DOJ Sues W.Va. Over Voter Information

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) says it has filed federal lawsuits against five more states – including West Virginia – seeking personal information on voters. 

“Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a press release. “This latest series of litigation underscores that this Department of Justice is fulfilling its duty to ensure transparency, voter roll maintenance, and secure elections across the country.”

The DOJ wants the name, date of birth, home address, driver’s license number and last four social security digits for all 1.1 million registered voters in West Virginia.

Secretary of State Kris Warner says handing such data over is against the law in West Virginia and that the U.S. Constitution clarifies elections are the duty of each state. 

“It’s not what I want to do personally. It’s what the law says. And I’m here to carry out the West Virginia law,” Warner said. “The U.S. Constitution makes it very clear that the time, manner and place of elections is left to the states, and I’m going to follow state law. 

The lawsuit, announced Thursday, brings the nationwide total of states being sued for voter records to 29 states and the District of Columbia.

A Trump appointed judge in the Western District of Michigan dismissed the DOJ’s lawsuit earlier this month. A similar case was dismissed in Oregon in January.  

The DOJ says the U.S. Attorney General has broad Congressional authority to request election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. 

Warner’s office has not yet received the lawsuit but when it does, the case would likely go to state Attorney General JB McCuskey.