Full Breakdown
Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Lawsuit Seeking Maryland’s Unredacted Voter Rolls
6/24/2026, 2:45:23 AM
Maryland Court Blocks DOJ Voter Data Request
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher dismissed Justice Department’s lawsuit demanding Maryland’s unredacted voter registration file. The suit is part of Trump-era effort that, since 2023, has sued 30 states and D.C. for voter files containing identifiers. DOJ says the data are needed to enforce election laws and to aid DHS’s SAVE citizenship-verification program. Federal judges have rejected request in nine states, including Maryland.
Scope of the DOJ’s Voter-Data Litigation
The DOJ sued 30 states and D.C.; nine, including Maryland, were dismissed, while thirteen states—Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wyoming—have provided or pledged data. DOJ seeks names, addresses, birth dates, driver’s-license numbers and Social Security numbers.
Implications for Privacy and Election Oversight
The case pits the DOJ’s claim that voter files are needed for enforcing election laws against privacy protections. Critics warn that releasing rolls could expose millions to identity-theft; supporters say the data help verify voter-list accuracy.
Official Statements & Responses
Judge Gallagher said Civil Rights Act does not require states to turn over voter files they compile themselves, rejecting DOJ’s reliance on its own legal opinion. Department says data are needed to enforce election laws and support DHS’s SAVE program. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said data contain “sensitive personal information that Marylanders have a right to keep private” and that providing list would be “difficult and illegal.”
Criticism & Opposition
Democratic officials and Republican lawmakers have called the DOJ’s demand a violation of state and federal privacy laws. The Brennan Center for Justice and Associated Press note that only a minority of states have supplied the data.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
One source says the DOJ sued 30 states and D.C.; another mentions 29 jurisdictions. While 13 states have provided or pledged data, the status of the remaining states is unclear, leaving a gap in the DOJ’s data-collection effort.
Verbatim Quotes
- “is not a record or paper that a state must produce to the United States.” — Judge Stephanie Gallagher
- “The Court will not interpret the (Civil Rights Act) contrary to its text simply because an office of the party advancing that interpretation has adopted it,” — Judge Stephanie Gallagher
- “These databases contain the names, addresses, and Social Security numbers of millions of Marylanders, sensitive personal information that Marylanders have a right to keep private.” — Attorney General Anthony Brown
- “With today’s ruling, Maryland’s federal court has added its voice to the unanimous chorus of judges who have said states do not have to follow the Trump Administration’s demand to turn over their unredacted voter registration databases,” — Attorney General Anthony Brown
What’s Next
The Justice Department may refile the Maryland suit in another venue after a procedural dismissal in Georgia. Ongoing challenges to DHS’s SAVE program and further state lawsuits will shape the legal landscape for federal access to voter rolls.
