A federal appeals court has dealt a significant setback to the Trump administration’s efforts to obtain confidential voter roll data from states across the country. The 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Michigan is not obligated to produce the confidential voter data, which could include social security numbers and driver’s license ID numbers, to the Justice Department.
Background
The Trump administration has sued 30 states that have refused to produce their unredacted voter rolls, citing a 1960 civil rights law. However, the appeals court found that this law does not cover Michigan’s aggregated voter file. The ruling is the first time an appeals court has weighed in on the issue, potentially setting up a Supreme Court showdown.
The Justice Department’s efforts to obtain the voter data have been met with resistance from many states, with nine judges at the district court level ruling against the administration’s efforts. The appeals court’s decision is a significant blow to the Trump administration’s attempts to audit voter rolls and enforce voter registration laws.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
