PORTLAND, Ore. — A group of ten Democratic secretaries of state has written a letter to federal officials, requesting more information about efforts to collect statewide voter registration lists. Their concerns stem from reports that federal agencies may have misled them and could be entering voter information into programs used to verify U.S. citizenship.
The letter, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, expresses ‘immense concern’ about the sharing of voter data between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
With the 2026 midterm elections nearing, tensions have risen as the DOJ has made requests for detailed voter information from at least 26 states, including those led by Republicans, and has even sued eight states for compliance. Simultaneously, voting rights organizations have filed lawsuits against the administration, claiming that recent updates to a federal citizenship verification tool could lead to wrongful purging of eligible voters.
Some states have chosen to send redacted versions of their voter records or have declined requests entirely, citing state laws or privacy protections under the federal Privacy Act. The DOJ has been pressing for voter records that include personally identifiable information.
In their letter, secretaries of state report receiving contradictory updates from federal officials regarding the intent and use of the requested data. Earlier in August, a DOJ official indicated the data would be used to ensure states maintain compliant voter lists under federal law. However, a September meeting produced statements from DHS indicating that they had not received any voter data. The secretaries of state request clarification on these conflicting statements.
The recent updates to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, have raised more concerns regarding the collection and use of voter data. The SAVE program had previously been used for verifying the citizenship status of individuals applying for public benefits, but its extension to voter list checks raises new questions about voter privacy.
The secretaries of state, including representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, have sought responses to their questions by December 1, emphasizing the urgency of the matter as the political landscape shifts with the upcoming elections.
The letter, addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, expresses ‘immense concern’ about the sharing of voter data between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
With the 2026 midterm elections nearing, tensions have risen as the DOJ has made requests for detailed voter information from at least 26 states, including those led by Republicans, and has even sued eight states for compliance. Simultaneously, voting rights organizations have filed lawsuits against the administration, claiming that recent updates to a federal citizenship verification tool could lead to wrongful purging of eligible voters.
Some states have chosen to send redacted versions of their voter records or have declined requests entirely, citing state laws or privacy protections under the federal Privacy Act. The DOJ has been pressing for voter records that include personally identifiable information.
In their letter, secretaries of state report receiving contradictory updates from federal officials regarding the intent and use of the requested data. Earlier in August, a DOJ official indicated the data would be used to ensure states maintain compliant voter lists under federal law. However, a September meeting produced statements from DHS indicating that they had not received any voter data. The secretaries of state request clarification on these conflicting statements.
The recent updates to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program, run by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, have raised more concerns regarding the collection and use of voter data. The SAVE program had previously been used for verifying the citizenship status of individuals applying for public benefits, but its extension to voter list checks raises new questions about voter privacy.
The secretaries of state, including representatives from Arizona, California, Colorado, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, have sought responses to their questions by December 1, emphasizing the urgency of the matter as the political landscape shifts with the upcoming elections.
