laws requiring accurate voter rolls but have been met with resistance from many state officials who argue the demands violate voter privacy and exceed federal authority. Notably, South Carolina presents a standoff where Republican leaders support handing over voter data to the DOJ, but the state’s top election official refuses, amid ongoing state-level investigations and concerns about data security risks. Critics, including former Justice Department attorneys, warn that the DOJ lacks clear statutory justification and adequate safeguards for handling such sensitive personal information, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of these federal demands. Democrats and some election officials view the federal push as a politically motivated effort to influence upcoming elections, while states maintain that they already have robust systems for maintaining accurate voter rolls. This conflict underscores the broader national debate over federal election oversight versus state control as the country approaches a critical election cycle under President Trump’s administration.