The Justice Departmentsubmitted legal actions on Tuesday against six blue states: Delaware, Maryland, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington, alleging they broke federal law by declining to offer state-widevoter registration rolls upon request.
The grievances, submitted by theDOJ’s Civil Rights Division, claim that the states did not fulfill their legal responsibilities under the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and the Civil Rights Act of 1960, three federal laws that mandate states to keep voter lists accurate and provide access to these records for review.
Attorney General Pam Bondithe state’s refusal to release the lists undermines the transparency and accountability that those laws were intended to ensure.
Accurate voter registration lists are essential for ensuring fair and open elections, yet numerous states have developed a habit of not following fundamental voter roll management procedures,” Bondi stated in a release regarding the lawsuits. “The Department of Justice will keep initiating forward-looking election integrity legal actions until states meet basic election security requirements.
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As per the DOJ, the agency officially asked each state for its current, state-wide voter registration list and did not obtain the necessary documents. In every legal action, the department claims that Congress provided the attorney general explicit power to request, examine, and evaluate voter registration information to confirm adherence to federal regulations.
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Assistant United States Attorney for Civil RightsHarmeet Dhillon, who heads the Civil Rights Division, stated that the department is increasing enforcement actions before the 2026 election season.
Federal election laws guarantee every American citizen the right to vote freely and fairly,” Dhillon stated. “States that keep violating federal voting laws hinder our goal of making sure Americans have accurate voter registration lists when they go to vote, that each vote holds equal weight, and that all voters trust the outcome of elections. At this Department of Justice, we will not tolerate this open violation of federal civil rights laws.
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The Department of Justice states that the lawsuits are part of a larger initiative to upholdvoter-registration transparency requirementsThe legislation enacted by Congress to maintain public trust in the election process. The NVRA obliges states to keep precise voter lists and provide them when needed; HAVA requires states to upgrade and protect voter registration systems; and the Civil Rights Act of 1960 allows the government to examine and duplicate specific election records, including voter lists.
Fox News Digital has contacted election officials in all six states seeking their input.
Federal authorities have more frequently urged states tovoter roll complianceproblems in recent years, contending that openness regarding voter registration lists is crucial for keeping accurate records, avoiding administrative mistakes, and ensuring voters trust the results of elections. The DOJ states that the six states involved in these new lawsuits have consistently failed to comply with the department’s requests.
The cases will now proceed forward infederal court, where judges could compel the states to provide the voter lists, set deadlines for compliance, or issue injunctions mandating adherence to federal law.
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Election law conflicts regarding access to and management of voter lists have increased across the country as states get ready for the2026 midtermsand the Department of Justice’s recent actions demonstrate a strong legal approach against states that do not comply with federal disclosure regulations.
The department states it will “keep initiating election integrity legal actions until states adhere,” and has not ruled out further lawsuits.
Original article source: The DOJ files lawsuits against six states for refusing to provide voter registration records, warning of ‘open defiance’ of federal law
