A federal judge is dismissing the Trump administration's demand that New Hampshire turn over sensitive voter information it said it needed to ensure the state’s compliance with election laws. This is the latest in a string of defeats for the federal government after seeking files from at least two dozen states.
Judge Joseph LaPlante granted the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s motion to dismiss on Monday. He noted that the statewide voter database, which contains confidential information including partial social security and driver’s license numbers, is a constantly evolving record system and couldn’t be easily shared at any given moment.
He also said the administration had not stated a compelling need for the records.
“The demand does not identify any factual anomalies in New Hampshire’s voter registration data, nor does it point to any complaint or pattern suggesting noncompliance with [federal voting laws],” LaPlante wrote.
The ruling is a victory for the state, which has maintained that New Hampshire’s elections are secure and well-administered.
“I am committed to protecting the private information of New Hampshire voters to the fullest extent required by law,” said New Hampshire Sec. of State David Scanlan. “Today’s court order affirms that I fulfilled that commitment by upholding New Hampshire law and safeguarding your private information from disclosure.”
Last fall, the U.S. Department of Justice asked his office to turn over the statewide voter database so it could allegedly confirm the state’s compliance with federal voter protection laws, including portions of the Civil Rights Act. The government said it needed information to determine if it was necessary to bring an enforcement action.
While certain information about voters, including their names, addresses and party affiliation, are already publicly available in New Hampshire, the Trump administration requested access to voters’ partial Social Security numbers, as well as state driver’s license numbers.
After the federal government filed a lawsuit demanding the records, a bipartisan group of registered voters from New Hampshire joined the case, arguing that their privacy rights were in jeopardy.
Along with a recent victory in Maine, courts in California, Michigan and Oregon have also dismissed the Trump administration's demands for voter files.
