Court Allows Michigan to Keep Voter Information Private

A federal appeals court has allowed Michigan to maintain the privacy of personal information from its registered voters. This decision marks another setback for the Trump administration, which has sought details from many states.

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided in a 2-1 opinion that Michigan is not required to disclose birth dates, driver’s license numbers, and partial Social Security numbers. This ruling confirms a prior decision by a federal judge in Lansing, Michigan.

Similar efforts by the administration have been blocked in states like Maryland, Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Georgia had a related case dismissed due to incorrect filing location, prompting the government to refile.

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson stated the federal government is entitled only to receive a list of registered voters accessible to the general public. The Trump administration claimed it needed personal voter information to ensure Michigan’s compliance with federal election laws, citing various “anomalies” and complaints.

Michigan’s legal team argued that the administration’s real goals include building a national voter database and sharing data with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for checking if noncitizens have registered and voted.

Reports from the Brennan Center for Justice and the Associated Press indicate that at least 13 states have either handed over or committed to providing their voter registration lists to the federal government. These states include Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming.