Lawsuit challenges Trump administration voter data collection

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 23:02 · Archive

Civil rights groups sued the Trump administration over its collection of voter data from 47 states.

A lawsuit filed Thursday in federal court challenges the Trump administration's effort to collect and analyse voter data from the states. The complaint, brought by the League of Women Voters, the Electronic Privacy Information Center and the League of United Latin American Citizens, alleges the Department of Homeland Security obtained voter files from at least 47 states.

The 42-page complaint, filed in Washington, D.C., claims DHS's handling of the voter data violates federal law. It alleges the department combined the data with commercial datasets in a way that disregards federal safeguards and flouts the privacy rights of millions of Americans. According to the suit, 30 states refused to hand over their voter lists to the administration.

The lawsuit is one of several legal challenges prompted by President Donald Trump's stated focus on preventing noncitizen voting, a concern research suggests is exceedingly rare. The Trump administration has sought to exert more power over elections, though the Constitution grants that authority to states and, in some cases, Congress. Courts have previously upheld states' rights to decline to hand over their voter lists.

The plaintiffs seek a court declaration that the data collection is illegal, an order to block the policy and deletion of data already obtained. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

How it is being reported

• Lawsuit alleges DHS effort to collect detailed state voter data violates federal lawA new lawsuit challenges the Trump administration's effort to collect and analyze voter data, alleging it violates federal law.Clickorlando · 15 Oct, 22:40
• Lawsuit alleges DHS effort to collect detailed state voter data violates federal lawA new lawsuit challenges the Trump administration's effort to collect and analyze voter data, alleging it violates federal law.News4Jax · 15 Oct, 22:40

In this story: Department of Homeland Security · Trump · League of Women Voters · Electronic Privacy Information Center · League of United Latin American Citizens · United States

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